As well as treating acne, fine lines, sun damage and scarring, chemical peels are effective in treating all types of dark spots. The extent to which dark spots are reduced depends on the concentration and type of peel being used, as well as the severity of the dark spots.
Chemical peels not only remove sunspots but also improve the appearance of the following: Scars. Wrinkles. Dark Spots.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation presents as flat patches that are tan, brown, or black in color. This condition typically resolves completely after the application of 6 to 8 glycolic acid peels.
The superficial peels most frequently used to lighten dark spots are alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic and lactic acid), beta hydroxy acids (salicylic acid) and trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Glycolic acid (GA) is the most common alpha-hydroxy acid peel and is also known as a fruit peel.
It usually takes several treatment sessions to see the desired outcomes. Most people notice some improvement after their first chemical peel, but with multiple treatments over the span of several months, patients will be astonished by how much better their skin looks.
Retinol can be effective in lightening the skin and reducing the appearance of dark spots. It does so by promoting skin shedding, which improves cell turnover rate and hinders the activity of the enzyme tyrosinase, which encourages the production of melanin.
During this treatment, a doctor will apply highly concentrated liquid hydrogen peroxide to each age spot four times over four minutes. The hydrogen peroxide helps moisten age spots to dissolve them without damaging surrounding skin.
Age spots are harmless. However, some people may wish to remove them for cosmetic reasons. Using OTC creams and lotions may help get rid of age spots in some cases. For some people, dermatologists may recommend a medical treatment option, such as laser treatment, cryotherapy, chemical peeling, or microdermabrasion.
High-energy pulsing lasers can safely and effectively remove many unwanted brown and red spots on your skin, including liver spots, age spots, sun spots, broken capillaries, birthmarks, and angiomas (red spots). Once the lasers do their job, you can have a more even skin tone.
In a nutshell, hydroquinone blocks the production of melanin in our skin. It is also a highly effective ingredient that can whiten the skin, fade the dark spots, and even your skin tone.
Salicylic acid is one of my favorite ingredients for treating a variety of skin ailments, including acne and dark spots. It's so effective because in addition to being an anti-inflammatory and an antibacterial, it's a keratolytic, which means it breaks down the keratin in our skin and thus helps to lighten dark spots.
How long does it take for hyperpigmentation to fade? Once what's causing the dark spots or patches is found and stopped, fading can take time. A spot that is a few shades darker than your natural skin color will usually fade within 6 to 12 months. If the color lies deep in your skin, however, fading can take years.
Chemical peels generally work best on superficial imperfections; conversely, microneedling penetrates deeper to improve more troublesome issues. Many people with wrinkles find a combination of microneedling and chemical peels deliver the best results.
If you have active acne, chemical peels are a better choice because microdermabrasion can irritate it or even cause more issues. Chemical peels use salicylic acid to reduce further breakouts by exfoliating the dead skin cells. If you have light wrinkles, microdermabrasion or light chemical peels can help.
A chemical peel can cause treated skin to become darker than normal (hyperpigmentation) or lighter than normal (hypopigmentation). Hyperpigmentation is more common after superficial peels, while hypopigmentation is more common after a deep peel.
If you want to get rid of dark spots fast, a procedure that removes layers of discolored skin may work better than a lightening cream. These techniques include laser treatments, freezing (cryotherapy), dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, microneedling, and chemical peels.