How to Even Out Discoloration on Darker Skin Tones

Clear, glowy, doll-like skin sans dark spots is always the goal, right? But like every other journey in life, you can’t have a success story without jumping through a few hoops. And for those with dark skin, at one point or another one of those hoops will likely be discoloration. 

Dark spots on the skin, or hyperpigmentation, can be caused by a variety of medical conditions or external factors, but two of the most common causes for those with deeper skin tones are melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. To learn how to address these causes and reveal a smoother, brighter skin tone, we reached out to dermatologists. Read on for their advice on revealing your most even skin yet.

What Causes Discoloration in Darker Skin Tones?

When spots or patches appear on your skin that are darker than your skin tone, it’s called hyperpigmentation. “Hyperpigmentation is a term used to describe areas of skin that have more pigmentation than intended by nature,” dermatologist Craig Kraffert, MD, explains. “These areas visibly contrast with the surrounding unaffected skin, leading to the unevenness of color and/or tone.” For those with darker skin tones two types of hyperpigmentation, in particular, are the most common cosmetic concerns:

• Melasma: “Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation more common in women. It’s often induced by birth control pills and pregnancy and exacerbated by both sun and heat,” Kraffert explains. “Your tendency to develop melasma is based in both genetic and hormonal components.” It primarily develops on the cheekbones, forehead, and upper lip, but can also be on the nose, chin, lower cheeks, and lateral neck.
• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation: Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation occurs when the skin’s cells overproduce melanin as a response to injury, resulting in discoloration and uneven skin tone. “We see this after acne where dark spots are left after the acne lesions resolve and after any kind of trauma to the skin such as scars,” says Vic Narurkar, MD, of Bay Area Laser Institute. Since darker skin has more melanin, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is—you guessed it—more commonly seen in those with darker skin tones.

Conversely, when dark skin has lighter patches, it’s hypopigmentation. This may result from a reduction of melanocytes or from an inability of the melanocytes to produce melanin or properly transport melanosomes.

Now that we have a clear understanding of what hyperpigmentation is and the different types of dark spots, this is what experts say the key is to successfully zapping them.