1. What does uneven skin tone look like?
2. Why do I have an uneven skin tone and what causes it?
3. What is the best treatment for uneven skin tone?
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a. How to remove dark spots
b. How to brighten dull skin
There’s no question that wrinkles can give you an aged appearance, but it’s not just those lines and creases that can contribute to the advent of aging skin. Skincare experts and dermatologists say that uneven skin tone, which is commonly associated with hyperpigmentation, is a major factor. One study shows that uneven skin tone alone can add up to 20 years to a woman’s age. So although wrinkles do age us, what really makes us look older is blotchy skin.
Sure, the right foundation, the perfect concealer and good lighting can help you fake a flawless and even complexion—but that’s just hiding the issue. Uneven skin tone can be caused by something as small as a blemish or something much more complex like a hormonal skin condition called melasma, which means that treating your skin’s discoloration isn’t exactly straightforward. So, what is the best treatment for uneven skin tone? We explain what uneven skin tone looks like, what causes it and how to outsmart and treat those pesky dark spots and discoloration.
1. What does uneven skin tone look like?
A blotchy skin tone can be found anywhere on the body, but primarily we see uneven skin tone on the face, chest and shoulders. Essentially, it’s caused by hyperpigmentation (also known as sun spots, age spots or dark spots): patches that become darker in colour than the surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that causes skin colour, forms and deposits on the skin.
Another common contributor to uneven skin tone is redness, also known as erythema. This is commonly linked to dermatitis (eczema and skin inflammation), injured skin and genetic skin conditions such as rosacea. It can also be triggered by the sun and sensitivities to certain ingredients or products that are too aggressive.
Finally, the effects of acne also fall into the uneven-skin-tone camp. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)—the technical term—is caused by pimple marks, acne scarring, and spots left after burns or bug bites.
2. Why do I have an uneven skin tone and what causes it?
The number one contributor to uneven skin tone is ultraviolet (UV) rays. Sunlight activates the body’s melanocytes (the cells that give skin its colour, a.k.a. melanin) and makes more colour when the skin is exposed. The cells, pigmented with melanin, bunch together, forming a circular mark a few shades deeper than your skin tone. These dark spots may not show up right away, but the damage accumulates over time under the skin’s surface, especially if you don’t wear SPF every day. Then they slowly emerge; at first, you might even think they’re innocent freckles, but if they are left untreated, they will turn into dark spots—and, unlike their cute counterparts, they won’t fade at summer’s end.
Another reason you might suddenly experience uneven skin tone is hormonal changes. Estrogen fluctuations, due to pregnancy or birth control pills, stimulate melanocytes to act up, causing melasma. With this condition, also known as pregnancy mask, where unwanted pools of melanin form in the skin creating large abstract patches.
Injuries to the skin from acne scarring can also trigger melanin production. This is especially true for darker complexions such as Black, Asian and Hispanic skin tones. It can make the healing process take longer because it leaves behind stubborn PIH marks.
3. What is the best treatment for uneven skin tone?
Once you identify your pigmentation’s origin, you can treat it effectively. Dark spots, melasma and PIH can be successfully treated with a two-pronged approach using uneven skin tone products at home, such as dark spot correctors and lasers and peels at your dermatologist’s office. However, you also need to protect your skin and prevent the hyperpigmentation from returning so quickly. Here’s how to brighten dull skin and what to use for an uneven skin tone.
a. How to remove dark spots
People commonly notice their first dark spot and uneven skin tone around the eyes. This is because the skin in this area is thin and it’s constantly exposed to the sun’s rays. Dark spots often start to appear when you’re in your mid-30s, though some people may develop them earlier or later in life, depending on the amount of sun exposure they have. The best cream for uneven skin is Vichy ProEven Advanced Daily Dark Spot Corrector. Formulated with PhE-Resorcinol, ellagic acid, LHA and adenosine, it reduces the size and intensity of the dark spot within eight weeks if you use it consistently. For a more aggressive solution, you could try two to four sessions with a fractional laser at your dermatologist’s office. If you decide on one or both of these options, it’s integral to follow things up with an SPF because battling dark spots is pointless without daily use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen. After all, it’s much easier to prevent dark spots than treat them.
b. How to brighten dull skin
So, you would like to know how to remove uneven skin tone and brighten your dull skin. Both might have been caused by a number of things, such as an accumulation of dead skin cells, dehydration or PIH marks that have accrued over the years. When it comes to PIH, any mechanical trauma can stir things up and make the marks more obvious. Avoid popping pimples and using physical exfoliators—however, a chemical exfoliator is encouraged.
You should also look for a gentle cleanser with ingredients that will help hydrate and plump up your skin. The best uneven skin tone cleanser is one that has melanin-targeting ingredients. Vichy ProEven Brightening Cleanser is formulated with gentle chemical exfoliators that slough off dead skin cells as well as a combo of vitamin C, LHA and a patented ceramide brightening complex that reduces the look of dark spots and reveals a smoother, cleansed complexion.
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