No one has a perfect skin tone all the time, and everyone experiences difficulty at one time or another. You might be struggling with skin discoloration and dark patches right now. Uneven skin tone is a common problem, but it doesn’t mean you must tolerate it. So, what can you do about it? Keep reading as we give you six steps to achieve an even-looking skin tone.
What Causes Skin Discoloration and Dark Spots?
Dark spots can appear in large or small patches across your skin and cause discoloration. Their underlying reason is increased melatonin production. This pigment is what gives your skin color.
What causes increased melatonin production? Here are some of the reasons:
- Dry Skin
- Pollution
- Melasma
- Sun Exposure
- Hyperpigmentation
Steps To Improve Skin Tone
Your skincare routine matters the most when it comes to skin discoloration. The following steps will help you perfect your skincare regimen and reduce dark spots.
1. Determine Your Skin Type
Before planning your skincare routine, you need to determine your skin type. The wrong products will not improve skin discoloration but cause other problems like blemishes and irritation.
So, decide which of these skin types you have first:
- Oily skin: Skin that produces many natural oils
- Dry skin: Skin that makes less natural oils
- Normal skin: Skin that is not too dry or oily
- Combination skin: Skin that includes both dry and oily areas
2. Choose Skincare Products For Sensitive Skin
After determining your skin type, purchase products that match your complexion and are formulated for sensitive skin. Discoloration is often a response to inflammation within the skin, so sensitive products that work for your skin types are essential. Otherwise, you risk adding more problems to your dark spots.
Some ideal formulas for different skin types include:
- Oily skin: Use oil-free products and oil-in-water emulsions to avoid clogged pores
- Dry skin: Use water-in-oil emulsions with water-binding ingredients, such as glycerin to help retain moisture on your outer skin layer
- Normal skin: Use water-in-oil emulsions during the day and oil-in-water ones at night to avoid oily skin
- Combination skin: Use water-in-oil emulsions for dry areas and oil-in-water emulsions for oily areas
3. Exfoliate
Exfoliation is a critical step that will help remove the layer of dead skin cells. Later, when you apply the products, they can sink into deeper layers and do their magic. Plus, exfoliants with alpha hydroxy acids can help reduce the appearance of dark spots over time.
Find a gentle—preferably chemical—exfoliant for your skin type and apply it to your face after cleansing. Rub in gentle, circular motions and rinse with warm water. Exfoliating twice a week is enough. More than that, it will disturb your skin and lead to other issues.
4. Avoid Too Much Sun
Sunscreen can help you achieve flawless skin and improve discoloration, as well as keep your skin healthy and safe. Look for mineral sunscreen ingredients like zinc oxide or iron oxide that act as a barrier between your skin and the UV rays, while also protecting against free radicals and external stressors that trigger dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Or avoid the sun’s rays entirely look for alternatives such as tanning lamps.
5. Cleanse, Hydrate, and Moisturize Your Skin Daily
Cleansing, hydrating, and moisturizing should be daily parts of your skincare routine. To help reverse dark spots, you can moisturize with skin discoloration creams that restore even-looking skin. These three critical steps will help boost collagen production and cell regeneration to undo all the damage of the day.
6. Use Key Ingredients: Vitamin E & Antioxidants
Vitamin E is often found in moisturizers, as it is an emollient that soothes and hydrates dry and cracked skin, which can lead to inflammation and discoloration.
Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals in air pollutants that can act as environmental stressors to your skin and cause dark spots. Serums and creams with antioxidants are an important part of a skincare routine.
Be Consistent and Protect Your Skin
The most important step to improve discoloration is to always wear sunscreen to protect your skin against damaging sun rays.
When it comes to skin health, consistency is the most vital step. So keep practicing your mindful skincare routine, and you will see improvements in skin discoloration and dark spots.
Article by Tess DiNapoli
