What are the different types of spots?
Dark spots can look similar on the surface, but they form for many different reasons.
Before we can reduce the appearance of spots on the face, it’s important to identify the types of spots you’re dealing with. Most people have multiple spots appearing on the skin simultaneously – which is why comprehensive formulas often work best.
Type of spot | What causes it? | What does it look like? | Common areas |
Age spots and melasma | Long-term UV exposure, hormones, and genetics | Flat brown, tan, or grey spots and patchy areas of pigmentation | Face, chest, shoulders, hands |
Post-blemish marks | Blemishes, breakouts, and skin inflammation | Brown, red, grey, or purple marks left after blemishes heal | Anywhere blemishes occur, especially the face, back, and chest |
Dark spots | UV exposure, skin irritation, hormonal changes, and post-inflammatory pigmentation | Small to larger patches of darker pigmentation with uneven tone | Face, hands, shoulders, chest, and other sun-exposed areas |
Read on as we break down the different types of spots you may experience as you age.
Age spots and melasma
Age spots and melasma are both common forms of hyperpigmentation caused by excess melanin production. Age spots are large, dark patches that often appear after age 40 and decades of UV damage. Whereas melasma creates symmetrical patches on the cheeks, forehead, and upper lip that stem from hormonal changes in the body1.
Post-blemish marks
Once initial blemishes have flattened and reduced in size, post-blemish marks can appear on the skin as red, pink, purple, brown, or black discolouration – the colour varying depending on skin tone. These types of spots are flat and smooth, with a texture similar to the surrounding skin.
Dark spots
Dark spots, which are also commonly referred to as “sun spots”, are characterised by flat, brown patches on sun-exposed areas like your face, hands, shoulders, chest, feet, etc. This type of hyperpigmentation tends to start after age 30 and darken gradually over time.
What causes spots on the face?
Regardless of the type of discolouration, the causes of spots on the face stem from an excess production of melanin.
Melanin is your skin’s natural pigment produced in specialised cells called “melanocytes” in the basal layer of the epidermis1. However, specific triggers like prolonged UV exposure, breakouts, and hormonal changes can stimulate melanocytes to overproduce melanin – resulting in dark spots.
Below, we’ll dive into these specific triggers to find out what causes different types of spots to form on the skin.
What causes age spots and melasma?
Age spots are the result of decades of sun exposure and tend to be more prominent on fairer skin types. Hormonal changes during pregnancy, from birth control, or menopause cause melasma patches on the skin. Both types of spots are exacerbated by UV exposure.
What causes post-blemish marks?
Severe or lengthy breakouts can cause the skin to produce excess melanin as a type of ‘trauma response’ during the skin’s recovery process. Often, these spots on the face can fade on their own, but it can take months – especially without skincare intervention.
The good news: these types of spots will fade with consistent care.
What causes dark spots?
Similarly to age spots, dark spots are the result of cumulative UV exposure, which triggers melanin clusters to form. UV rays can be difficult to avoid, and continued exposure can worsen existing spots on the face. However, with daily sun protection and targeted skincare, these types of spots can diminish over time.
To learn more, explore our complete guide to what causes dark spots on the face.
How to get rid of spots with L'Oréal Paris: why our products work
After almost 20 years of research, 23 patents, and screening more than 100,000 molecules, L'Oréal Paris developed Melasyl™ – an ingredient designed to help target excess melanin before it becomes a visible cause of spots on your skin.
Unlike traditional dark spot formulas that focus on correcting existing hyperpigmentation, Melasyl™ helps address excess melanin before it turns into visible discolouration.
Traditional dark spot formulas | Melasyl™ |
Focus on fading spots on face after they appear on the skin. | Targets excess melanin before dark spots become visible. |
Exfoliates the surface of your skin. | Works earlier in the hyperpigmentation process instead of relying on surface exfoliation. |
Can struggle to treat different types of spots. | Targets excess melanin, helping visibly reduce different types of dark spots across all skin tones. |
Can cause skin sensitivity | Formulated to be well-tolerated by all skin types, including sensitive skin. |
Only target dark spots | Can be paired with other skincare ingredients for dark spots to help improve overall tone correction and skin luminosity beyond dark spots alone. |
How to get rid of spots: 3 expert strategies
As your skin changes with age, you want targeted skincare that can help visibly reduce different types of spots while supporting brighter, more even-looking skin.
Below, discover our three expert strategies on how to get rid of spots on your face.
1. Target spots at the cellular level with Revitalift MelasyI™ Anti-Ageing Creamy Serum
Powered by Melasyl™, vitamin C, and niacinamide, Revitalift MelasyI™ Anti-Ageing Creamy Serum visibly reduces dark spots, dullness, and uneven tone while delivering up to 100 hours of hydration. Inspired by laser treatments, the formula helps dark spots appear visibly faded in as little as two weeks*, while improving the look of up to 15 years of accumulated hyperpigmentation with continued use.
Apply two to three drops to clean skin morning and night across your face and neck, allowing the formula 30 to 60 seconds to absorb, before layering the rest of your skincare.
*Self-assessments on the look of dark spots and radiance, 239 women 2. Boost with Revitalift Laser X3 Deep Anti-Ageing Day Cream SPF 15
Your serum focuses on excess pigment within your skin, while your day cream helps support your skin’s visible brightness and hydration throughout the day.
Revitalift Laser X3 Deep Anti-Ageing Day Cream SPF 15 combines pro-retinol, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C to visibly reduce dark spots while helping brighten and firm the appearance of your skin within four weeks**. Suitable for different types of spots and all skin types***, the formula immediately plumps your skin with hydration, with the added benefit of SPF 15.
Apply every morning after your serum across your face and neck as the final step in your skincare routine.
**Cosmeto – clinical study, 51 subjects, after 4 weeks ***Tolerance validated by more than 600 applications 3. Protect with Bright Reveal Tinted Daily Fluid SPF 50 Light
One of the biggest causes of spots on the face is daily UV exposure, which is why applying sunscreen every day is essential to help prevent new dark spots from appearing.
Bright Reveal Tinted Daily Fluid SPF 50 Light combines broad-spectrum SPF protection with 3% niacinamide to help visibly brighten skin and reduce the appearance of dark spots within one month****. Designed for lightweight daily wear, the tinted formula helps even out your skin tone with natural-looking coverage while giving your skin a radiant glow. Choose between a light tint with a pearlescent finish or a medium tint for a more sun-kissed look.
Wear it alone or in place of foundation. Shake the bottle well before use, then apply a generous amount across your face and neck as the final step in your morning skincare routine. For additional coverage, layer another application on top.
****Cosmeto-clinical, clinical scoring, 4 weeks, 42 subjects and self-assessment evaluation, 4 weeks, 79 subjects. Common mistakes when treating spots
With the right skincare routine for dark spots, you can see visible improvement in your skin tone and texture. The difference often comes down to consistency, especially when everyday habits linked to the causes of spots are still affecting your skin.
Some of the most common mistakes that can slow results include:
- Skipping SPF.
- Expecting instant results.
- Applying products inconsistently.
- Layering too many treatments at once.
- Stopping treatment once spots begin to fade.
- Treating only your face and not areas like the neck, chest, or hands.
Now that you know about the causes of spots, discover our best serums for hyperpigmentation – and explore the targeted ingredients changing the way uneven skin tone is treated.
1 https://ajprd.com/index.php/journal/article/view/1363
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK459156/
3 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10883256/
