DISCOLORATION-DARK SPOTS

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What causes dark spots?

Dark spots may commonly be caused by:

• Melasma, triggered by pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives or other medications.
• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, following an infection such as shingles or an inflammatory skin condition such as atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis, lichen planus, or allergic skin reaction.
• Tinea versicolor, an overgrowth of yeast on the skin.
• Sun and UV exposure which darken all skin, but especially those patches that are already darker than your baseline skin color.   We provide our updated Sun Protection Guidelines pdf with useful recommendations for all initial hyperpigmentation consultations.  

Topical Treatments

In addition to controlling an underlying inflammatory condition and stopping a triggering medication, there are several topical medications that usually help even out the skin tone:

• Finacea (azeleic acid)
• Hydroquinone
• Triple combination,  containing three medications — tretinoin, a mild corticosteroid to reduce inflammation, and hydroquinone