Frequently asked questions

Yes. UV rays and visible light stimulate melanin production, so sun exposure darkens existing spots and triggers new ones. Research shows visible light, not just UV, causes stronger and longer-lasting pigmentation in medium to deep skin tones, and heat and visible light can both deepen melasma. Protect skin daily with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher; tinted sunscreens containing iron oxides add protection against visible light. Reapply every two hours outdoors, and wear sunscreen even on cloudy days and near windows.

Sun spots, also called solar lentigines, liver spots or age spots, are flat, well-defined tan to dark brown spots caused by years of UV exposure. They appear on sun-exposed areas such as the face, hands, shoulders and chest, usually after age 40, or earlier with frequent sun.

They're harmless, but any spot that changes, grows, bleeds or has an irregular border should be checked by a dermatologist. Daily SPF 30 helps prevent new ones, and vitamin C helps existing ones look less noticeable.

Yes, dark skin needs sunscreen every day. Melanin gives natural protection of roughly SPF 13 in very dark skin, well below the SPF 30 dermatologists advise, and it doesn't stop UV or visible light from darkening existing spots. People with deep skin tones also get skin cancer, and it's often found later.

For skin prone to hyperpigmentation, use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning and reapply every 2 hours when you're outdoors.

Use about a quarter teaspoon (roughly 1.25 mL) of sunscreen for your face, or two full finger lengths of lotion, to get the SPF on the label. SPF is tested at 2 mg per square centimeter of skin, and most people apply half that or less, which cuts protection sharply.

Add a little more for your neck and ears. Reapply every 2 hours outdoors, and after swimming or sweating.

Screens give off only a tiny fraction of the visible light that sunlight does, so phones and laptops are unlikely to cause dark spots on their own. The sun is the real concern: its high-energy visible (blue-violet) light causes stronger, longer-lasting pigment in medium to deep skin tones, and light through windows adds up.

Instead of worrying about screen time, wear a tinted sunscreen with iron oxides, which blocks visible light better than untinted formulas.

SPF 50 is only slightly better than SPF 30 on paper: SPF 50 blocks about 98% of UVB rays and SPF 30 about 97%. In real life, SPF 50 gives a margin of safety, because most people apply too little.

For skin prone to dark spots, the sunscreen you'll wear generously every day matters most: broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, and ideally tinted. Reapplying every 2 hours outdoors makes more difference than moving from 30 to 50.

The Fitzpatrick skin types are six groups that describe how skin reacts to the sun. Type I always burns and never tans; type II usually burns and tans minimally; type III sometimes burns and tans gradually; type IV rarely burns and tans easily; type V very rarely burns and tans deeply; type VI never burns and is deeply pigmented.

Types IV to VI are more prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, so gentle products and daily sunscreen matter most for them.

Hyperpigmentation comes back because the pigment cells that made it are still there and still reactive. Sun, a new breakout, friction, heat or an irritating product can switch them on again, and stopping sunscreen or brightening care often brings spots back within weeks. Hormonal pigmentation such as melasma is especially likely to return, so if you think you have melasma, see a dermatologist.

To keep your results, wear SPF 30 or higher daily, continue a gentle brightening routine as maintenance, and avoid triggers like picking and harsh scrubs.

Melasma is caused by pigment cells that become more active in response to certain triggers, mainly sunlight, visible light, heat and hormones. Pregnancy, birth control pills and a family history of melasma all raise the odds. Researchers still don't fully understand why some people react to these triggers and others don't.

Some medicines that make skin more sensitive to sun, thyroid conditions and tanning beds have also been linked to melasma. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is the most important habit. Read more in What is melasma? Causes, triggers and who gets it.

No, melasma and sun spots are different. Sun spots are small, well-defined brown spots that build up after years of UV exposure, often on the face, hands and chest. Melasma forms larger, blotchy patches, usually on both sides of the face, and is linked to hormones, heat and visible light as well as sun.

Both get darker with sun, so daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher matters for either one. For more ways to tell them apart, read Melasma vs sun spots vs hyperpigmentation.

Melasma in pregnancy often starts in the second or third trimester, though it can appear at any point. Rising estrogen and progesterone seem to make pigment cells more active, so patches can show up on the cheeks, forehead or upper lip, especially after time in the sun. It's common enough to be called the mask of pregnancy.

For some people it goes away in the months after the baby is born. Daily tinted sunscreen, shade and a hat protect your skin in the meantime, and check any new skincare with your doctor while you're pregnant. More in Melasma in pregnancy.

Heat may make melasma worse, even without direct sun. Many people notice their patches look darker after cooking over a hot stove, a sauna, hot yoga or a heat wave. Heat is thought to switch on pigment cells and add inflammation, which is why melasma care covers heat as well as UV and visible light.

Cool your skin down after workouts, step back from hot ovens, and keep up daily sunscreen and shade. More in Does heat make melasma worse? Heat, light and SPF.

The best sunscreen for melasma is a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher that you'll wear every day, ideally a tinted mineral formula with iron oxides. The tint adds protection against visible light, which can darken melasma, especially on medium to deep skin. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide filters are often comfortable on sensitive skin.

Apply it generously every morning and reapply every two hours when you're outdoors. Compare the options in Best sunscreen for melasma: tinted, mineral, visible light.

Melasma isn't always permanent, but it is long-term for many people. For some people it becomes less noticeable on its own once a trigger ends, for example after pregnancy or after stopping birth control pills. For others it lasts for years, and it often comes back with sun exposure, heat or hormonal changes, even after it has settled.

Daily sun protection is the most important habit. If melasma bothers you, a dermatologist can discuss prescription options and in-office procedures, though no approach can promise it won't return. Learn more in What is melasma?

Yes, men can get melasma, though it's much less common than in women. It looks the same: flat, tan to gray-brown patches on the cheeks, forehead, nose or upper lip. In men, sun exposure and a family history tend to be the main triggers, and it's more common in medium to deep skin tones.

Men often skip sunscreen, so daily SPF 30 or higher and a wide-brimmed hat are the most important habits. Read What is melasma? for the triggers and who gets it.

A darker upper lip is common, and it usually comes from one of a few causes: melasma (sometimes called a melasma mustache), post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from waxing, threading, shaving or hair removal creams, sun exposure, or the shadow of fine hair.

Melasma on the upper lip tends to form an even, symmetrical patch and is linked to sun, visible light, heat and hormones such as pregnancy or birth control. Marks from hair removal are often patchier and follow irritation. Gentle hair removal and a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, ideally a tinted mineral formula with iron oxides, help protect the area.

A dermatologist can tell you which one you have and discuss prescription options if you need them. See a doctor sooner if a spot changes, bleeds, itches or grows. More in Melasma mustache: why your upper lip gets darker.

Morning is the best time to use vitamin C for most people, because its antioxidant protection helps defend skin against UV and pollution during the day. Apply it after cleansing and before moisturizer, then always finish with broad-spectrum sunscreen. Vitamin C can also be used at night, and stable derivatives work well either time. The most important thing is using it consistently every day.

No. Vitamin C does not replace sunscreen. It is an antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals caused by UV exposure and can boost your overall protection when used under sunscreen, but it does not absorb or block UV rays and has no SPF rating. Use vitamin C in the morning and always finish with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher.

Vitamin C hand cream can help dark spots on the hands look less noticeable over time, especially sun spots from years of UV. Hands get a lot of sun and are washed often, so a cream with a stable vitamin C plus moisturizing ingredients works well as a leave-on step.

Apply it after washing, at least twice a day, and put sunscreen on the backs of your hands. Expect 8 to 12 weeks, and have any spot that changes checked by a doctor.