Figuring out how to get rid of age spots is like a rite of passage—albeit one that occurs a little later in life. Also known as sun spots (or solar lentigines), these common spots “are pigment your skin made in response to years of sun exposure,” says Aderonke Obayomi, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY.
Vogue’s Favorite Products to Fade Age Spots:
- The Vitamin C Plus Niacinamide:Clinique Even Better Face Serum, $95
- The Azelaic Acid:The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension, $12
- The Retinol for Beginners:RoC Retinol Correxion Serum, $33
- The Tranexamic Acid:Murad Dark Spot Correcting Serum, $88
- The Mineral Sunscreen:La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral Sunscreen, $40
- The Tinted Mineral SPF:Merit Beauty The Uniform, $38
Unlike acne scars that eventually fade or melasma that emerges when you’re pregnant, age spots are directly linked to sunlight. “Ultraviolet light signals melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells in the skin, to go into overdrive in specific spots—and over time those cells stay switched on even when you are out of the sun,” she says. That’s why a spot that appears after decades in the sun doesn’t disappear after a week or two.
Age spots aren’t just a matter of color, either. While their darker pigmentation can lean red and brown, there’s also “a textural change that can be seen with many age spots—dry texture and for some people, rough patches of skin,” says Rachel Nazarian, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY.
Keep in mind, however, that age spots can sometimes be a case of mistaken identity; after all, there are plenty of other brown spots on the skin. For instance, “melasma shows up as larger, symmetric patches, usually on the cheeks, upper lip, and forehead, and is driven by hormones and heat as much as by sun,” says Dr. Obayomi. “Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the mark left behind after acne, a bug bite, or a scratch.” All three require very different approaches. And on top of that, some lookalikes could also be skin cancer. “If a spot is changing in size, shape, or color, or simply looks different from everything else on your skin, that needs a professional eye promptly, because some skin cancers present as a dark spot,” says Dr. Obayomi. All to say: It’s worth starting with a trip to a dermatologist to understand what you’re working with.
The Best Products to Get Rid of Age Spots
Starting with the good news: Topical serums and creams can go a long way in minimizing age spots. However, in-office treatments tend to be more powerful and yield results more quickly, so the ideal approach would be to pair them. Lasers, chemical peels, and treatments like intense pulsed light (IPL) can also go a long way in lightening age spots
To that end, if you’re sticking with topicals, “expectations need to be managed that they’re not like the stronger procedural and medical grade options,” says Dr. Nazarian. However, if you use them diligently (meaning consistently, as tolerated), then over-the-counter formulas can make a noticeable, if more gradual, difference. It also helps to be strategic when you’re pairing ingredients. “Products that combine different pathways for addressing age spots are great for multitasking,” she says. With that, here’s what to add to your arsenal.
When it comes to active ingredients, it’s tough to beat vitamin C, “which can block pigment formation and decrease the development of additional melanin in response to sun and environmental triggers,” says Dr. Nazarian. As an antioxidant, it bolsters the protective abilities of sunscreen, giving you added coverage against free radicals (that otherwise damage skin). Use it in the morning for your best bet.
Of vitamin C serums, it’s hard to beat SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, which recently underwent a reformulation. “The combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid helps defend against oxidative damage while vitamin C can help brighten existing discoloration over time,” says Dr. Obayomi. Dr. Nazarian, for her part, also likes Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Clearing Serum. It “combines salicylic acid with vitamin C and niacinamide, using many pathways to decrease and prevent dark spots, age spots, and redness—which are often seen together in aging skin,” she says.
Even Better Face Serum
C E Ferulic
Universal C Skin Refiner
C+ Correcting Complex
$190
Acids, Exfoliating, and Otherwise
Chemical exfoliants like glycolic and salicylic acids can be helpful for age spots, too. “Similar to what retinoids do, they gently slough the surface of the skin, removing sun-damaged skin cells and encouraging replacement with newer, healthier skin,” says Dr. Nazarian. However, proceed with caution with these exfoliating agents, as overdoing it can inadvertently worsen the problem. “Over-exfoliating causes inflammation, and inflammation causes more pigment,” says Dr. Obayomi, who recommends exfoliating no more than two or three times a week. “I regularly see patients who ended up darker than when they started because they doubled up on acids trying to speed things along.”
Not all acids are created equal, though. Take azelaic acid, which, like vitamin C, blocks pigment formation and isn’t especially aggressive. It’s “a strong option for anyone dealing with pigment plus a tendency toward breakouts or redness,” says Dr. Obayomi, who recommends The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% in particular. “It helps reduce excess pigment production while also improving inflammation and overall skin tone.”
Azelaic Acid Suspension
Exosome Shot Azelaic Acid
Tranexamic acid is another good option: “It’s well tolerated across skin tones and acts on a different point in the pigment pathway,” says Dr. Obayomi. “The newer melanin-intercepting ingredients are showing real promise and tend to be gentler than the older brightening agents, which matters for skin that pigments easily.” Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum pairs glycolic acid with tranexamic acid, while Eadem’s The Mark combines 5% tranexamic acid with 1% kojic acid (yet another potent brightener).
Dark Spot Correcting Serum
The Mark
When it comes to treating age spotshorse for age spots—and it is worth the adjustment period,” says Dr. Obayomi. They increase cell turnover while preventing your pigment-producing cells from sending that pigment into your skin, “so they are doing two useful things at once,” she says
Beginners should start with an over-the-counter retinoid, which may be milder. If you’re completely new to the ingredient, try RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Night Serum Capsules. “I love that these individually portioned capsules take the guesswork out of application and help keep the retinol protected from light and air,” says Dr. Obayomi.
Dr. Nazarian, meanwhile, recommends Avène Retrinal 0.1% Intensive Multi-Corrective Cream, as it “uses a form of retinol called retinaldehyde that, with time, can lighten dark spots and help even out skin tone,” she says. “It’s generally more tolerable than the prescription forms, making it a good option to use nightly.”
Once your skin has adjusted, you can use stronger retinoids like adapalene, which “is available over the counter and tends to be well tolerated,” says Dr. Obayomi. She likes Differin 0.1% Adapalene Gel. “Adapalene is best known as an acne treatment, but as a topical retinoid, it also promotes cell turnover and can help improve post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone over time,” she says. “I like it as an accessible, over-the-counter option, especially for someone dealing with both breakouts and the dark marks they leave behind.”
Retrinal Intensive Cream
Retinol Correxion Serum
Acne Retinoid Treatment Gel
Crystal Retinal 1
If you only add one product to your age-spot arsenal, make it sunscreen. Continuing to bask in the sun will only “darken age spots, counter anything you’re doing to lighten them, and encourage future production of new age spots,” says Dr. Nazarian. You should use a minimum of SPF 30 every day, ideally paired with topical antioxidants “to shield against free-radical damage—which also causes aging and age spots,” she says.
But when you’re working with age spots, not just any sunscreen will do. Look for a tinted mineral sunscreen. “The iron oxides that create the tint block visible light, and visible light is a genuine driver of pigment, particularly in medium and deep skin tones,” says Dr. Obayomi. “A clear sunscreen protects against UV, but leaves that pathway wide open.”
She likes La Roche-Posay Anthelios Tinted Mineral Light Fluid SPF 50 for its lightweight feel. Plus, “it provides broad-spectrum UV protection while the tint helps protect against visible light, which can also worsen pigmentation,” she says. Personally, I swear by ISDIN Eryfotona Ageless Tinted Mineral Face Sunscreen, which has just enough coverage to conceal blemishes and age spots, but doesn’t feel heavy or chalky.
Anthelios Mineral Sunscreen
Eryfotona Face Sunscreen
The Uniform
UV Clear Face Sunscreen
How long does it take to get rid of age spots?
Give your new regimen 12 weeks before you decide how it’s going—and “that assumes [you’re wearing] daily sunscreen the entire time,” says Dr. Obayomi. A difference in overall brightness can take four to eight weeks to see, while individual spots may begin to fade between eight and 12 weeks. “Older, deeper spots take longer,” she says.
And if anything, looking for immediate results can actually interrupt your progress. “The two-week check-in is where good routines go to die,” Dr. Obayomi says. “People decide it is not working, swap everything out, start over, and never give any single product enough runway to prove itself.” She recommends choosing your routine, taking a picture on day one, and then repeating the photo three months later—by that time, you should be able to see a difference.
When to Use Age Spot Treatments
While they might be called age spots, Dr. Nazarian recommends using brightening treatments as soon as you hit your mid-20s, “with continuation over the long-term to maintain results and to avoid production of new age spots,” she says.
That’s especially important if you already know that you’re prone to hyperpigmentation or spent a lot of time in the sun when you were younger. These people “are more likely to develop age spots as they get older, and should be prioritizing a skin-care regimen with ingredients that target age spots,” she says. Once your routine is in place, it can keep your skin radiant and even for decades to come.
Everything You Need To Know
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity estheticians—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to age spot treatments, we selected the best based on the following characteristics: ingredients, treatment type, ease of application, texture, packaging, finish, and the skin-care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you. Read more about our testing methodology here.
- Aderonke Obayomi, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY
- Rachel Nazarian, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY
Source: www.vogue.com
