Home remedies to remove dark spots

Dark spots are areas where the skin has made extra pigment. They may follow acne, eczema, a minor injury, or irritation; they can also occur with melasma, sun spots, or tinea versicolor. Colour, shape, texture, location, and timing help distinguish these causes, so a spot cannot be diagnosed from colour alone.

Use broad-spectrum sunscreen on exposed skin and reapply as directed on the product label, especially during outdoor activity. Choose a gentle cleanser and moisturiser, and avoid picking spots or rubbing the area. Stop products that sting, peel aggressively, or leave the skin raw. Do not apply lemon, undiluted vinegar, bleach, or other kitchen mixtures. If marks followed a rash or breakout, controlling that trigger helps prevent new pigment. A clinician may discuss a chemical peel, skin brightening treatment, or picosecond laser treatment after identifying the cause and considering your skin tone and sensitivity.

Book a skin assessment when a patch is spreading, itchy, scaly, painful, or repeatedly returning, or when several areas change together. Seek prompt medical review for a new or changing mark with irregular edges, several colours, bleeding, crusting, or a persistent sore.

What is the likely cause of this pigment? Could it be melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, sun spots, or tinea versicolor? Which sunscreen and treatment are suitable for my skin, and how can irritation be avoided?