What Causes Dark Spots on Face

Blog Admin
Oct 2
12 min read

If you've ever wondered what causes dark spots on your face, the simple answer is an overproduction of melanin.

Think of melanin as your skin's own personal, built-in sunshade. Its main job is to protect your skin cells from UV rays. But sometimes, things like sun exposure, skin inflammation, or even hormonal shifts can send its production into overdrive. When that happens, the melanin can clump together in concentrated deposits, showing up as those stubborn dark spots we all know.

Understanding Hyperpigmentation: The Root of Dark Spots

Hyperpigmentation is simply the clinical term for these darkened patches of skin, and it’s an incredibly common concern for many Canadians. This isn't just a surface-level issue; it's a sign that your skin’s pigment-producing cells, known as melanocytes, have become a little too active in one particular area. While there are a few different reasons this can happen, they all lead back to the same result: an uneven skin tone.

At its core, hyperpigmentation is a protective response that’s gone slightly haywire. Your skin creates this extra melanin to shield itself from what it perceives as a threat. The process is completely natural, but it's the uneven distribution of this pigment that leaves behind a lasting mark.

The Main Triggers of Melanin Overproduction

Getting to know what tells your skin to produce excess pigment is the first real step toward finding a treatment that works. The three most common culprits behind this process are:

Sun Exposure: This is the big one. UV radiation signals your melanocytes to ramp up production, leading directly to what we often call sun spots or age spots.
Inflammation: Any kind of skin trauma—from acne and eczema to a simple scratch—can leave a dark spot behind long after the initial issue has healed. This is known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Hormonal Fluctuations: Big shifts in hormones, often triggered by pregnancy or certain medications, can cause a type of patchy hyperpigmentation called melasma.

This image helps break down the main pathways that lead to the formation of dark spots.

As you can see, these very different triggers all end up stimulating the same pigment-producing process in your skin. In sunny climates, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a leading cause, often resulting in flat, brown patches known as solar lentigines. This happens because melanin synthesis kicks into high gear to protect the underlying cells from UV damage, but this protective reaction can easily lead to localized hyperpigmentation. You can find more great insights on sun-induced spots from the skin experts at the California Skin Institute.

To make it even clearer, here’s a quick rundown of the most common triggers and the types of spots they tend to create.

Quick Guide to Common Dark Spot Triggers

Primary Cause	Type of Dark Spot	Common Appearance
Sun Exposure (UV Radiation)	Solar Lentigines (Sun Spots/Age Spots)	Small, flat, brown-to-black spots on sun-exposed areas like the face and hands.
Skin Inflammation or Injury	Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)	Flat patches of discolouration (pink, red, brown, or black) left after acne or a wound heals.
Hormonal Changes	Melasma (Chloasma)	Larger, symmetrical brown or grey-brown patches, often on the forehead, cheeks, and upper lip.

Understanding which trigger is behind your spots is key, as it helps narrow down the most effective way to both treat existing discolouration and prevent new spots from forming.

How Sun Exposure Creates Lasting Dark Spots

When clients ask me, "what causes dark spots on my face?", the conversation almost always turns to sun exposure. Here in Canada, it's hands down the biggest culprit.

I like to use an analogy: think of your skin like a piece of photographic film. Every time it's hit with ultraviolet (UV) light without protection, it’s like a tiny flash going off. A little bit here and there doesn't seem to do much. But when that flash goes off on the same spot, over and over again for years? That part of the film gets permanently overexposed.

That's exactly what's happening to your skin. That constant "flash" of UV radiation eventually damages your pigment-producing cells, called melanocytes. They start to malfunction, and instead of giving you a nice, even tan, they go into overdrive and dump clumps of extra melanin in one spot. This build-up is a process called photoaging, and it’s what leaves behind that stubborn dark mark.

The Year-Round Threat of UV Damage

So many people here in London, Ontario, think they only need to worry about sun damage during our gorgeous, sunny summers. That’s a dangerous myth.

The truth is, UV damage is a year-round problem. Those sneaky UVA rays are powerful enough to cut right through clouds and even your car or office window. This means your skin is getting hit during your daily commute and even while you’re sitting inside on a grey, overcast winter day.

This relentless, low-level exposure adds up. It constantly signals your skin to produce more melanin as a defense mechanism. It's why sun spots often seem to appear out of nowhere later in life—they're the result of decades of accumulated exposure. The damage happening today might not show up for another ten or twenty years.

The most crucial thing to remember is that sun damage is cumulative. Every single minute of unprotected exposure—whether you're on a beach in July or walking the dog on a cloudy afternoon in January—contributes to the eventual formation of dark spots.

Understanding this is the first real step toward getting control of your skin. And if you're already noticing the signs, don't worry, you can take action. We've put together a detailed guide on **how to repair sun-damaged skin in Canada** with practical advice for restoring your skin’s health.

Why Sunscreen Is Your Best Defence

If you want to prevent and manage hyperpigmentation, consistent protection is non-negotiable. A high-quality, broad-spectrum sunscreen is the single most powerful tool you have. It’s your shield. It blocks those UV signals from ever telling your skin to overproduce melanin in the first place.

Here’s why it's so vital:

It Prevents New Spots: By blocking UV rays, you stop the trigger for dark spots before it can even start.
It Stops Existing Spots from Darkening: Sun exposure makes the spots you already have darker and more obvious. Sunscreen puts a stop to that.
It Allows Your Treatments to Work: Any professional treatment, like our Aerolase laser, is far more effective when your skin isn’t fighting a daily battle against UV damage.

Trying to treat dark spots without using sunscreen every day is like trying to bail water out of a boat without plugging the leak first. It's the foundational step that makes every other effort—from serums to advanced laser therapies at Skinsation Aesthetics—actually work.

Why Inflammation Leaves a Pigmented Footprint

Have you ever noticed that a dark mark decides to stick around for months after a pimple has finally healed? That stubborn little spot is a very common type of hyperpigmentation called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH. It’s one of the main culprits behind dark spots on the face, especially for Canadians who deal with acne, eczema, or other skin sensitivities.

Think of PIH as your skin's pigmented memory. When your skin gets inflamed—from a breakout, a scratch, or even a rash—it kicks its healing response into high gear. During this process, the cells that produce pigment can get a little overexcited. They release too much melanin, leaving behind a flat, discoloured spot long after the original problem is gone.

The Stubborn Nature of PIH

These marks can be incredibly persistent, sometimes taking months or even years to fade on their own. How dark the spot gets usually depends on how intense the initial inflammation was. This is exactly why picking at a blemish is one of the worst things you can do; it ramps up the inflammation and basically guarantees a darker, longer-lasting mark.

For Canada's diverse population, understanding PIH is especially important. This type of hyperpigmentation often shows up more intensely and sticks around longer in individuals with deeper skin tones. Clinical research shows that while PIH can affect anyone, it’s much more common in certain ethnic groups. For instance, some studies have found PIH affects up to 65% of Black/African Canadian patients and 48% of Hispanic Canadian patients, compared to 25% of White/Caucasian patients. You can dig deeper into how PIH impacts different skin tones by exploring the full clinical research on pigmentation.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation isn't a scar. It’s more like a temporary stain on the skin. The trick is to manage that initial inflammation as gently as you can to stop the pigment from settling in too deep.

A huge step in preventing acne-related inflammation—and the dark spots that follow—is choosing the right skincare and makeup. Opting for gentle products that support your skin barrier can make a world of difference. To get started, you can find a great guide to non-comedogenic makeup that won't clog your pores or make breakouts worse.

Advanced Solutions for Inflammatory Spots

When you're dealing with PIH, a gentle but effective approach is everything. Using harsh treatments can sometimes backfire by causing even more inflammation, which only worsens the problem. This is where advanced technology can be a real game-changer.

Here at Skinsation Aesthetics in London, Ontario, we use the Aerolase Neo Elite laser to specifically target this kind of discolouration. Its unique 650-microsecond technology is the key—it delivers energy so quickly that it shatters the excess pigment without heating up and irritating the surrounding skin. This makes it a safe and highly effective way to fade stubborn PIH on all skin tones, helping clear away that pigmented memory of past inflammation and bring back a smooth, radiant complexion.

The Connection Between Hormones and Melasma

While the sun and inflammation are definitely big culprits behind dark spots, hormones can throw a real curveball into the mix with a specific type of hyperpigmentation called melasma. This isn't your typical sun spot; it’s triggered from the inside out by major shifts in your body’s hormones, which then sends your pigment-producing cells into overdrive.

Think of your pigment cells (melanocytes) as having little docking stations that are super sensitive to hormones like estrogen and progesterone. When those hormone levels spike, it’s like a signal gets sent to these cells to start pumping out extra melanin. The result? Those tell-tale patchy, symmetrical dark spots that are the hallmark of melasma.

Common Hormonal Triggers for Melasma

These hormonal surges can happen for a few common reasons, making melasma a frustrating reality for many people at different stages of life.

Here are the most well-known triggers:

Pregnancy: It’s often nicknamed the "mask of pregnancy" for a reason. The dramatic hormonal roller coaster during pregnancy is a classic trigger.
Oral Contraceptives: Birth control pills that contain hormones can also give your skin the green light to overproduce pigment.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): While HRT is used to help manage menopause symptoms, an unfortunate side effect for some can be the development of melasma.

Although it’s most often talked about with women, anyone experiencing significant hormonal changes can be affected. It usually shows up as larger, brownish patches on the cheeks, forehead, the bridge of the nose, and above the upper lip.

Melasma behaves differently from other dark spots. It often sits deeper in the skin and has a stubborn habit of coming back, especially when it’s exposed to triggers like UV light or even just heat.

This unique behaviour means it needs a very specific and careful treatment plan. It's a common condition, with Canadian research indicating it can affect up to 9-12% of pregnant women and many others on hormonal therapies.

Because melasma is so persistent, getting it under control requires a dedicated approach. If you’re a London, Ontario resident dealing with this condition, our clinic offers solutions. You can read our essential guide to understanding melasma for more local advice and treatment insights. Treatments like the Aerolase laser are especially well-suited for melasma because they can target that deep pigment without using the kind of intense heat that could actually make the condition worse.

Choosing the Right Professional Treatment

Knowing what's causing those dark spots is the first big step, but picking the right way to get a clearer complexion is where the real change happens. Here at Skinsation Aesthetics in London, Ontario, we look past the quick fixes. We offer advanced treatments that get to the root of hyperpigmentation. While creams and serums definitely have their place, professional procedures go deeper to deliver more powerful, lasting results by targeting that stubborn excess melanin.

It can feel a bit overwhelming trying to navigate all the options out there. But the end goal is always the same: to safely and effectively break down that unwanted pigment, revealing a more even and radiant skin tone underneath. Every treatment works a little differently, so it's all about finding the perfect match for your specific type of dark spot and your unique skin.

The Power of Advanced Laser Therapy

For so many of our clients dealing with stubborn hyperpigmentation, the Aerolase Neo Elite laser is our top-tier solution. This isn't your standard, one-size-fits-all laser. Its innovative 650-microsecond technology sends out incredibly fast pulses of energy that are specifically drawn to two things: the melanin in your dark spots and the water in your skin's dermal layer.

This precision is what makes all the difference. The energy literally shatters the concentrated pigment without overheating or damaging the healthy skin around it. That’s why it’s such a safe and effective option for all skin tones, especially for skin of colour, which can sometimes be more prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from more aggressive treatments.

Because the Aerolase laser gets the job done without causing a lot of irritation, it’s fantastic for sensitive conditions like melasma and PIH. It gently breaks down the pigment while also kicking collagen production into gear for overall skin rejuvenation. The result is a clearer, smoother, and healthier-looking complexion with absolutely no downtime.

Comparing Dark Spot Treatments at Skinsation Aesthetics

To help you get a clearer picture of what's available here at our London, Ontario clinic, we've put together a simple overview of our professional dark spot treatments.

Treatment	How It Works for Dark Spots	Ideal For	Downtime
Aerolase Neo Elite Laser	Uses 650-microsecond energy pulses to selectively shatter pigment without harming surrounding skin.	Stubborn pigmentation, melasma, PIH, and safe for all skin tones.	None
Chemical Peels	A custom acid solution exfoliates the top layers of skin, lifting away pigmented cells and encouraging cell turnover.	Sun damage, age spots, and mild, surface-level discolouration.	2-7 days of peeling
Microneedling	Creates micro-injuries to stimulate collagen and healing, which helps break up pigment and improve overall skin texture.	Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), uneven texture, and general rejuvenation.	1-3 days of redness

This table is just a starting point. A one-on-one consultation allows us to create a personalized plan tailored to your specific skin concerns and goals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dark Spots

We get a lot of questions about dark spots—what causes them, and more importantly, how to get rid of them. To help you figure out the best path forward for your skin, here are some straightforward answers to the questions we hear most often.

Can Dark Spots on My Face Fade on Their Own?

It’s a hopeful thought, but the honest answer is: rarely. While a very faint mark from a minor pimple might lighten up over many months (or even years), most dark spots are incredibly stubborn.

Spots caused by sun damage or hormonal shifts, like melasma, almost never disappear completely without some help. The most crucial step you can take is consistent sun protection to stop them from getting darker. But to actually lighten or remove them for good, professional treatments like the Aerolase laser are usually the way to go.

Are At-Home Products Enough to Treat Dark Spots?

Topical skincare can definitely be a great supporting player in your routine. If you’re consistent, products with ingredients like vitamin C, retinoids, or tranexamic acid can help manage milder forms of hyperpigmentation over time.

However, they have their limits. For pigment that’s settled deeper in the skin, stubborn individual spots, or complex conditions like melasma, at-home products often can't pack enough punch. Professional treatments are designed to get to the root of the problem, breaking down pigment more effectively for faster, more noticeable results. A consultation at our London, Ontario clinic can help map out the right combination for your specific concerns.

For many Canadians, the most effective strategy combines a diligent at-home routine with targeted professional treatments. One enhances the results of the other, leading to a clearer and more even-toned complexion.

Is the Aerolase Laser Painful and Does It Have Downtime?

We’re happy to report that the Aerolase laser is known for being remarkably gentle. Most of our clients here at our London, Ontario clinic describe the feeling as a mild, comfortable warmth on their skin—not painful at all.

Its unique technology is what makes the difference. It delivers energy so quickly that it works its magic without needing any numbing creams or skin cooling. And one of the biggest benefits? There is absolutely no downtime. You can walk out of your session and get right back to your day, making it a powerful treatment that fits easily into any schedule.

Ready to finally achieve the clear, even-toned complexion you deserve? At Skinsation Aesthetics Inc., we use advanced technology like the Aerolase laser to safely and effectively treat stubborn dark spots. Book your consultation in London, Ontario today and start your journey to radiant skin.