What’s good for getting rid of dark patches on my face?

[SomewhereNow]

I’ve got some really noticeable sun damage patches and now seems the perfect time to try and get rid of them while I can slather myself in products and not wear makeup. Any suggestions please?

Place marking! A combination of school runs in the blistering heat (not in the UK) and very lazy skincare regime has given me an uneven permanent tan on face, neck, arms and feet. Any gentle suggestions welcome, as my skin is dry and sensitive.
I have started applying fresh aloe gel in the morning before shower, but after 2 weeks I don't see any noticeable improvement in pigmentation or texture.

Retinol. Proper prescription strength. I get them too and used this to fade them.

I used an online company. I had to send photos of the marks and they sent me some cream with retinol and something else in.

I'll try find the name of who I used. Sure I have some cream left somewhere

You need a gentle acidic cleanser....say one with fruit acids or salicylic acid. That will gently wear away at the surface pigmented skin cells.

But you also must religiously wear moisturiser or face sun cream of SPF 30+ on your face every day to protect the new skin from becoming pigmented too.

Pure Aloe Vera gel is a good moisturiser to use if you want to have a separate moisturiser from your face sun cream. Putting it on before your shower is useless though because the skin won’t absorb it and it will just wash off.

You don’t need spf 30+ at night. Just make sure your night moisturiser is one with vitamin E in it.

I’m sure I read somewhere that creams won’t do much the only thing to get rid of them is lasering to break down the melanin. Watching this thread though incase somebody has found a cream that really works.

The Ordinary do a serum of arbutinin and hyaluronic acid which is good for evening out skintone. Not too expensive as well.

I was also going to suggest Alpha Arbutin and Vitamin C. And high factor sunscreen going forward, even if you're just out for a half hour walk.

I would recommend Hada Labo arbutin range (dark blue). (Not the stuff designed for the British Market, but from YesStyle.com) It’s bloody brilliant!!! (Sorted out my hyperpigmentation from sun damage - I’m an Aussie, and sucked up melasma as well.)

I’m not alone in my fangirling of these products...

I find prevention best, high factor sunscreen on my face about 10 months of the year in the UK. I don't sit with my face in the sun either. La roche posay anthelios xl factor 50 is good light sunscreen for your face.

I had a little brown patch on my forehead from sun damage so I bought some vitamin C serum from Superdrug which I mixed in with some moisturiser. The patch was gone in three weeks!

This is what I used. Worked a treat

Ooooh I like the look of that @Chesneyhawkes1
where did you get it? Am I right in thinking hydroquinone is banned in the UK?

I think dermatica do online px for hydroquinone and Tretonin.

Yes I got it from Dermatica. Sorry meant to say that 😬

Oh yes - I was distracted by my kids when I posted previously. I came back to remind you that all the treatment in the world isn't going to help if you don't religiously apply sunscreen and keep reapplying it through the day. I use it to prevent damage from computer screens as well. To be fair, I have been a rabid user of sunscreens, and compared to most Aussies my age, my skin is very good. I would say that I have far fewer wrinkles and my pigmentation is much better than most. (But I am 48 this year, and can't escape without SOME damage! I'm going down kicking and screaming!!!)

You can turn the blue light off iPads and iPhones.

This is great, thanks - lots to look into and yes I’ll remember the sunscreen in future 🤦🏻