Dark Marks: How Long Does it Take Skincare to Work
Dark marks can be tough to treat, but did you know that you can effectively get rid of dark spots/marks very fast? It just would require more from you.
We will cover:
- Well-known pigment lighteners and how long they take to work
- Treatments like chemical peels and lasers and how long those take to work.
- Combinations of both topicals and treatments and how long the combo takes to work.
- Factors that influence how quickly or slowly your spots fade.
Rule of Thumb
If you’re consistent with your skincare, it can take 1-3 months on the face and 3-6 months on the body to get rid of dark spots/marks. This difference in timeframe is because the skin on your body is much thicker than on your face. If you do nothing, it can take years, especially as an adult. Your skin cells aren’t turning over as quickly as they used to be when you were younger. So, don’t go looking at yourself in the mirror after one week of using your skincare product.
That said, are there products that can show results in 7 days? Yes! But those products usually contain steroids or mercury. Steroids thin the skin after prolonged use, and mercury is toxic.
Pigment Lighteners: how long they take to show improvement/work
- Tretinoin 4 weeks
- Hq 4-8% 1-3 months
- Azelaic acid 20% 1-3 months
- 4% HQ and tretinoin 4-12 weeks
- Azelaic acid 20% and glycolic acid 12 weeks
- Kojic acid 12 weeks
- Alpha arbutin 12 weeks
- Kojic acid, arbutin and glycolic acid 4 weeks
- Tranexamic acid 4-12 weeks
- AHAs 12 weeks
- Vitamin c (if you get a good one) 3- 2 months
- Niacinamide (I honestly don’t rely on this alone to treat my hyperpigmentation unless it’s been combined with vitamin c, kojic acid, aha, or retinoid) 8-12 weeks
- Combination (topicals and laser or peel): 6-8 weeks (favorite method for stubborn spots, also more cost-effective than relying on treatments alone)
- Chemical peel (depending on the depth of the peel) after 3- 6 treatments (cosmelan)
- Laser (picosure): After 3-4 treatments (These treatments are spaced about by at least 2 to 4 weeks, or sometimes as long as 8 weeks if you have sensitive skin or a darker complexion).
Influencing Factors
- How deep the hyperpigmentation is (when it comes to the seriousness of hyperpigmentation, there are two types: epidermal and dermal pigmentation)
- Consistency
- Skin types/genes
- Your average daily sun exposure
Question
Be honest, how long do you give your skincare products before you start losing hope?
Recommended post: 4 Best Ways to Remove Scars from Legs Fast https://bit.ly/2UWo1yt
Products Featured
▶ Tretinoin https://thepigmentedlife.com/product-links/
▶ Kojic acid soap https://amzn.to/3fQqwJa OR https://amzn.to/3av6alR
▶ Glycolic acid https://amzn.to/3sTpQJj
▶ Lactic acid https://amzn.to/3zbJRgt
▶ Mandelic Acid https://amzn.to/3moAOoD
Spot Lighteners:
▶Hydroquinone https://thepigmentedlife.com/product-links/
▶Azelaic acid https://bit.ly/3CPXHHs
▶Kojic acid, Arbutin & Glycolic acid (demelan) https://bit.ly/3AqHV3D
▶Glycolic acid cream https://bit.ly/3jJhX4Z
▶Tranexamic acid https://paulachoiceusca.l3km.net/oen13O OR https://fxo.co/CbLh
▶Vitamin c https://amzn.to/2VGuXjg
Chemical Peels
▶ TCA https://bit.ly/3zBlpWq – TCA 20% https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-100428206-13267921
▶ Glycolic acid https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-100428206-13267954 – Glycolic acid 70% https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-100428206-12783128
▶ Lactic acid https://amzn.to/3cmOcUJ
▶ Mandelic acid https://amzn.to/3cmp40g
Sources (not formatted)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zwNEHlXoYo
https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/fade-dark-spots
https://renosparksmedspa.com/blog/how-many-picosure-treatments-did-you-need/
Hyperpigmentation book: Hyperpigmentation 1st Edition by
Cosmetic Dermatology for Skin of Color by Murad Alam, Simon Yoo, Roopal Kundu, et al.
https://skinpharm.com/blogs/blog/how-long-will-it-take-for-you-to-see-results#:~:text=AHAs%20
https://www.realself.com/question/santa-barbara-ca-long-dark-spots-fade-picosure-laser-treatment
