What Are These White Spots On My Skin?
One of the more noticeable and unwanted signs of aging are colour changes in the skin. For most, they appear as brown spots that can dot your face, hands, arms, and chest. For some people, they’re accompanied by small, flat, white, circular spots. Colour-wise, these spots are the total opposite of brown spots, but they’re caused by the same thing.
What Causes White Spots?
If you guessed the cause was sun exposure, you’re right. It is believed that the same accumulated sun damage that causes brown spots also leads to white spots.
It is commonly reported that brown spots happen when pigment (melanin) in the skin is stimulated to the point of overproduction, which causes dark discolourations. With white spots, instead of making more melanin, certain areas of the skin stop making melanin altogether. Although they can be bothersome, these white spots are harmless.
How Can I Get Rid of White Spots?
Unfortunately, the options for getting rid of white spots are not as varied as they are for brown spots. That’s because it’s just not possible to get the pigment back. While that can be discouraging, you can help stave off additional sun damage.
The first and most important step is to wear a sunscreen rated SPF 30 or higher on your body every single day, rain or shine (you can still get sun damage on a cloudy day), and to take other sun protection measures, like wearing a hat or SPF-rated clothing. Because ongoing sun damage is what causes these white spots, preventing any additional damage is key.
There are also cosmetic ways to make the white spots less apparent; applying a small amount of self-tanner to just the spots helps them blend with the surrounding skin. An anti-aging makeup tip is to use a makeup brush or a cotton swab to put it on, then wait a few hours to see if the colour looks appropriate. If you need to apply more, go ahead. To maintain the colour, reapply self-tanner as it fades over time.
It’s also a good idea to consult a dermatologist to see what options are available. Though there isn’t much they can do to improve white spots, it’s worth seeing a doctor about what the latest advances might be.
Shop for our best-selling sunscreens such as our RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 to prevent white spots and ensure younger looking skin now.
References for this information
Skin Pigmentation Types, Causes and Treatment - A Review. Molecules, 28(12), 4839, Jun 2023.
Dermatological Cryosurgery and Cryotherapy, Springer, 2016, pages 407–411
Principles and Practice of Photoprotection, Springer, 2016, pages 61–74
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