Key takeaways
- Sun spots respond quickly to IPL or pigment lasers; post-acne marks respond to peels and time; melasma needs a gentle, long-game approach.
- Heat-heavy treatments (aggressive IPL, ablative lasers) can make melasma worse, a correct diagnosis comes first.
- Daily mineral SPF and a topical brightening routine are half the treatment for every type.
- Expect visible improvement within 2–3 sessions for spots and marks; melasma improves over months and needs maintenance.
Three kinds of dark marks, three different plans
| Melasma | Sun / age spots | Post-inflammatory marks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Looks like | Symmetrical brown/grey patches on cheeks, forehead, upper lip | Discrete round or oval spots on sun-exposed skin | Red, purple or brown marks where a pimple, cut or rash was |
| Cause | Hormones + UV + heat + genetics; overactive pigment cells | Cumulative sun damage | Inflammation triggers pigment as skin heals |
| Who | Women 20–50, deeper skin tones, pregnancy, hormonal contraception | Adults 35+, fair skin, outdoor life | Anyone; more common and longer-lasting in deeper skin tones |
| Best treatments | Topicals, gentle peels, skin lightening series, Laser Genesis | IPL, pigmented lesion laser, peels | Peels, microneedling, LED, topicals |
| Avoid | Heat, aggressive IPL, ablative lasers, sun | Sun; picking at flaking spots | Picking, sun, harsh scrubs |
| Timeline | Months; maintenance for life | 1–3 sessions; spots flake off in 7–14 days | 2–6 months; faster with treatment |
The diagnosis matters because the treatment that clears sun spots in one session, a strong flash of IPL, can trigger a melasma flare that takes a year to calm. We use a skin analysis lamp and your history (pregnancy, birth control, when it appeared, does it darken in summer) to tell them apart before recommending anything.
Treating sun spots and age spots
Sun spots are the easy win. An IPL PhotoFacial or pigmented lesion laser targets the excess melanin; the spots darken to a coffee-ground look within a day and flake away over 7–14 days. Hands, chest and shoulders can be treated too. Most clients need 1–3 sessions. Because these are sun-caused, new ones appear over the years without daily SPF, think of maintenance as a session every year or two.
Treating post-inflammatory marks
The red-brown ghosts of old pimples fade on their own in 3–12 months: longer in deeper skin tones, where they can persist for years. A series of chemical peels (mandelic, lactic or salicylic) accelerates cell turnover and lifts the pigment; microneedling helps when marks come with texture; LED red light calms the lingering inflammation. At home, azelaic acid, niacinamide and vitamin C are the workhorses. Above all: stop the picking that creates new ones.
Treating melasma: the long game
Melasma is a condition, not a spot. The pigment cells are overactive and respond to UV, visible light, heat and hormones, so treatment aims to suppress and lighten, then maintain. Our approach:
- Foundation: sun protection. Tinted mineral SPF 50 (iron oxides block the visible light that also triggers melasma), a hat, and no facial saunas or hot yoga.
- Topicals. A physician-prescribed hydroquinone or tranexamic acid course, or non-prescription azelaic acid, kojic acid, niacinamide and retinoids. We build the routine with you.
- In-clinic series. Our skin lightening treatment combines gentle peels and low-energy, non-heating laser passes over 3–6 sessions, 3–4 weeks apart.
- Laser Genesis. A gentle option for maintenance that calms the vascular component many melasma patients also have.
- Maintenance. Expect a lifelong relationship with sunscreen and periodic top-up treatments, especially after summer.
Anyone who promises to “remove” melasma in one laser session is describing a flare, not a cure.
Skin tone and safety
Deeper skin tones are more prone to post-inflammatory pigmentation and melasma, and more vulnerable to being over-treated. We choose non-heating and low-energy options (peels tailored to skin type, Nd:YAG-based Laser Genesis, microneedling) for skin types IV–VI, always with a test area and a preparation period of brightening topicals to reduce the risk of rebound darkening. IPL is reserved for lighter skin.
What to expect from a consultation
Bring your current products and a note of any hormonal medications. We will photograph your skin, identify which type (or mix. Many people have two) you have, and set out a plan with realistic timelines. Sun spots: fast. Marks: months. Melasma: a managed condition with real, visible improvement. Request a free consultation to get started before the winter sun-free season, which is the best window for pigment treatments in Edmonton.
Your questions, answered
Straight answers from the Oxyderm clinical team on the questions this article raises. Browse all 89 answers or ask us directly.
What is the difference between melasma and sun spots?
Sun spots are discrete round spots caused by cumulative sun damage and clear quickly with IPL or laser. Melasma is symmetrical patches driven by hormones, UV and heat that needs gentle, ongoing management.
Can laser make melasma worse?
Yes: heat-heavy treatments like aggressive IPL or ablative lasers can trigger a flare. Melasma is treated with topicals, gentle peels and low-energy, non-heating lasers instead.
How many sessions to remove sun spots?
Usually 1–3 sessions. Spots darken within a day and flake off in 7–14 days.
How long do post-acne dark marks take to fade?
On their own, 3–12 months, longer in deeper skin tones. A peel series, microneedling and brightening topicals speed this up considerably.
Is pigmentation treatment safe for dark skin?
Yes, with the right choices: tailored peels, Laser Genesis and microneedling rather than IPL, plus a preparation period of brightening topicals to prevent rebound darkening.
Will melasma come back?
It can, especially after sun exposure or hormonal changes. Daily tinted mineral SPF and periodic maintenance treatments keep it controlled.
What sunscreen is best for hyperpigmentation?
A tinted mineral SPF 30–50 with zinc oxide and iron oxides, which block the visible light that also triggers melasma. Reapply every two hours outdoors.
