Beautiful skin is healthy skin. The two aspects are often strongly linked, so blemish-free, even, and imperfection-free skin is often synonymous with healthy skin. But what happens when, for example, sun spots appear?

Sun spots: what they are and how they form

Sun spots are small lesions of varying millimeters that appear on the superficial layer of the skin and on various areas of the body. They very frequently occur on the face, décolleté, and hands, often as a result of excessive sun exposure. Taking care of them is important, and not just for aesthetic reasons. It is also necessary to consider the functional aspect, related to skin well-being.

Among the main causes responsible for spots is an alteration in the production mechanism of melanin by melanocytes. Obviously, melanin is responsible for our desired tan, which remains one of the skin's primary forms of defense and protection against the sun's rays. However, it sometimes happens that tanning itself leaves us with bad memories... spots, precisely!

Hormones play an important role in the appearance of spots, as they increase the production and accumulation of melanin when we expose ourselves to the sun. This situation is very common in pregnant women who develop, due to hormonal fluctuations, so-called pregnancy spots that disappear after childbirth. A similar condition, for the same reasons, is also found during menopause, or in particular conditions such as after inflammatory states of the skin (acne or dermatitis, for example).

Sun spots on the face: what remedies and products to use

There are numerous solutions to the problem, even if these annoying spots cannot be completely eliminated. With time or with the use of specific products and treatments, however, they tend to even out and disappear and reappear after new sun exposure. These treatments can come from both the medical field and through the use of cosmetic products with a lightening action. With consistency, patience, and time, there are active ingredients that can help resolve spots. Lactic acid, ascorbic acid, and azelaic acid are very effective in fighting spots.

Among the first actions to definitely introduce into your skincare routine is to work on cell turnover. How? Our alkemy enzymatic/mechanical peeling 8.1 with lactobacilli gently removes dead cells without irritating, brightens the skin by acting on discoloration and evens out the complexion day after day. To be used in the evening at least twice a week.

With our Pure azelaic acid, however, if used long-term, it can act on post-inflammatory acne marks, rosacea, and spots. It has an anti-inflammatory action that acts on the infection by inhibiting bacterial growth. To be applied locally in the evening, pure or by adding a few drops to your cream.

Our alkemy hyaluronic elixir, on the other hand, contains Ascorbyl Glucoside a derivative, stabilized with glucose and therefore highly stable in formulation. It has the same properties as ascorbic acid and is metabolized as free vitamin C, while it penetrates the skin. From the first weeks of application, the complexion is much brighter. You will have to wait a few months, which may vary depending on the type of tissue, to find more homogeneous and velvety skin and an even complexion.

How to prevent sun spots on the face?

As a pharmacist, my first piece of advice is to prevent the appearance of spots.

How?

• Avoid sun exposure especially during the hottest hours, between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, without protective cream. Remember that, even if the sky is cloudy, radiation is always present both in summer and winter.
• Consume antioxidant-rich foods such as citrus fruits, carrots, tomatoes, and vegetables.
• Pay attention to sun exposure while taking medications or applying photosensitizing active ingredients such as antibiotics, contraceptives, antifungals, corticosteroids, and many others.