The 15 Best Products for Hyperpigmentation, According to a Dermatologist
Hyperpigmentation is bound to happen to almost all of us at some point. No matter if this stubborn discoloration results as a small spot or more of a diffuse patch of color, getting rid of it can be quite a challenge. While avoiding the sun and environmental damage that increase melanin production are key to limiting hyperpigmentation, devising a proper plan of attack is necessary to get rid of it once and for all. From melasma to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and every other type of discoloration in between, consider this your ultimate guide to understanding what hyperpigmentation is, how to treat it and the best products for hyperpigmentation so that you can regain your evenly toned complexion.
Meet the Expert
- Dr. Ashley Magovern - Board-certified Dermatologist and member of Dermstore's Medical Advisory Board
What is Hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation sounds worse than it is, and while it does not threaten your skin's health, the stubborn discoloration associated with it can be reason enough to do something about it. According to Dr. Ashley Magovern, a board-certified dermatologist and member of Dermstore's Medical Advisory Board, hyperpigmentation results from an overproduction of melanin, leading to dark spots, uneven skin tone, and discoloration. "It can be caused by sun damage, acne, hormones (in the case of melasma), or inflammation."
Some forms of hyperpigmentation are more noticeable and harder to treat than others. You might see brown, gray, pink, or red spots on the skin that hang out for a few weeks before finally fading away. Or, if your hyperpigmentation is more deep-seated in the lower layers of the skin, it may show up as patchiness or larger spots. No matter the type of hyperpigmentation you experience, the darker your natural skin tone, the more common hyperpigmentation is. However, all skin tones, types and ages are susceptible to developing hyperpigmentation.
How to Choose the Right Product for Hyperpigmentation
When it comes to getting more evenly toned skin, using the best products for hyperpigmentation is key to removing stubborn discoloration. Specific skin-brightening ingredients work to limit the production of the pigment-producing cycle, while others gently exfoliate the top layer of skin where discoloration lives within the cells. Most dermatologists recommend a routine incorporating both modalities, especially if getting rid of hyperpigmentation is a high priority.
Some of the best products for hyperpigmentation are those that contain ingredients that target melanin production. Dr. Magovern recommends using skincare products with the following:
VitaminC: to brighten skin and neutralize free radicals Niacinamide: to help reduce inflammation and prevent further pigmentation Glycolic Acid: to exfoliate and speed up cell turnover Retinol: works to promote collagen production while fading discoloration Azelaic Acid: to inhibit melanin production and reduces post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
All exfoliating acids speed up the rate at which the skin naturally sheds dead skin cells, allowing less pigment to be held within the cells. With fewer dead skin cells, the skin is better able to reflect light properly, so it appears brighter and more glowy.
Once you've identified your chosen skin-brightening ingredients, it's time to consider the product formula. The best products for hyperpigmentation are available as serums, creams, masks, and even spot treatments, so choose what works best for you.
Shop the Best Products for Hyperpigmentation
Best Vitamin C Serum for Hyperpigmentation:Obagi Medical Professional-C Serum 20%
1007 reviews
$150.00
One of the most powerful skin-brightening serums available, this vitamin C-packed serum floods the skin with antioxidants to diminish signs of lingering discoloration. Designed to penetrate deep into the skin, it also encourages new collagen and elastin to develop to help improve common signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles.
Key Ingredients: L-ascorbic acid, hyaluronic acid
Skin Type: All skin types
SkinBenefits: Combats oxidative stress, reduces the appearance of skin aging, brightens, neutralizes free radicals, hydrates:
Beauty Insider Tip: When starting the serum, especially if you are new to vitamin C, a slight tingling may occur, which will diminish with regular use.
Best Acne Scar Treatment for Hyperpigmentation: SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense
552 reviews
$110.00
Even if your days of dealing with active acne are long gone, the post-breakout marks and scars can still exist. This twice-daily brightening serum helps brighten the lingering hyperpigmentation associated with pimples and acne cysts, reducing skin discoloration in just a few weeks of use. Perfect for hard-to-treat spots and stubborn brown patches, the serum relies on a blend of kojic and tranexamic acids plus niacinamide to gently improve the skin's tone without any irritation or dryness.
Key Ingredients: Tranexamic acid, kojic acid, niacinamide, hepes
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Improves post-acne marks and brown patches and evens out skin tone
Beauty Insider Tip: To maximize your skin-brightening efforts, use the serum in conjunction with sunscreen daily and a good exfoliator.
Best Serum for Hormone-Related Hyperpigmentation: PCA SKIN Pigment Gel Pro
6 reviews
$128.00
Fluctuating hormones are a common cause of hyperpigmentation, and if achieving a more even complexion is a skincare must for you, then this gel is a necessary one. Dermatologist-tested and free of hydroquinone, it removes the intensity and size of dark spots while preventing the formation of new ones, so the skin takes on a brightening effect over time.
Key Ingredients: SynerPro Complex, hexylresorcinol, purified licorice root extract, tranexamic acid
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Reduces hyperpigmentation, evens skin tone, brightens, prevents the formation of new dark spots
Beauty Insider Tip: Since the gel is clear, you can layer it under makeup without any pilling, rolling, or oxidization of your makeup.
Best for Treating Inflammation and Hyperpigmentation: iS Clinical Brightening Serum
14 reviews
$145.00
Inflammation is at the core of hyperpigmentation, so using a serum that reduces inflammation while improving signs of discoloration is a two-pronged approach to enhancing the skin's overall tone. This quick-to-absorb brightening serum is clinically proven to decrease stubborn pigment only in areas where it exists via controlled exfoliation that never promotes additional inflammation or dryness.
Key Ingredients: Norwegian kelp extract, sugar cane extract, bilberry leaf extract, alpha-arbutin, mushroom extract, white willow bark extract
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Brightens, softens, smooths, reduces the look of enlarged pores, diminishes the appearance of uneven skin tone
Beauty Insider Tip: For optimal skin brightening benefits, apply a few drops of the serum into the palms of your hands and gently dab it onto areas affected by discoloration.
Best Hyperpigmentation Skincare Ritual: La Roche-Posay Mela-B3 Dark Spot Regimen: Cleanse, Treat, Protect
$106.97
To fully tackle unwanted discoloration, some skin types benefit from a pre-designed routine replete with the essentials. This three-piece set relies on the power of Melasyl, a proprietary ingredient that inhibits melanin production, to improve the look of dark spots, age spots and acne marks. Suitable for all skin tones and types, the gel cleanser first gently exfoliates to reveal more evenly toned skin, the dark spot serum lightens areas of discoloration, and the SPF-packed moisturizer hydrates and prevents new pigment formation.
Key Ingredients: Melasyl, niacinamide, thermal spring water
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Reduces discoloration, brightens, evens out the skin tone, protects against sun damage
Beauty Insider Tip: To use the system properly, wash the face with the cleanser morning and night and then apply three to four drops of the serum onto the face and neck morning and night. During the day, apply the moisturizer at least 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every two hours.
Best Hyperpigmentation Niacinamide Serum: SkinMedica Even and Correct Advanced Brightening Treatment
16 reviews
$178.00
Niacinamide is a powerful skin-brightening agent that works without compromising the skin barrier or inciting dryness. This serum, which is rich with the ingredient yet free of retinol and hydroquinone, can be used daily to treat visible discoloration. It prevents future pigment from forming while providing a dose of antioxidant protection, helping to improve the skin.
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, lotus seed extract, tranexamic acid, vitis flower stem cell extract, plankton extract, resorcinol, phytic acid
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Improves the appearance of melasma and other types of hyperpigmentation, prevents future discoloration
Beauty Insider Tip: If retinol is too harsh on your skin, apply this niacinamide-based serum morning and night to the face, neck and decollete after cleansing and toning.
Best Hyperpigmentation Serum with Cystamine: SENTÉ Pigment and Tone Corrector
2 reviews
$149.00
While antioxidants are important in preventing the formation of additional hyperpigmentation, cystamine is unique in that it reduces oxidative stress that contributes to discoloration while working at different points in the pigment-producing cycle to reduce dark spots. This fast-acting cream, which you can use long-term, helps improve brown spots while also stimulating collagen production for a completely refreshed complexion that's smoother, softer and more even-looking.
Key Ingredients: Cysteamine HCI, heparan sulfate analog
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Targets inflammation, improves dark spots, suitable for dry and sensitive skin, improves the skin’s overall appearance and tone
Beauty Insider Tip: Apply the treatment to unwashed, dirty skin and then wash it off after 15 minutes so that the ingredients can work their magic best.
Best Color Corrector for Hyperpigmentation: Erborian CC Red Correct
13 reviews
$46.00
If redness or red spots have become the bane of your existence, send it packing with this green-tinted color corrector. Perfect for instantly evening out the skin tone and adding a dose of hydration, this SPF-infused cream, which leaves behind a weightless finish, also soothes inflamed and irritated skin.
Key Ingredients: Centella Asiatica extract, zinc oxide, glycerin
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Reduces redness, blurs, leaves the skin more uniform-looking, improves the look of under-eye wrinkles, hydrates, brightens
Beauty Insider Tip: Use the color corrector on its own or under foundation and concealer for maximum coverage.
Best Blurring Serum for Hyperpigmentation: By Terry Brightening CC Serum
34 reviews
$79.00
Create that lit-from-withing glow while camouflaging hyperpigmentation with this sheer, lightweight highlighter-meets-CC cream to blur away imperfections and give the look of a more even skin tone. Light-reflective pearl pigments are the star here, working to neutralize redness and darkness in the skin for a glowy effect and more radiant-looking skin no matter if you apply the serum to your face, arms, chest, or neck.
Key Ingredients: Rose stem cells, sunflower seed oil, pearl pigments
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Evens out skin tone so it appears more uniform, smooths away lines, blurs imperfections, hydrating
Beauty Insider Tip: With eight different shades, each catering to a different skin tone, choose the one that compliments your skin coloring for a natural look.
Best Instant Fix for Hyperpigmentation: DERMAFLASH Luxe+ Advanced Sonic Dermaplaning and Peach Fuzz Removal
With a sonic dermaplaning tool like this, you can quickly and easily improve the look of hyperpigmentation packed into the skin cells on the surface. Completely different from a razor, this award-winning, powerful device gently removes dead skin cells and peach fuzz, revealing fresh, new, radiant skin that looks more youthful and boasts more of a natural glow. Plus, by eliminating dead skin cells that hold onto pigment, your makeup will look better, and your skincare products, like those in the kit, will absorb the skin better.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, papaya enzymes, willow bark, niacinamide, witch hazel
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Exfoliates dead skin cells, removes peach fuzz, allows makeup and skincare to work better, improves tone and texture
Beauty Insider Tip: For the best results and to keep discoloration from returning while maintaining soft, smooth skin, use the DERMAFLASH once per week.
Best At-Home LED Mask for Hyperpigmentation: Déesse Pro LED Phototherapy Mask
$1700.00
Whether you choose to use an LED mask at home to improve hyperpigmentation or to maintain the results of professionally administered treatments, this mask, replete with four different wavelengths and multiple settings, works wonders at addressing your skin's needs. Set the comfortable face mask to the green light mode to brighten and alleviate pigmentation without downtime or discomfort.
Key Features: LED
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Improves pigmentation and acne, boosts collagen production and circulation, reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles, increases skin repair mechanisms, calms the skin and targets inflammation
Beauty Insider Tip: Use the non-invasive mask a few times per week to break down melanin in the skin while reducing inflammation and redness.
Best Azelaic Acid Serum for Hyperpigmentation: Paula’s Choice 10 Azelaic Acid Booster
194 reviews
$39.00
Perfect for visibly improving hard-to-get-rid-of discoloration and hyperpigmentation, this acid-and botanical-rich serum goes hard to work to improve redness and dark spots while soothing the skin and calming any irritation and inflammation. The more consistently you use it, the more of a change you’ll see in the skin especially when it comes to getting rid of dark marks and acne scars.
Key Ingredients: Azelaic acid, salicylic acid, licorice root extract, adenosine
Skin Type: Normal, dry, oily, combination
Skin Benefits: Improves discoloration and redness, brightens, soothes, smooths out acne marks
Beauty Insider Tip: The lightweight serum works well on its own, or blend it into your favorite serum or moisturizer to use it as a booster.
Best Retinol for Hyperpigmentation: Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid Serum
54 reviews
$122.00
Retinol is hands down one of the best discoloration-improving skincare ingredients. It works by speeding up skin cell turnover, forcing dead skin cells that hold onto discoloration to slough off faster than normal, which is exactly what this serum does. It is perfect for targeting hyperpigmentation, stimulating collagen production, and improving the skin's overall health, leaving it calmer and more evenly toned.
Key Ingredients: Retinol, COQ10, Hawaiian white honey
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Improves congestion, decreases the symptoms of UV damage, soothes, calms, fights common signs of aging, clears up pimples and dark spots
Beauty Insider Tip: If you are new to retinol or are sensitive to it, use the serum for two days and then take a break for two days. Then, when the skin is adjusted, use the serum every night.
Best DIY Peel for Hyperpigmentation: U Beauty Resurfacing Flash Peel
$188.00
This DIY peel achieves professional-level exfoliating results. In mere minutes, it improves the appearance of discoloration and the skin's overall appearance. The easy-to-use, non-irritating peel renews and restores the skin for instant and long-term effects.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, organic aloe vera, aventramide, fruit alpha hydroxy acids, betaine, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, vitamins C and E, essential fatty acids, jojoba, sunflower, mimosa waxes
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Brightens, smoothes, improves moisture, diminishes the look of fine lines, wrinkles and enlarged pores, retexturizes and rejuvenates the skin, soothes, optimizes normal skin cell turnover
Beauty Insider Tip: The peel is safe enough to use on sensitive skin, but always patch-test the inner elbow first and only apply it for a few minutes at most during the initial applications.
Best Face Wash for Hyperpigmentation: Revision Skincare Brightening Facial Wash
313 reviews
$45.00
This rich cleanser exfoliates dead skin cells and brightens the overall surface to remove every trace of the day. Formulated with a blend of acids and discoloration-banishing botanicals, it never leaves the skin stripped or feeling dry but rather fresh, clean and hydrated.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycolic acid, sucrose laurate, vitamins C and E, licorice and lily extract
Skin Type: All skin types
Skin Benefits: Brightens, improves skin radiance, exfoliates dead skin cells, softens, smoothes, cleanses skin without stripping moisture
Beauty Insider Tip: Since acids can make the skin more sensitive to the sun, it’s imperative to use sunscreen following the face wash.
FAQs
Does Vitamin C Help with Hyperpigmentation?
Of all the antioxidants that have multi-purpose benefits, vitamin C can also help lessen hyperpigmentation. Dr. Magovern explains that vitamin C inhibits melanin production and prevents new dark spots from forming, making it a key ingredient for brightening skin tone. Plus, it can help quench free radicals to protect the skin and limit damage, helping to reduce the formation of additional discoloration. Look for skincare products with a concentration of 10 to 20 percent to reap the skin-brightening benefits.
Is Niacinamide or Glycolic Acid Better for Hyperpigmentation?
Both glycolic acid and niacinamide are go-to ingredients for improving hyperpigmentation. It's not necessarily that one is better than the other, but which one your skin can tolerate best. "They both work well, but niacinamide is gentler and better suited for sensitive skin, while glycolic acid provides stronger exfoliation for faster results," Dr. Magovern explains.
Does Retinol Help with Hyperpigmentation?
If targeting hyperpigmentation is a concern, retinol may be the missing skincare ingredient in your routine. "It accelerates skin renewal, pushing pigmented cells to the surface while increasing collagen production for a more even complexion," Dr. Magovern says. While all types of hyperpigmentation benefit from regular use of retinol, it tends to be highly effective in reducing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by acne, melasma, and photodamage.
The Bottom Line
Getting rid of hyperpigmentation may be hard, but it's not impossible. Implementing the right skincare plan consisting of the best hyperpigmentation products for your skin and its needs, along with professional treatments, when necessary, can make all the difference in uneven skin tone and a more uniform complexion. Of course, no matter what you ultimately use to improve your skin, it's critical to always protect it from the sun so that your hyperpigmentation does not return, undoing all your good efforts.
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert with more than 16 years of experience. She previously held the title of Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine, where she reported on beauty, plastic surgery, anti-aging, health and wellness. She was also instrumental in the launch of the beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush. A self-professed beauty junkie and retinol and sunscreen pusher, Elise knows what’s new, what works and who’s the best to go for every procedure under the sun. Follow Elise on Facebook, Instagram, and on her beauty blog, elisetabin.com
