Why Uneven Skin Tone Happens and How to Address it Effectively

If you notice that your skin tone is increasingly uneven, with dark spots and pigmentation changes, it’s time to act. Facial skin discoloration occurs for various reasons, including age and sun damage, but can be slowed or even reversed with powerful skincare ingredients.

This article will dive into skin tone, uneven skin tone, and how to even out skin tone naturally. Keep reading as we explore:

• Causes of uneven skin

• Uneven skin pigmentation from sun damage

• The hormone – skin connection

• How to even skin tone with brightening ingredients

• How to even skin pigmentation with synergistic formulas from NassifMD^® facial plastic surgeon skincare

Common Causes of Uneven Skin Tone

Your skin tone refers to complexion types and the uneven or even pigmentation you see. It’s less about skin shades; uneven complexions occur with any skin color. Along with uneven skin tone, you may experience uneven skin texture.

It’s important to emphasize that no one’s skin is perfect, and irregularities in skin tone are common. However, a

Uneven skin may have multiple causes, including:

• Ageing

• Sun exposure

• Pollution exposure

• Skin inflammation and scarring

• Poor sleep (hello, dark circles!)

The Role of Sun Damage

Sun damage is likely the number one reason you experience skin aging and changes in pigmentation, including dark spots (age spots). Sun damage also contributes to fine lines, wrinkles, crepey skin, dehydration, and more.

While sun damage in the past can show up on your skin now, it’s never too late to begin protecting your skin from the sun by limiting sun exposure, wearing protective clothing and hats, and using sunscreen daily, even in the winter.

The bottom line is that sunscreen protects the skin from damage and helps to even skin pigmentation by preventing more damage.

NassifMD^® Protect & Hydrate and NassifMD^® Simply Hydration are lightweight SPF formulas for daily use.

How Hormones Affect Skin Tone

Hormones are another factor affecting skin and complexion.

Melasma is a condition that causes dark patches and spots. It primarily affects women and is more common in those with darker shades of skin. It often appears after puberty, during pregnancy, or when taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills) because of the changes in reproductive hormones.

Research  suggests women with melasma have higher levels of estrogen (estradiol), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH). Melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin (skin pigmentation) have estrogen receptors, suggesting estrogen may play a role. Although, it’s likely other factors also contribute to melasma.

Other hormones that potentially affect melanin production include:

• Interstitial cell-stimulating hormone

• Melanocyte-stimulating hormone

• Adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH)

• Progesterone

• Testosterone

• Insulin

As we learn more about how hormones contribute to uneven skin, it may lead to new treatments to address root causes.

Top Ingredients for Brightening

Topical active skincare ingredients help address uneven skin color by brightening dark areas, promoting cellular turnover, and influencing melanin production. Let’s look at some of the top skin-brightening ingredients in NassifMD^® Skincare.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most well-known topical ingredients for brighter, glowing, and more even skin. The skin contains a high vitamin C concentration, which offers antioxidant protection, support collagen production, and skin-brightening properties. Vitamin C brightens skin by blocking melanin production.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a form of niacin, vitamin B3, that has anti-aging and skin brightening benefits. Both alone and combined with other active ingredients, niacinamide helps control melanin production, producing a more even skin tone and texture.

Retinol

Retinol, an active form of vitamin A and well-known wrinkle reduce, helps to accelerate skin turnover, where old, damaged skin cells are replaced by younger, brighter ones. It can also help to treat acne scars and other forms of hyperpigmentation.

Skincare Peptides

Peptides in skincare are the newest ingredients to promote a brighter, more even complexion. Skincare peptides are a large category of small proteins that stimulate different functions in the skin when applied topically. Peptides can promote growth factors or inhibit enzymes, including those involved in melanin production.

Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid with exfoliating properties. It helps slough off old or damaged skin cells and clear pores while accelerating skin turnover and allowing new skin to shine. Research suggests glycolic acid reduces hyperpigmentation and supports both skin tone and texture.

Best Treatments for Even Skin

Even skin tone products contain active ingredients for improving and brightening skin tone. NassifMD^® Skincare combines the best anti-aging and skin-smoothing ingredients for synergistic benefits. 

The best products for uneven skin tone recommended by Dr. Paul Nassif include:

• NassifMD^â Even, Correct & Renew Retexturizing Pads – Even and brighten skin tone with these retexturizing treatment pads containing niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, retinol, and mandelic acid.

• NassifMD^â Hydro-Screen Serum – Visibly improve skin tone along with additional anti-aging benefits with this best-selling serum containing hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and retinol.

• NassifMD^â Pro Peptide Collagen Serum – Firm and smooth the skin while evening skin tone with this silicone-free serum containing skincare peptides, hyaluronic acid, and beta-glucan.

• NassifMD^â Micro Spa Radiance Resurfacing Peel – This two-step at-home spa treatment gently resurfaces the skin with vitamin C, hydroxy acids, and antioxidants for smoother, more even skin.

• NassifMD^â Purifying Glycolic Facial Cleanser – Improve skin tone and brightness while washing your face with this gentle facial cleanser featuring glycolic acid.

• NassifMD^â Dermaflect Smart Day Therapy Serum – This daytime serum is UV-activated and provides antioxidant protection from sun damage, preventing uneven skin tone. Combine with sunscreen for best results.

• NassifMD^â Radiance Brightening Booster Vitamin C Serum – This brightening serum contains concentrated (10%) vitamin C to reduce the appearance of dark spots and imperfections.

• Coming soon! NassifMD^â Niacinamide Biopeptide Serum – The newest NassifMD^®  Skincare product is a game changer for even skin tone with concentrated niacinamide and cranberry peptides and antioxidants, a true superfood for your skin!

Dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and sun damage make your skin look uneven and dull. Yet, there is a lot you can do to prevent unevenness and improve skin tone and brightness, starting with NassifMD^®  Skincare products containing potent active ingredients. 

References:

1. 1. Guan, L. L., Lim, H. W., & Mohammad, T. F. (2021). Sunscreens and Photoaging: A Review of Current Literature. American journal of clinical dermatology, 22(6), 819–828.

2. 1. Chen, Y., Vellaichamy, G., Schneider, S. L., Kong, W., & Liu, Z. (2024). Exposure factors in the occurrence and development of melasma (Review). Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 27(4), 131.

3. 1. Hall P. F. (1969). The influence of hormones on melanogenesis. The Australasian journal of dermatology, 10, 125–139.

4. 1. Al-Niaimi, F., & Chiang, N. Y. Z. (2017). Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 10(7), 14–17.

5. 1. Sanadi, R. M., & Deshmukh, R. S. (2020). The effect of Vitamin C on melanin pigmentation - A systematic review. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP, 24(2), 374–382.

6. 1. Shariff, R., Du, Y., Dutta, M., Kumar, S., 5th, Thimmaiah, S., Doraiswamy, C., Kumari, A., Kale, V., Nair, N., Zhang, S., Joshi, M., Santhanam, U., Qiang, Q., & Damodaran, A. (2022). Superior even skin tone and anti-ageing benefit of a combination of 4-hexylresorcinol and niacinamide. International journal of cosmetic science, 44(1), 103–117.

7. 1. Kong, R., Cui, Y., Fisher, G. J., Wang, X., Chen, Y., Schneider, L. M., & Majmudar, G. (2016). A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 15(1), 49–57.

8. 1. Gorouhi, F., & Maibach, H. I. (2009). Role of topical peptides in preventing or treating aged skin. International journal of cosmetic science, 31(5), 327–345.

9. 1. González-Molina, V., Martí-Pineda, A., & González, N. (2022). Topical Treatments for Melasma and Their Mechanism of Action. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 15(5), 19–28.