Sunspots on skin are tricky to treat.

Why? Because they often fall under different guises:

• Age spots
• Liver spots
• Solar lentigo
• Pigmentation
• Sun damaged skin

Sunspots appear as round, brown, flat patches, where the top layer of skin expands with pigment.

Whilst some people have a hereditary pre-disposition to sun spots, most appear as a result of to much exposure to UV rays.

The important thing to note is that sunspots are extremely difficult to treat, especially when your up against controversial ingredients like Hydroquinone.

The all important tyrosinase inhibitor 

Before I begin, it is important to explain what the term tyrosinase inhibitor means.

It is the key in the regulation of skin pigmentation is melanotropin, often referred to as Alpha-MSH.

Melanotropin controls tyrosinase activity, along with melanin synthesis.

Tyrosinase is the key enzyme in melanin, skin pigment production, many of the extracts listed below contain molecules that antagonise alpha-MSH and inhibit tyrosinase.

Reducing this activity, helps to lighten pigmentation and improve skin tone.

This article, does a really good job of making sense of tyrosinase inhibitors.

Naturally treating sunspots on skin

Alpha-Arbutin

• This ingredient comes from yeast extract
• It promotes skin lightening, by blocking melanin
• It is considered one of the safest ingredients, for removing pigmentation

Bearberry Leaf Extract/Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi

• A popular skin brightener
• It is also considered an anti-bacterial and antioxidant

Antioxidants

• These ingredients, address the connection between inflammation and pigmentation formation
• They also help to slow down oxidation, that is involved in the formation of melanin

Biowhite

• Contains four plant extracts, Saxifrage, Grape, Mulberry, Skullcap Extract
• It inhibits the production of tyrosinase, the essential enzyme in the formation of melanin
• Plant extracts exfoliate dark surface cells, promoting healthy cell renewal
• Biowhite also offers protection from UV radiation

Daisy Flower Extract/Bellis Perennis

• A potent skin lightener and antioxidant
• Bellis Perennis, influences the pathways involved in the formation of melanin

Diacetyl Boldine Extract/Lumiskin

• This extract comes from Chilean bark
• It inhibits pigmentation, induced by cellular stress, lightening and brightening sunspots on skin

Gigawhite

• Developed from alpine plants
• Gigawhite has strong antioxidant properties
• It is considered a potent anti-inflammatory and skin lightening extract
• It naturally inhibits tyrosinase

Kojic Acid

• This extract is sourced from mushrooms
• It prevents melanin production, by inhibiting tyrosinase
• It is important to note, it can cause allergic contact dermatitis in some people

Hydroxy Acids

• Hydroxy acids un-bond corneocyte cells, that contain melanin. The cells responsible for skin colour
• 5% concentration of lactic acid, can help to inhibit the formation of the tyrosinase enzyme, slowing the process of melanin synthesis

Mulberry Bark Extract/Morus Alba

• A natural tyrosinase inhibitor
• Morus Alba, has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Niacinamide

• This is the equivalent of a non-hydroquinone treatment, for hyper-pigmentation
• Perfect for overall brightening and fading of sunspots on skin

N-Acetyl Glucosamine

• Another great skin whitening agent
• It works in synergy with niacinamide

Poria Cocos Polysaccharide/Gladback

• Increases skin thickness
• Improves luminosity and micro circulation
• Decreases the appearance of wrinkles caused by ageing

Rumex Occidentalis Extract/Tyrostat

• This botanical extract comes from a plant native to Northern Canada
• Regarded as one of the best all natural skin whitening bio-actives
• It has a strong inhibitory effect, on the tyrosinase enzyme

Undecylenoyl phenylalanine/Sepiwhite

• A potent sun spot fader
• Made from natural amino acids
• Hailed as a breakthrough in reducing pigmentation
• It works as an MSH antagonist, preventing the production of melanin synthesis
• N-acetyl glucosamine, niacinamide and sepiwhite, are proving to be very effective in reducing melanin production, without damaging skin cultures

Not so naturally

Oligopeptide-34

This is a good example of a peptide that can be used to control pigmentation; it is a synthesised peptide, that can help to inhibit tyrosinase activity within the skin.

It visibly brightens sun induced hyper-pigmentation, in half the time of many other popular skin lightening ingredients; It is considered, one of the most effective and safe ways to treat hyper-pigmentation.

Melanostatin-5/Aqua-Dextran-Nonapeptide-1

This peptide, works by antagonising the alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone.

It prevents the hormone telling the melanocyte to produce melanin, thus helping to lighten areas of hyper-pigmentation on the skin.