Quick answer
Dark spots fade slowly and only with sun protection. Here is what is realistic in three months — and the shortcut that causes permanent damage.
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Shop dark-spot & pigmentation products →First, know which mark you have
Post-acne marks (flat, brown or red) fade on their own over months. Melasma (patchy, symmetrical, often on cheeks and upper lip) is chronic and returns with sun and heat. They need different expectations.
1. Sunscreen is the treatment, not the extra
Without daily sunscreen, nothing else works. This is the whole game with pigmentation.
2. Niacinamide — the gentle, reliable option
Safe to use daily, works slowly, rarely irritates.
3. Vitamin C in the morning
Antioxidant support plus gradual tone evening.
4. Azelaic acid for melasma-prone skin
Gentler than hydroquinone and pregnancy-safe.
5. See a dermatologist for melasma
Prescription options exist. Start early — not in the last month.
The shortcut that causes damage
Steroid-containing "fairness" creams sold as spot removers thin the skin and cause rebound pigmentation that is worse and harder to treat. Mercury has been found in many seized in Bangladesh.