uneven skin tones

[shari]

What causes discoloration of the skin? I have dark skin, and several areas are darker than others? What can I do to get an even skin tone?

[danya]

Darkness in the skin is caused by too much melanin (pigment), and is more common in people with a dark skin tone to begin with and dark hair and eyes.
The two biggest factors that can create or worsen darkness, also known as hyperpigmentation, are hormones (estrogen) and sun exposure. There is also condition known as melasma which is hyperpigmentation that occurs with pregnancy because of the change in hormones. This is often referred to as the "mask of pregnancy".
Treatment options include creams containing hydroquinone (prescription strength 4% or higher is usually recommended). It usually works best to combine the hydroquinone cream with a vitamin a cream such as retina A and a glycolic acid. The combination of the 3 ingredients when used properly will usually take care of the problem over a period of several months. A line of skincare by Obagi is specifically designed for this purpose. You can check it out in the skinstore. http://www.beautysurg.com/shop/skinstore.html
If that doesn't work, you can also try intense pulsed light treatments or chemical peels.
No matter what you do, though, you'll have to use good sun protection every single day to prevent the brown spots from returning.

[Unregistered]

I use Retin A and Clear by Obagi and my brown spots that I got when I was pregnant 7 months ago are almost gone. But if I go in the sun, they pop right back up.