White spots on the face can be caused by various factors, including skin conditions, vitamin deficiencies, and sun exposure. Here are some details about the causes, treatments, and ingredients related to white spots on the face:
Causes:
- Vitamin deficiencies: A deficiency of vitamin B12, D, or E can cause white patches on the skin, including the face.
- Sunspots: These are white spots where skin pigment has been lost due to excessive sun exposure. They usually appear first on the legs before progressing to the arms, upper back, and face.
- Pityriasis Alba: This is a non-cancerous skin condition that causes flaky, scaly, itchy red patches of discolored skin that turn into pale white spots over time when healed. It usually affects the face but can impact other areas like the neck, shoulders, and arms.
- Vitiligo: This is an autoimmune skin condition that causes white skin patches to appear in places where the cells that make skin pigment have been destroyed. It can affect any part of the body, including the face.
- Tinea Versicolor: This is a fungal infection that causes white spots on the skin. It may also sometimes appear pink, red, or brown and may get larger over time. It usually affects the chest, back, and upper arms but can also affect the face.
Treatments:
- Curettage: This is a procedure where a doctor numbs the area, removes the milia, then seals the skin with a hot wire.
- Low-dose corticosteroid creams: These are prescribed for vitiligo treatment.
- Topical steroids and dermabrasion: These may be used to reduce the appearance of Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis (IGH) .
- Antifungal creams: These are used to treat Tinea Versicolor.
Ingredients or materials:
- Arbutin: This is a skin-brightening ingredient that targets dark spots. It plays well with other ingredients.
- Hydroquinone: This is a skin-lightening agent that bleaches the skin, which can be helpful when treating different forms of hyperpigmentation. It decreases the number of melanocytes present, which make melanin, the pigment that produces skin tone. It takes about four weeks on average for the ingredient to take effect.
- Vitamins A, C, and B-3: These are commonly used in anti-aging products to brighten the skin and improve overall tone. Vitamin B-3, commonly labeled as “niacinamide,” has the potential to prevent darker areas of pigmentation from rising to the surface of the skin.
It is important to have white spots checked by a dermatologist to understand their cause and the best way to treat them.
