How to choose
Start with sunscreen. Daylight darkens every kind of pigmentation, so an SPF 50, PA+++ or higher sunscreen every morning, reapplied when you are outdoors, does more than any spot cream. A tinted sunscreen also blocks visible light, which matters for melasma. Then pick one active and give it 8 to 12 weeks. Niacinamide (4 to 5%) is gentle and suits marks left by pimples. Azelaic acid helps both acne marks and melasma; the stronger versions need a prescription. Kojic acid, alpha arbutin and tranexamic acid are common in serums and help some people a little. Retinoids speed up fading but irritate at first. Patch test on the jaw for three days, because irritation itself can leave new dark marks on Indian skin. Read the ingredient list on every tube: if it lists clobetasol, betamethasone, mometasone, fluocinolone or hydroquinone, it is a prescription medicine, not a spot cream.
Who really needs this
A spot cream suits flat brown marks left after pimples heal, mild sun spots and mild melasma that you already protect from the sun. See a skin doctor if patches spread quickly, are raised, bleed, itch or change colour, or if a mole changes shape. Velvety dark skin on the back of the neck or the underarms is often linked to insulin resistance; get your blood sugar checked rather than buying a cream for it.
Our picks
Editorial recommendations, not paid placements.
Every morning
Heliocare 360 Pigment Solution Fluid SPF 50+
A high-protection sunscreen made for pigment-prone skin. Use two finger-lengths for face and neck.
Find it in the storeFor melasma
Ray X Gold Tinted Sunscreen
A broad-spectrum sunscreen with a tint, which also blocks the visible light that keeps melasma dark.
For marks after pimples
A 5% niacinamide serum
Gentle enough for most skin, and it calms oiliness too. Use it at night for at least eight weeks.
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use a cream that lists a steroid (clobetasol, betamethasone, mometasone, fluocinolone) for dark spots. These combination and 'glow' creams seem to work at first, then thin the skin and cause redness, acne and spots that come back darker when you stop. Don't layer several acids at once; irritation darkens Indian skin. Don't skip sunscreen on cloudy days or near a window. Don't rub lemon, toothpaste or bleach on spots. Don't trust creams that promise to change your skin colour. And don't judge a cream before eight weeks.
Skin doctor, online
Ask the skin doctor before you buy
Dark patches on the cheeks, marks left by pimples, tan that will not go, or darker skin on the neck. Send photos and the doctor tells you what kind of pigmentation it is, because each kind fades differently. Dr. Rohini K replies within 30 minutes, day or night. ₹299 for the first chat, on Chamak.
