Does Vitamin C help with dark spots and melasma?
It seems like vitamin C is everywhere these days: supplements, serums, fizzy citrus beverages, immune-boosting powder packets, moisturizers, masks, and the list goes on.
As it turns out, vitamin C can benefit the entire body in a number of ways, like strengthening the immune system, fortifying bones, nourishing skin, boosting collagen production, protecting against UV rays and sun damage, and even increasing iron absorption. Using vitamin C and sunscreen together can even improve their effectiveness.
We’re extra curious about all things complexion, so today, we’re setting out to answer the popular question: how does vitamin C help dark spots and melasma?
To shed light on this topic, we need to break it down into a few components. First, we’ll answer a few key questions, including what is vitamin C and how does it work in the body? What are dark spots and melasma? What causes them? And how does vitamin C work to improve dark spots and melasma?
What is vitamin C?
There are many benefits of vitamin C, but simply put, vitamins are nutrients for our body and our skin. They’re small compounds our bodies need to stay healthy, usually consumed through fruits and vegetables.
If you’ve ever scanned the vitamin aisle at a pharmacy, you know there is an alphabet worth of them. Each contains a unique, organic compound that benefits the body—sometimes in multiple ways.
Vitamin C is one that packs a serious benefit punch. This vitamin, otherwise known as ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are immune system superheroes that help fight serious diseases like cancer and heart disease. And if that’s not enough, they also play a lead role in cell restoration and regeneration. Vitamin C is also one of the key ingredients found in skin care products. Its benefits in skin care include improving skin texture, protecting against sun exposure, and regulating sebum production, especially for the oily skin type.
So, yes. Vitamin C is a pretty big deal.
How is vitamin C absorbed in the body?
Vitamin C is water-soluble, which means it is absorbed through water.
The body is an expert at absorbing and processing vitamin C. When you consume substances that contain vitamin C, the body breaks it down into tinier components. From there, vitamin C gets absorbed by the water molecules present in your body with water, and is then transported to the organs and tissues that need it. Any excess vitamin C your body doesn’t need is discarded through your urine.
While there may be several ways to consume vitamin C, these are the three most common:
Food – Healthy fruits and vegetables are our primary source of vitamin C. You can find lots of this vitamin in foods like citrus fruits, melon, berries, broccoli, peppers, and leafy greens.
Supplements – For folks with dietary restrictions that prevent them from consuming a healthy daily amount of vitamin C through food, or for folks with a specific nutritional ailment, vitamin C supplements can be used to boost the body’s daily dose.
Topical treatments – Vitamin C has become a popular ingredient in topical treatments like creams and serums because of its many skin benefits like boosted UV ray protection, anti-aging, collagen production, and cell restoration. Topical vitamin C treatments help concentrate its powers in specific areas to speed absorption.
What are dark spots and what causes them?
Now that we have a general understanding of vitamin C, let’s take a look at dark spots and how they appear.
Dark spots is an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of skin behaviors that result in small, concentrated areas of melanin, or the compound in your skin that creates darker pigment. Dark spots, sometimes called hyperpigmentation, can be caused by:
Some skin products, especially on sensitive skin
Sometimes, as the skin works its impressive healing powers, it produces extra levels of melanin. When the skin is concentrating on healing certain areas, melanin can build up or cluster to cause dark spots.
Dark spots are usually not harmful and can often fade with the right treatment strategy, depending on their cause. It’s always a good idea to consult your doctor upon noticing changes in skin pigment to ensure the right treatment plan is in place for you.
What is melasma and what causes it?
Melasma is a similar skin condition where the overproduction of melanin causes brown, gray, or bluish spots on the face. Melasma is particularly common in pregnant women because of the more rapid hormone shifts in the body during pregnancy.
Like many other dark spot cases on the skin, it is not harmful and is often short lived—lasting just a couple of months. But, like dark spots, you should consult your doctor if signs of melasma arise, as it can signal potentially deeper underlying health risks.
Does vitamin C lighten dark spots?
Now that we understand a little bit more about common dark spots that may greet you in the mirror, let’s dig deeper into determining how vitamin C can help with dark spots and melasma.
Although scientific results vary, there is a number of clinical evidence that shows that vitamin C can reduce the appearance of dark spots caused by hyperpigmentation or melasma.
Research shows that vitamin C’s antioxidant properties may help suppress the production of melanin in the skin by inhibiting an enzyme called tyrosinase, which activates melanin.
In other words, vitamin C may not necessarily brighten the dark spots. Rather, it can slow or completely stop the dark spots from darkening by suppressing melanin production.
How long does vitamin C take to brighten skin?
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for this one, as all skin is unique. In clinical studies where vitamin C was tested on melasma and dark spots, results ranged between a few weeks to a few months.
Part of the challenge of any skin healing journey is that the skin is constantly defending against external factors such as environmental pollutants, UV rays, and harmful bacteria. Any number of these external elements can throw off your skin’s balance and prolong its healing journey.
Keep this in mind if using vitamin C or any other skin regimen, and be patient with your skin. It’s doing a whole lot—just like you.
What are the possible side effects of vitamin C?
As we know now, vitamin C can be absorbed through food, supplements, or your skin via topical treatments.
The risk of negative side effects of vitamin C when consumed through food is generally low. Because it is water-soluble and naturally occurring, your body is an expert at taking only what it needs and releasing the rest as waste.
However, if taking extra amounts of vitamin C through supplements, there are some side effects that can occur, such as:
Nausea, cramps, or bloating
The Mayo Clinic reports that taking 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C or more per day can increase the likelihood of these side effects, so talk to your doctor before taking vitamin C supplements in any amount, especially at higher doses.
How does vitamin C help with melasma and dark spots?
Vitamin C is a powerful nutrient that improves the skin in more ways than one. Let’s review how vitamin C heals and helps the skin with specific attention to melasma and dark spots.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radicals that cause cell abnormalities which can lead to cancer and other diseases.
Vitamin C speeds up cell restoration and regeneration, which can help to repair damaged skin cells along the way.
Vitamin C has been shown to inhibit the production of melanin, slowing or stopping the darkening of the skin caused by dark spots and melasma.
Vitamin C is a naturally-occurring nutrient that the body will thank you for, especially in times of hormonal, lifestyle, or environmental changes. If you’re concerned about dark spots or melasma, vitamin C is worth a try—especially considering the myriad of bonus skin and health benefits it carries with it.
Best types of vitamin C products to use to lighten dark spots
We know it can get overwhelming in the skin care aisle of any store, and there are dozens of topical vitamin C products on the market today. This can depend on your preference, skin concern, or the skincare routine order you’d want to incorporate vitamin C in. To save you some time and potential headache, here are the types of vitamin C-infused products we love most for skin health.
Serums. Serums pack highly potent ingredients into one lightweight drop. A little goes a long way. A Vitamin C serum expedites high levels of vitamin C into the skin barrier.
Moisturizers. Vitamin C moisturizers supply all of the benefits of the powerful nutrient compound while also giving your skin the daily moisture it needs.
Night creams. During the day, sunlight and other external elements can reduce vitamin C’s productivity. Block this potential obstacle with an overnight moisturizing cream that gives vitamin C time to relax deeply into your skin to heal and repair.
Eye creams. The skin under the eye is fragile, thin, and sensitive. It needs extra care and moisture to lift, brighten, and repair—especially with age and sun exposure. Vitamin C eye creams can help reduce those extra fine lines and the appearance of aging.
Whether you choose to use a vitamin C serum, moisturizer, eye cream, or moisturizer, there are certain things to look for. Different formulas of each vitamin C product can alter its effectiveness and strength. It’s also important to note what not to mix with vitamin C. This skincare product shouldn't be mixed with another product containing an active ingredient as it can decrease the overall effectiveness of each ingredient.
If you're looking to add vitamin C to your skincare routine but are not sure which product to choose, you can always check with a dermatologist.
Vitamin C your way to healthier skin with The Pill Club.
The bottom line: Healthy skin looks different for everyone. And the road to get there? That looks pretty different for everyone, too. If you’re looking to reduce the look of your dark spots or melasma, vitamin C could be a natural, effective way to help you find your healthiest, most confident skin.
Here at The Pill Club, we’re in the business of celebrating all women and people who menstruate—light spots, dark spots, and everything in between. We’re here to provide information and resources to help you make an informed decision about your unique health journey.
We offer reproductive and hormonal healthcare that breaks down the gender, socioeconomic, and racial confines of the current healthcare system. Our expert care team is ready to listen to your needs and design a custom healthcare plan just for you.
At The Pill Club, our goal is to provide the most up-to-date, objective, and research-based information to help readers make informed decisions. Articles are written by experienced contributors; they are grounded in research and evidence-based practices. All information has been fact-checked and extensively reviewed by our team of experts to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards. Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.