I can only offer my experience with this recently and a dermatologist. An age spot on my arm started out as a brown freckle. It grew, doctor said it's an age spot, derm. agreed. Years later it is bigger and an ugly grayish spot. ugh.

So this summer I notice a brown freckle under my eye by the bridge of my nose. Hmmm. Over the months it got a little bigger. Went to a derm. office in August to make an appt. "just in case" but the appt. would be next June! The receptionist said if I could talk to my doctor perhaps he could request I be seen sooner. Well, I haven't yet and yes, the brown freckle is bigger now. Not huge, but bigger. My next doc. appt. is in March. How big will the freckle be by then?

Sorry for the long reply, but just saying it might be a good idea to make an appt. with a derm. as soon as you can. Even if she says it's just age spots, perhaps there are ways to deal with them and he/she can recommend a good cream.

If it is just age spots, I’ve had luck with the Neutrogena dark spot eraser cream (not sure of the exact name). I had a spot about the size of a pencil eraser on my cheek. I applied the cream just on the spot every night. It is gone now. I can’t recall how long it took, but I know it wasn’t too long (maybe 6 weeks).

Oh, thanks for that suggestion amj. I'm going to go by some. My spot feels rough too, just like the gray spot on my arm. :(

I've been using two layers of Platinumskincare.com 's 20% TCA peel on the backs of my hands and see the dark spots becoming lighter. With a Q-tip, I apply a couple of layers on spots on my face and also see them becoming lighter. These spots apparently have a memory and will recur regardless of how they are treated so I figure I may as well do it as economically as possible and in the comfort of my own home.

BTW, if I originally saw the recommendation for Platinum Skin Care on this forum, a big thank you to whoever originally recommended it!

Thank you so much for the advice to get an appointment ASAP and the products to try.

Schoolhouse, I am sorry you have to wait so long to see the dermatologist- how frustrating.

I will try the Neutogena cream first and then the Platinumskincare ... or maybe I'll just get both. I feel like the discoloration looks like a tattoo under my eyes (it doesn't actually look that bad, but it's how it makes me feel.)

I bought the Neutrogena product today at CVS, will start using it tonight and let you know how things progress.

Yes, I was discouraged about the dermatologist appt. We had only one clinic in the nearby small city, then another practice came in last year. The first as I stated was booked up until June, the other had an appt. available in April. Then I found out that the first one was out of my network insurance wise anyway. :(

I picked a zit (yes, I’m 54 going on 14) about a year ago and I still have a dark spot there. It’s so annoying. I may try one of these remedies. Retin A hasn’t touched it.

I also have a sun damage spot on one cheek about the size of a dime, and Nothing will get rid of that thing. I did laser treatments years ago, also had a dermatologist “freeze” it off but it didn’t budge. Concealer is just a part of my life, every day.

I have one age spot on the back of my hand, too. Hmm, maybe I’d better get that TCA peel.

I have a million freckles that don’t bother me, but these bigger or darker splotches make me crazy. I know there are worse things....

Do you use a lash or brow growth serum? I've heard those can cause discoloration.

Thank you for the idea, no, I don't use any of those products yet, always.

I don't know if this is my imagination, but I have used the Netrogena product two days (two times) and I swear this brown freckle thing is lighter. I'm wondering tho if the discoloration does fade away, will it come back if I stop using the dark spot remover?

Schoolhouse - the spot I had has not returned (and it has been a few years, I think).

A brief guide

It depends on the reason. Our skin gets thin and loses collagen as we age, highlighting the blood vessels underneath. For that, fillers are used. Sun damage can also cause it. I use Timeless Vit C, E, Ferulic Acid every morning before applying my moisturizing sunscreen. Not only will a good formula reduce pigmentation over time, but it also protects against further UV damage. HF5OFF will bring the price down to ~$20. I keep mine in the fridge to help the potency last longer because Vit C isn't very stable. I'm really picky about what I'll re-order and have seen obvious brightening/fading of sun damage using it. Maelove also has a good formula but it's more expensive with a bit less Vit C concentration. A retinol product encourages exfoliation and collagen production. Here's a list of products listed by potency. http://www.skinacea.com/retinoids/types-of-retinoids.html#.W-LxSy2ZOT9 Hydroquinone is the go-to product to fade hyper-pigmentation but it's not for the eye area. It can also cause discoloration. Stopping its use after 4-5 months, and not re-introducing it for another 2-3 months, is recommended. I mention it in case there are other areas with pigmentation or melasma.

Along with any remedy, use sunscreen daily to preserve any improvement and continue protection.

Edit: It can take several months to see noticeable improvement. Be patient. I started using the Timeless serum at the beginning of June. My complexion was brighter within the month and my sun spots have recently started to fade. My chicken pox scar is fading, too.

Thank you so much, Alex. I know how well you research all the options! I will try the Timeless Vit C, E, Ferulic Acid. The discoloration is not exactly under my eyes- you know the thin area you apply under ey cream. It's just under that on the fatty bump area, so I might try the Hydroquinone. And maybe I should go back to Renova. Kinda an everything but the kitchen sink approach.

schoolhouse, I started the Neutrogena last week. I'll wait four or five weeks and report back. Fingers crossed.

I have always had hyper pigmentation under my eyes. I have never tried to get rid of it but sometimes I do cover it up with makeup. I have dark skin and use an orange color corrector under my makeup. This link explains what color works best for each skin tone.

Thank you Friday! I appreciate the tip. I will find a good concealer. I used to use yellow-orange medium from some long gone brand back when I wore more makeup. I will see what I find now.

PS You would be the one with an artistic solution ;-)

Rita, you mentioned Renova. Were you pleased with the results you received? Thanks.

lovemrmewey, I was happy with the Renova, but I used it in my late 30s early 40s to help control acne (I get break outs the week before my period,) more than to deal with any age related skin problems. My friend who suggested I try it is a plastic surgeon and she said it was her favorite anti-aging treatment. She also mentioned taking a break from the product after a year or two and then going back to it.

I get get those darn, ugly keratosis, and the dermatologist freezes them off. They get red and then fall off within a week. Some of the nastier ones will take two zaps to get rid of them.

grapefruit I have literally hundreds now. They started in my 40's and seem to multiply like fleas on a cat. My doctor will remove them, but not under insurance so it is costly. She has only offered to burn them off. I have a low pain threshold, so this means a shot of lidocaine for each one. She will only do 5-7 at a time. This is very expensive and time consuming. We tried Emla cream, but I also don't numb easy and that didn't work. I'm wondering if the freezing is faster, less painful and more can be done at once.

I once consulted a cosmetic only dermatologist who suggested I just lie there and take the pain and she would zap as many as possible in 15 minutes. That scared me as I really find the burning sensation overwhelming. I guess my question is does insurance cover your procedures and is it painful?

hcbm, I Googled what you mentioned and it doesn't sound like what I have on my arm. Mine is more of a flat, gray, rough patch. Sometimes, like right now, it appears very light in color. Started out brown, then eventually turned rough and gray. That's what I'm worried about in regards to the brown spot under my eye, by the bridge of my nose. It may be small and brown now but I sure hope it doesn't turn gray and ugly. It was feeling rough, but since the Neutrogena it seems to feel less so.

Oh, and I have started to put the Neutrogena on that spot on my arm too just to see what happens.

Schoolhouse it may be something else. However, I had a tiny little spot on my upper arm in my 30's and my then dermatologist said it's nothing, don't worry about it and refused to remove it. Well after two years I finally went to see another dermatologist who said the same thing, but also said if it bothers you let's take it off. She did and sent it to the lab. Well it was Basal Cell Carcinoma, an atypical presentation. She explained that Basal Cell is really not dangerous, but more like a warning sign that I need to have a skin check every year and use lots of sun protection. That is why I would never except a wait of several months before a doctor examines any change in my skin that I did not recognize. I know a seborrheic keratoses when I see one. They come in many different colors, sizes, and textures, yet are all very similar.

HCBM, my insurance covers most of the cost. The doctor grabs the can of " freezer stuff' and just begins spraying them. They sting slightly, but she can do many in just a couple of minutes. I really only worry about the large ones that can be seen easily by others.

grapefruit1, thank you for the info. I live in NYC so my insurance has dozens of participating doctors. I am going to see if I can find one who will freeze them and take insurance. I can stand the freezing as I have experienced that before. I want them all gone, but would be happy to just get the ones that show or are irritated by my clothing removed.

I have some actinic keratosis uglies as well as another types at shaded areas (torso). My doctor told me that the benign torso lesions are also dubbed, "flowers of the grave." How lovely.

Here is an interesting article:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/elaine-ambrose/actinic-keratosis-isnt-a-_b_11327430.html

Actinic Keratosis Isn’t a Foreign Movie Star

Just when I thought nothing could get worse than the presidential campaign, a nasty growth appeared on my head and threatened to sprout into an evil poltergeist of death and destruction. At least it took my mind off of politics.