The ability to fake flawless skin through makeup and filters is a hack we’ll never stop appreciating. But, wouldn’t it be nice to have skin so flawless, the add-ons were optional? Tackle those stubborn darker patches that appear on your face, and you’ll be one step closer to becoming footloose and foundation free.

Firstly, what’s causing it? There are three main culprits to uneven skintone. The first is exposure to the sun’s harsh UV rays that causes skin damage leading to sunspots, liver and age spots. Hormones also play an important role in development of uneven skin tone - pregnancy or birth control pills can stimulate melanocyte cells to work overtime to create dark melasma patches. Lastly, injuries such as nicking your face with a hair iron or swollen pimple can jump-start melanin production, leaving pesky discolouration called Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH).

OK, so, how do we fix it? With the help of skincare expert Dr. Marko Lens, we break down the key preventative measures and treatments.