I have a loving relationship with the sun–I cherish the warmth of a glowing tan on my skin after a sunny day outdoors. Truth be told, I am not an every-day sunscreen type person. Most days, I welcome the morning and late afternoon sunlight on my skin. Any time in between when the sun is high and harsh, I protect myself with clothes (hats/scarves) instead of repeated sunscreen application. 

But of course, there are many instances when I use sunscreen, too. It’s a balancing act between protecting yourself from over-exposure and getting the proper amount of Vitamin D. Your own skin’s tolerance to sun exposure is affected by your genetics, your diet, where you live, and a whole litany of factors.  

Shielding yourself from the midday sun can also help you avoid dark spots. As someone who loves the sun, I’ve recently begun my battle with dark spots. The other factor contributing to my dark spots? Hemochromatosis. 

Hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder characterized by excessive absorption of dietary iron by the body, leading to iron buildup in various organs. Iron overload. This can result in damage over time, particularly affecting the liver, heart, and pancreas. (Reminder, I’m not a doctor and all diagnoses and treatment recommendations should be treated by a physician. I’m sharing my personal experience to help bring awareness to hemochromatosis.) 

A little over 2 years ago when looking at my blood work, my iron levels were called out as being high. One symptom of hemochromatosis is the hyperpigmentation (aka, dark spots!) of certain (usually sun-exposed) areas of the skin.  

Over the next 2 years, my iron began to climb as well as these dark spots on my arms and face. Cut to today: after having consistent bloodwork, I was informed that I have the double gene for Hemochromatosis. Many women are not diagnosed until reaching menopause as excess iron is being released through having a period. Once menstruation stops, iron levels climb.

There are many products on the market that claim to assist in the lightening of dark spots, however, I believe that looking at your liver is also an important step in getting to the root cause of why you are beginning to see dark spots. Paying attention to your body can give you some insight into what is going on internally. In addition to trying out some of the products below, I have also found that a liver cleanse/detox and full moon coffee enemas help, but of course that is just my personal experience, not medical advice.)

Discovering what works to conceal and treat dark spots has been nothing short of an experiment, to say the least. Luckily, I’ve found a few game-changing products that help to cover up and take care of pesky dark spots–all without a visit to the dermatologist.