Dark spots are one of the most common skin care complaints I hear about from our audience. And if you think about the underlying causes of dark spots, it makes sense why they’re so common. Dark spots are caused by an overproduction of pigment in skin cells called melanocytes. This uptick in pigment production is inflammation in the skin. When our skin is inflamed—be that from UV radiation, acne, hormones, stress, or something else—it stimulates these melanocytes1 to create more pigment. The result? Spots or patches in the epidermis that are a darker hue than the rest of the complexion