The ESK blog
Retinal for Pigmentation: How It Reduces Dark Spots and Evens Skin Tone
08 April 2025
Dr Anne Thomson
Pigmentation issues are among the most common skin concerns we hear about and also one of the most aging. They are notoriously difficult to treat – many anti-pigment products cause unwanted side-effects such as redness or dryness, take months to have any noticeable effect, or simply don’t work at all.
Until now! Enter the latest ingredient causing a buzz in the Vitamin A skincare world: retinaldehyde. Unlike its older cousin retinol, retinaldehyde, AKA retinal, is increasingly being recognised in studies as an effective pigmentation-buster that’s more effective, faster-acting and with less side effects than retinol. Win-win and win!
What pigmentation issues are we talking about and what causes them?
Hyperpigmentation takes many forms, these are the most common ones:
Melasma appears as blotchy, brown pigmented patches usually on both sides of the face, especially across the cheeks, nose and forehead. It is more common in women, particularly during pregnancy or in those taking the contraceptive pill, which makes us suspect hormones are playing a role in addition to UV exposure and a probable genetic component.
Solar or actinic lentigines (aka “age spots”) are brown spots or splodges appearing on sun exposed skin later in life. They are common on the face, chest, back of the hands (where they are sometimes inexplicably called liver spots!) and forearms. UV radiation accumulated over a lifetime is clearly the culprit here.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation appears as irregular, darkly pigmented skin where there has been some previous injury or inflammation, like acne or eczema.
Other causes include some medicines and “oxidative stress”, a process by which oxygen free radicals damage tissues at a cellular level – commonly associated with UV radiation, pollutants and the aging process itself.
How (and why?!) is pigment made in the skin?
At this point you may be wondering what the heck is the point of pigment if it’s nothing but trouble! Turns out that melanin (pigment’s proper name) performs several vital functions in our skin including protection from the DNA-damaging effects of the sun’s UV radiation, and as a powerful antioxidant, mopping up those toxic oxygen free radicals I mentioned earlier.
Melanin is made in specialised skin cells – melanocytes - in the base layer of the epidermis, with the help of the enzyme tyrosinase. From here, little packets of melanin called melanosomes are dispatched upwards into the skin cells where they absorb UV rays, protecting the cells underneath. As the skin cells migrate upwards, they are eventually shed, along with their melanin, in a continual flushing out process.
When things go wrong...
Add in sun damage, aging, hormones, oxidative stress and some genetic tendencies and we get not just excess melanin production, but cells that aren’t moving melanin around very well or flushing it out effectively. This tends to happen unevenly giving us dark spots, blotches and uneven skin tone.
So how does retinal combat pigmentation?
Retinal targets a number of steps in the melanin process:
2. It increases epidermal cell turnover by speeding up the shedding of old skin cells and promoting the formation of new ones. This flushes out excess melanin.
3. It helps skin cells disperse the melanin packets, preventing them from getting “stuck” and clumping together.
To be fair, most Vitamin A skincare derivatives (retinoids) can do this. So why is retinal better than retinol?
It all comes down to HOW they work they work their magic. Retinol needs to go through a two-step conversion process in the skin to become retinoic acid, the active form that gets the job done. Retinal, on the other hand, only needs one step. That means faster and more efficient results. It also means less side-effects, so even sensitive skin types can use retinal and enjoy its benefits.
What’s the best way to incorporate retinal into your skincare routine for hyperpigmentation?
Studies show that the best way to tackle hyperpigmentation is with multiple active ingredients that target different steps in the melanin process. Adding retinal cream or serum to your other pigment-treating ingredients such as 4NB, niacinamide (Vitamin B3), L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and hydroxy acids may just be the breakthrough you’re looking for! And the good news is that you don’t need to start slow with retinal. Because it’s so well-tolerated, even by sensitive skin, you can use it every night from day one. And yes, you need to use it at night: retinal is broken down by UV light. Just apply your retinal night cream or serum after cleansing every night.
Sunscreen during the day is a must, every day, regardless of the season or weather: even on cool, cloudy days there is enough UV around to neutralise the effects of retinal and undo all your good work!
And if you want a side-serve of anti-aging benefits, retinal skincare has you covered. Its proven to boost collagen, help with skin hydration, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial actions make it a winner for acne and rosacea-prone skin. It’s an absolute must for anti-aging skincare!
So if you’re ready to level up your pigment-correcting routine and tackle those dark spots, even out your skin tone and refresh and brighten your complexion, try adding in some retinal night cream or retinal serum. We predict you and your skin won’t regret it!
The game-changing night cream developed in partnership with Selma Blair - combines our most potent hero ingredients to effectively and gently tackle the most common skin concerns – in one product. Tackling the signs of aging skin including fine lines, skin elasticity, impaired barrier function, hydration, dullness and uneven skin tone. it is our most powerful product yet and yet it’s still ridiculously well tolerated. Wake up to skin that's supple, smoother, and softer. For the most irritable of skin, Ultimate A may be a better option, particularly when starting to use Retinal based products
Ultimate A Gold
Ultimate A Gold: the most effective and gentle ingredients that evidence based cosmeceutical skincare has to offer, in one revolutionary formula.
*Ultimate A Gold (Retinal) may transfer onto white or light-coloured fabrics. For best results, we recommend using darker clothing or surfaces to avoid visible marks.
