September is the month when the word “dark spots” comes up at the pharmacy counter more than at any other time of year. It is not just a perception: this is when the tan begins to fade, revealing what summer has built up over the previous months. The customer arrives convinced that she has a new problem. In reality, she is seeing for the first time a problem that formed in June.
This article sets out the physiology, the three questions that really come up, and the boundaries of what can be said without crossing into an area that does not belong to cosmetics.
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Why dark spots are visible in September and not July
The melanin produced during sun exposure is not distributed evenly. In areas where the melanocytes have been repeatedly stimulated — cheekbones, forehead, bridge of the nose, upper lip — production remains more active and persists for longer. As long as the entire face is tanned, the contrast between these areas and the surrounding skin is low, and the spot is camouflaged.
When the overall tan fades, over the course of four to eight weeks, the contrast increases and the uneven pigmentation becomes visible. This is why a customer may genuinely say, “They appeared in a week”: they did not appear; they became visible.
The practical consequence is important and worth explaining at the counter: the moment a spot becomes visible is not the moment it formed. This shifts the conversation from an immediate remedy to prevention for the following season, which is exactly where pharmacy advice adds the most value.
The three questions that come up at the counter
“What can I use to get rid of them?”
This is the most frequent and most delicate request, because it contains an expectation that no cosmetic product can meet. A dermocosmetic product works on the appearance of uneven pigmentation: it reduces contrast, evens out the complexion, and slows the formation of new melanin. It does not remove the spot.
The answer that works neither denies nor promises: it explains that the goal is progressive improvement, measurable over eight to twelve weeks, and that consistency matters more than the concentration of the active ingredient. A customer who has been promised too much comes back disappointed; a customer who has been given a realistic timeframe comes back for the second bottle.
“Is it true that the sun makes them worse?”
Yes, and this is where advice can genuinely change the outcome. UV radiation and high-energy visible light reactivate melanogenesis even in September and October, when the perceived risk is almost nonexistent. An evening-out treatment without daily protection is working against itself.
This is the most sensible cross-selling opportunity of the year: anyone buying a product for dark spots in September needs sun protection at least as much as they did in July, but they may not realize it. Helping them understand this is not about selling more; it is about preventing the treatment they have just purchased from failing.
“I have one large spot on my cheek”
This is where advice stops and referral begins. Extensive, symmetrical uneven pigmentation that appears during pregnancy or hormone therapy has different characteristics from a sun spot and requires dermatological assessment. The same applies to any lesion that changes shape, color, or size, or that has irregular borders.
Distinguishing between them does not mean losing the sale: it means building the trust that brings the customer back for everything else.
The boundaries of what can be said
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 defines a cosmetic product as being intended to be applied to the external parts of the body to clean them, perfume them, change their appearance, protect them, or keep them in good condition. “Change their appearance” is the wording that defines the boundaries of the entire conversation about dark spots.
In practice, at the counter:
- you can say that the product reduces the appearance of uneven pigmentation and evens out the complexion;
- you can say that it helps prevent the formation of new uneven pigmentation, together with sun protection;
- you cannot say that it eliminates, removes, or lightens a spot;
- you cannot use the term melasma as an indication of use: it is a dermatological condition, and the cosmetic product can at most accompany its management as an aesthetic adjunct;
- you cannot attribute to the cosmetic product an effect on post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation caused by an ongoing medical condition.
In practice, the difference between solid and risky advice comes down to two words: talk about appearance and evenness, not removal.
How to structure the advice in three steps
The approach that works at the counter is always the same and takes less than two minutes of conversation.
- Ask how long it has been there. Spots that appeared after summer, in sun-exposed areas, with blurred edges: this is within the cosmetic sphere. A single raised spot that is changing: refer to a dermatologist.
- Introduce an evening-out active ingredient for morning use, with daily application and an eight-to-twelve-week timeframe. A well-tolerated active ingredient used consistently is more effective than an aggressive one used intermittently.
- Link sun protection to the treatment, rather than presenting it as an accessory. The useful phrase is that without SPF, the treatment cannot consolidate its results.
It is best to be cautious with exfoliation in September: on skin that has only just finished being exposed to the sun, an overly aggressive peel can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and worsen the situation. It is better to wait a few weeks or choose a more manageable enzymatic exfoliant.
What we recommend for this concern
Our Spot Defence serum is built around this approach: daily evening-out action, sufficient tolerability for continuous use, and no promise of removal. It is designed to complement sun protection, not replace it.
SPOT DEFENCE 50 SPF Anti-spot face sunscreen serum SPF 50 with encapsulated vitamin C and probiotic ferments for skin with discolorations... Discover SPOT DEFENCE 50 SPF
In a conversation at the counter, the advantage of a well-tolerated formula is practical: it makes it possible to follow the full twelve-week routine without interruptions, which are the main reason for disappointing results with this concern.
Sources for this article
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products, Article 2 (definition of a cosmetic product) and Article 20 (product claims). Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013, laying down common criteria for the claims used in relation to cosmetic products.
On our website: facial uneven pigmentation · hyperpigmentation and its types · sun spots on the face · facial peels for dark spots · melasma · azelaic acid.
Working together on customer advice
Our products are distributed exclusively through pharmacies, via our partner pharmacies nationwide. This choice is rooted in conversations like this one: a product for uneven pigmentation needs to be explained, and the pharmacy counter is the only place where this really happens.
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We formulate our products in the Langhe and distribute them exclusively through pharmacies, with protected margins and training on customer advice at the counter.
