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Dark spots, brown patches, redness. Skin discoloration can appear in myriad ways, and often sticks around. But the best serum for hyperpigmentation can encourage it to fade more quickly, restoring a radiant look and more even skin tone in a matter of weeks. Left to its own devices, this discoloration could last for months, if not years.

There's quite a bit of strategy involved: Many of the active ingredients used for brightening target the pigment production process, which is responsible for churning out excessive amounts of melanin, or pigment in the skin. Some, like vitamin C and niacinamide, even mobilize at separate points in this system, amplifying their effects.

While you'll often find these brightening ingredients in combination for that very reason, the formulations can vary in the type of hyperpigmentation they treat. The best serum for hyperpigmentation, then, might ultimately depend on what type of discoloration you're experiencing. With that, consider these ideal for the most common culprits.

First, a brief primer: "Hyperpigmentation occurs when excess melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color, is produced in certain areas of the skin," says Dr. Del Campo. Depending on your skin tone, this melanin can appear as spots, patches, or just generally uneven skin tone.

As for the causes, these can vary -- but inflammation plays a big role in sending production into overdrive, which is why the aptly named post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the most common form, according to Dr. Park. "Any type of traumatic or inflammatory event to the skin, including acne, has the potential to increase activity of the melanocytes, which are pigment producing cells," she says. That can cause pigment to "spill" out into the upper layers of skin.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation often contributes to the dark spots that arise after a breakout, or acne scarring when you're dealing with a stain on skin versus a textural concern (like an indentation in skin). They can fade on their own over time, but the process may take weeks to months, says Dr. Park. Meanwhile, "lentigos, or sunspots, are seen in photodamaged skin and due to increase in melanocyte activity caused by UV exposure," she says.