„Sun spots that show up at 30 are not random - they are the delayed manifestation of accumulated sun damage from previous years." That is how Dr Simon Ourian, a Beverly Hills dermatologist who works with some of the best-known faces in show business, puts it. And the word „delayed" is key: skin remembers and keeps a diary of every sunny afternoon.

Prevention starts now, not tomorrow, not in August. One: SPF 50 every day, no exceptions, even under clouds or inside the house next to a window. Sun protection should be part of the daily routine just like washing your face and moisturising - not just for the beach, not just for the summer.

Two: antioxidants, particularly vitamin C in the morning. They neutralise free radicals (which the sun creates) and reinforce protection against UVA/UVB radiation. Not instead of sunscreen - alongside it. A vitamin C serum under the cream, then SPF on top.

Three: a night routine. This is where the depigmenting ingredients come in - azelaic acid, retinoids, or tranexamic acid, depending on what the skin tolerates. Start slowly: twice a week for the first four weeks, then gradually increase. Consistency is critical - results show after 8-12 weeks, not after one.

For already existing spots, an appointment with a dermatologist is the real next step. Ourian recommends a fractional CO2 laser for sun damage, uneven tone or melasma - the laser improves the pigmented areas and stimulates collagen at the same time. For patients with hyperpigmentation linked to acne, blue light therapy gives excellent results.

What does NOT work? Overpriced „magic" creams promising whitening in two weeks. Frequent exfoliants with rough grains (they irritate melanocytes and cause more spots, not fewer). The idea that you don't need SPF under clouds - a myth marketing keeps alive. UVA passes through clouds and through ordinary window glass. Skin registers it all, and the spots are billed three years later.