Can squalane be used to combat age spots?

Also known as brown spots, sun spots or pigmentation spots, age spots are small areas of discolouration on parts of the body regularly exposed to the sun. These marks are due to the presence of a significant amount of melanin. A natural pigment that gives skin its colour, melanin is produced to protect the skin from UV rays. However, prolonged exposure to the sun intensifies the process of melanogenesis and can lead to a disproportionate and disorganised synthesis of melanin, resulting in the appearance of sun spots, most often on the face, neck, forearms, hands and décolletage.

Easily absorbed by the epidermis, squalane helps to maintain skin hydration by strengthening the hydrolipidic film and the skin barrier. In addition to aiding in maintaining the skin's suppleness and elasticity, it helps to protect it from UV rays, pollution, wind, and cold. The action of squalane on the skin's lipid barrier indirectly influences the appearance of age spots. Indeed, a better-protected skin is less sensitive to external aggressions and therefore to the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. To a certain extent, squalane could therefore help to prevent hyperpigmentation.

Furthermore, a recent study conducted by GHOLAP and his team investigated the combined effects of squalane and bakuchiol on several skin factors, including pigmentation. For 28 days, 47 women applied a serum containing these active ingredients daily to their entire face. After 28 days, the scientists noted an improvement in skin tone uniformity and overall lightening in 96% of the volunteers. Additionally, a 50.32% decrease in the visibility of brown spots was measured. It therefore appears that the serum containing squalane and bakuchiol had a certain depigmenting effect.

However, it is challenging to draw conclusions about the actual effectiveness of squalane in combating hyperpigmentation. Indeed, to date, there is only one study conducted on this subject, and it was not carried out with squalane alone. It is entirely possible that bakuchiol, known for its numerous positive effects on the skin, particularly on skin tone uniformity, may be entirely responsible for the lightening effect observed during the study. Bakuchiol has indeed shown in several studies that it can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, a key enzyme in melanogenesis. By limiting the synthesis of melanin, bakuchiol helps to fight against brown spots. As for squalane, no mechanistic study has looked into its effect on melanogenesis.

At present, there is virtually no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of squalane in combating age spots. To diminish them, it is instead recommended to turn towards active ingredients whose depigmenting properties have been proven.