Survey Reveals Nearly 80% of OTC Spot Treatment Users Fail to See Satisfactory Results, Highlighting Limits of Self-Care

Survey Reveals Nearly 80% of OTC Spot Treatment Users Fail to See Satisfactory Results, Highlighting Limits of Self-Care

General Incorporated Association SKINLABO conducted a survey of 300 individuals who were either considering or had undergone skin spot treatments. When asked about measures taken since noticing skin spots, 60.7% (182) used skin-brightening cosmetics, 58.0% (174) used Vitamin C-based serums, and 37.7% (113) used oral medications or supplements. Regarding the effectiveness of over-the-counter (OTC) skincare or topical treatments, 49.4% (131) reported little effectiveness, and 30.6% (81) reported no effectiveness at all, totaling 80.0% (212) who failed to see sufficient results.

When asked about past measures taken, skin-brightening cosmetics were the most common choice (182 cases, 60.7%). This was followed by Vitamin C-based serums (174 cases, 58.0%) and oral medications or supplements (113 cases, 37.7%). Additionally, 21.0% (63) tried medical lasers, 16.3% (49) used drugstore topical treatments, and 11.3% (34) underwent peels. The results suggest that most people concerned about spots start with self-directed care like brightening cosmetics, serums, or supplements, while a certain percentage choose clinic treatments like medical lasers or photo facials.

Furthermore, when asked if they felt the effect of OTC skincare or topical treatments, 49.4% (131) said they saw little effect, and 30.6% (81) saw no effect at all. Together, 80.0% (212) felt they did not achieve sufficient results.

On the other hand, 17.0% (45) reported seeing a slight effect, and 3.0% (8) reported seeing a clear effect.

This survey indicates that while many people struggling with spots try self-care, there are many cases where OTC skincare or topical treatments alone are insufficient to see meaningful change.

Comments from Dr. Yoshiko Takada, Dermatologist (Certified by the Japanese Dermatological Association):

This survey shows that many struggling with skin spots have already tried OTC care such as skin-brightening cosmetics, Vitamin C serums, or oral supplements. However, many also reported they did not see sufficient effects, suggesting that self-care alone is often inadequate.

This does not mean self-care is entirely useless. UV protection and appropriate skincare are essential foundations to prevent spots from darkening. However, if you want to fade already visible spots or do not feel any change after continuing care for a long time, it is important not to continue the same care based on your own judgment, but to confirm the current state of your spots.

Spots come in various types—such as solar lentigines, melasma, freckles, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or birthmarks—each with different causes and properties. Therefore, if you do not feel a change despite continued OTC care, it is crucial to first correctly identify the type of spot and skin condition, and determine whether to aim for improvement through treatment or to continue home care.