One of the most employed method through which the brown spots are removed is by exfoliation of the upper layers of skin. This presupposes the application of a special cream which help the darker layers of skin be removed without affecting the healthy cells. In most cases the creams used contain AHA or alpha hydroxyl acid.

AHA is basically a group of more acids used for treating several skin conditions such as acne, brown spots, scars, fine lines and wrinkles. In this group of AHA we can individuate the glycolic acid - a substance extracted from sugar cane, the lactic acid which is made up from milk, the citric acid - ingredient extracted from citric fruits, tartaric acid which is extracted from grapes, from apples it is extracted the malic acid, while the mandelic acid is extracted from almonds. It addition to treating different skin conditions, these acids are also very effective in moisturizing and nourishing the skin.

From all these acids, by far the most used substance in treating sun spots is the glycolic acid. Yet, the lactic and the citric acid are also used extensively when it comes to removing brown spots. These substances are mainly used in dermatological offices. There, under medical supervision, creams containing higher or lower concentrations of substance (depending on the severity of the issue) are applied on the skin, thus removing the upper layer of skin and leaving the healthy ones to the surface.