Have you’ve been heaping attention — and night creams — on wrinkles to turn back the clock? Did you know other factors like age spots, redness, enlarged pores, and adult acne might be putting those years back on. The bright side: Uneven skin tone is easier to correct (or at least conceal) than wrinkles, and it’s often treated with the same active ingredients, so you can combat both at once. Here, WebMD.com has put together the best tips for hiding skin tone imperfections instantly, plus expert advice on healing them over time.

Age Spots:

A more mottled complexion (a.k.a. hyperpigmentation) is usually payback for years of sun-drenched vacations and SPF-less commutes. All that UV exposure throws dark-pigment-producing melanocyte cells into overdrive, and the melanin they make clusters into brown spots.

How to hide your age spots:

Neutralize darkness. Gregory Arlt, a makeup artist for M.A.C. in Los Angeles says…

Peach tones help cancel out brown.

Cover individual spots with a peachy concealer before applying your foundation. Concealers housed in a pot are often thicker and contain more pigment; try Bobbi Brown Corrector ($22, department stores), which comes in four peach-based shades. Use a flat makeup brush to apply, then pat with your finger to blend. For more diffuse pigmentation, choose a primer like Pür Minerals Colour Correcting Primer in Peach ($29.50, Ulta). Use both concealer and primer sparingly, and top with foundation. Then determine if any unevenness or spots still show through. If so, dab on a lightweight, skin-matching concealer (like the one you use under your eyes).

How to heal your age spots:

Spot-treat with hydroquinone. Ellen Marmur, M.D., chief of dermatologic and cosmetic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City says…

It’s the only FDA-approved ingredient for bleaching pigmentation.

She asserts that despite some prior concerns about the chemical’s link to ochronosis, a rare skin disorder, HQ levels of up to 4% (the standard Rx concentration) are safe — a position also held by the American Academy of Dermatology. You’ll find up to 2% HQ in over-the-counter formulas like La Roche-Posay Mela-D Skin Lightening Daily Lotion ($45, laroche-posay.us). Dermatologists recommend you apply HQ only to dark areas, and discontinue use once they lighten. Dabbed on daily, it could take four to eight months to fade spots, sometimes up to a year, says Kansas City, MO, dermatologist Audrey G. Kunin, M.D., creator of the Dermadoctor skin-care line. An OTC exfoliator with glycolic acid, such as C. Booth Glycolic Acid Skin Resurfacing Solution ($15, Rite Aid) or light chemical peels from your dermatologist can help speed up the sloughing of pigmented cells — and the results. Just don’t skimp on broad-spectrum sun protection; UV light switches on melanin production, undoing HQ’s benefits. Try Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Lotion SPF 15 ($18, Target).

Enlarged Pores:

As you age, cell turnover lags and the top layer of skin thickens. In oily skin, excess sebum can also fill and stretch pores.

How to hide enlarged pores:

Prep with primer. Foundation can pool in pores, making them look more pronounced and compromising your coverage. But if you apply a makeup primer first, ingredients like dimethicone form an invisible, silky barrier between skin and makeup. Primer also holds foundation like Velcro, Arlt says. Try Sally Hansen Luminizing Face Primer ($10, drugstores). If skin tends to get greasy, look for one that contains oil absorbers, too, like Cover FX Clearprep FX Matte Foundation Primer & Anti-Acne Treatment ($39, sephora.com).

How to heal enlarged pores:

Exfoliate. Although OTC products won’t actually shrink pores, they may help them appear less noticeable. Try a serum or peel with salicylic acid — which chemically clears out dirt, oil, and cell buildup — and glycolic or lactic acid to slough and soften the surface. It could take several weeks to see results, so if you’re in a hurry, opt for a dermatologist-strength peel ($100 to $300). One no-downtime glycolic-acid treatment yields more even-toned skin, though you typically need several sessions with your doctor to see dramatic results.

Redness:

Over time, UV radiation thins skin and dilates superficial blood vessels,” Dr. Herschthal says, which is why skin often looks redder as you age. Sun exposure and aging can also exacerbate the symptoms of rosacea, a hereditary inflammatory skin condition characterized by persistent flushing and pimple-like bumps.

How to hide redness:

Boost your coverage. Kimara Ahnert, a makeup artist in New York City says…

Women often prefer sheer foundation, but it doesn’t cover redness very well.

Instead, pick a more opaque, oil-free foundation. Use a flat-bristle brush — try Essence of Beauty Concealer Brush ($4.49, CVS) — to spread the base; it will deliver more pigment, especially to redness hot spots like the sides of the nose. Then blend with a damp makeup sponge to get a more lightweight look and feel.

How to heal redness:

Extinguish inflammation. Calming ingredients such as white and green tea extracts, both found in Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream ($40, department stores), provide immediate improvement for aging-and rosacea-related redness.

Adult Acne:

Thanks to stress and fluctuating hormones, pimples can surface even after your kids have outgrown their teenage zits. More than a quarter of 40-something women and 15% of those 50 and older report having had adult acne, according to a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

How to hide adult acne:

Hydrate first. Counter the drying effects of pimple medications by rubbing on a noncomedogenic, oil-free lotion or an eye gel (which tends to be non-oily) before concealing. Give the moisturizer about a minute to sink in, then apply concealer with a small brush or clean finger. Those with salicylic acid, such as Physicians Formula Blemish Rx ($9, drugstores), help fight inflammation and keep pores clear during healing. Brush on a little at a time to get plenty of coverage without cakiness.

How to heal adult acne:

Multitask. To form, acne requires a perfect storm of clogged pores, bacteria, and inflammation. You’ll get the best treatment results if you attack it on all fronts, Dr. Kunin says. A regimen to consider: Twice a day, unblock pores with a 2% salicylic acid cleanser such as Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Power-Cream Wash ($8, drugstores). Kill bacteria and sop up oil with a 10 percent benzoyl peroxide spot treatment like Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Treatment Cream ($10, drugstores). And apply a sulfur mask a few times a week to draw out excess oil; try Proactiv Clear Purifying Mask ($20, proactiv.com), an odor-free, sulfur-based face mask. Once skin calms down, maintain results with easy-to-use salicylic acid pads such as Dr. Brandt Blemishes No More Cleansing Pads ($25 for 60, Sephora).

See your M.D. Adult acne can be persistent — and resistant to treatment. So if an at-home regimen doesn’t clear up skin within a few months (or you want to skip a few steps), talk to a dermatologist about Rx retinoids. Along with building collagen to smooth wrinkles, these multitaskers exfoliate skin to keep your complexion clear. Prescription retinoids can be irritating, but you can tailor their use — applying the solution every other night instead of nightly, for example. Expect to see results within a few months.

Did you find these tips for hiding skin tone imperfections to be helpful? If I missed a skin tone imperfection that your trying to correct let me know in the comment box below on how I can help.