Taking from experience, my mother has a brown spot all over her face, especially on the cheeks. She apply Nivea cream but the only answer to her problem is the Aloe Vera moisturizer from Nature's Republic. It brown spot are still there but the strong brown color lightens. She have been using it for a year, unfortunately. There is a slow progress if you will just use the moisturizer. There are creams that clears the brown spots but i do believe it would take time as well, but not for a year, especially if you visits a derma that masters everything about the skin. There are creams from Ponds but still it depends on body chemistry. Some are losing the brown spots but using a soap alone. It depends on how the strong color of brown features your face and how severe it is.