I have a terrible problem with this as well JanelleMarie so I feel your frustration. I have a ruddy, pale "Irish" complexion that just seems to hold on to spots forever. A few things have helped even my very old red spots, however. I'll warn you that they sound strange, but I was desperate!
1)A good sunscreen
every day. This and the tincture of time were my derm's only advice for this issue. I don't care if it's January, cloudy, and I'm inside all day I wear it anyway! This has helped greatly plus it's a good idea just from an anti-aging and skin cancer perspective. I use Shiseido brand SPF 55 lotion and it doesn't break me out or look all nasty on my greasy as all get out skin. My derm said that an SPF of 30 or greater is necessary to help rid the red. This is
especially important if you are using any aha/bha products, peels, zit treatments, or scrubs as these all make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
2)The "aspirin mask" mentioned on this board as well as a site called MakeupAlley. There are many versions, but my personal recipe is eight uncoated aspirin to about a tablespoon of Fruit of the Earth brand aloe vera gel left on for 15 to 30 minutes. Gently scrub/rinse off. I do this every third evening, but my skin is tough as iron and this may be too frequent for some skin types. Since I've been using this I've actually had folks mistake me for wearing makeup when I was barefaced. If you could see how bad my spots once were you'd know how amazing that is!! It's even helping to smooth out a hypertrophic scar I have had on my cheek since 1987 and all of my pits and hollows seem less apparent also. Works great for calloused feet and hands or dry elbows, too. Truly incredible stuff!
3)The "apple cider vinegar" toner also mentioned on MakeupAlley in the "productville" section. I mix the vinegar half and half with distilled water (if this stings too much one can start at a lower dilution) and use twice daily after cleansing. This isn't as dramatic and quick as the aspirin mask, but over time it has made even more of a difference in evening out my skintone. And no, it doesn't smell once it dries... thank goodness! This alone has also helped clear my horrid acne so it helps me avoid new red spots.
4)Olay's new "Thermal Polishing Scrub" used on non-aspirin mask nights seems to helping a bit. I've heard
great things about their new micro-dermabrasion peel system for banishing the red spots, but I haven't tried that yet so I can't personally vouch for it.
I hope you find something that works for you. Both the aforementioned makeupalley.com and the acne.org website have many ideas to try for this common problem so don't lose hope!
Red Spots 
