The advanced laser treatments used at LSG are capable of targeting and remove age spots, freckles, or brown spots, whether they are the result of exposure to UV rays, acne, trauma, or genetics. These spots can be difficult or impossible to conceal with cosmetics, but new laser technology can remove pigmentation and give your skin a fresher, younger appearance. Pigmentation can be successfully removed from:
Brown spots and skin pigmentation can be due to a variety of causes, and a diagnosis is absolutely essential before treatment. If diagnosed incorrectly, pigmentation can actually WORSEN with treatment. A classic example is melasma – skin pigmentation that is caused by excessive overproduction of melanin (brow pigment) by skin cells. This condition should be treated with creams and peels before laser.
Sun exposure (actinic pigmentation), freckles, and skin ageing
One of the primary functions of melanin production in your skin is to protect you from UV rays from the sun. A “tan” is the prime example of your body’s melanin response to the sun.
When the skin is assaulted by repeated exposure to the sun, you experience sun damage in a variety of ways and one of those is brown spots and hyper-pigmentation resulting from an over-production of melanin. Once the cycle of pigment over-production has started, it is difficult to stop it and usually medical intervention is required.
The second most frequent cause of hyper-pigmentation is hormone changes. This may be a result of birth control pills, pregnancy or the various stages of menopause. Hormone shifts trigger the melanin cells to go into over-drive. This can happen even if you are not a sun worshipper. Sun exposure will always make it worse.
The third most common cause of pigmentation is a direct result of some type of injury to the skin. Typical pigmentation-causing injuries include:
Inflammation is your body’s response to injury. Often inflammation is not obvious because it is occurring at a deep level. This inflammation triggers melanin production and the result is a concentration of pigment in the affected area. A common result of improperly performed hair laser is a proliferation of dark patches on the legs or face. There are a variety of hair lasers on the market and not every one is designed for every skin type and color.
Most of our treatments are laser and light based procedures. This gives the greatest improvements in skin pigmentation and age spots. The ideal treatment will depend on your diagnosis. Very mild skin pigmentation and brown spots can respond to creams, conversely long standing pigmentation will only improve with lasers.
The 6 methods to improve skin pigmentation include –
Creams and Skin Care – these are prescribed to help maintain your skin after laser treatment for pigmentation. They can also be helpful in reducing pigment due to melasma, and very mild forms of sun damage. We like to recommend combination ingredients that contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, AHAs, as well a bleaching and pigment correcting agents. Sunscreen forms the basis of your daily skin care regime.
Chemical peels– can be used for mild pigmentation and freckles.
Lasers – this is the mainstay of removing age spots, sun spots and pigmentation. Depending on the depth of pigmentation, we use specific lasers. FRAXEL is a great option for deeper pigment, however we do combine PicoWay, Clear and Brilliant Permea and BBL in most of our laser programs. Clear+Brilliant is an excellent laser to maintain your skin after skin pigmentation has been treated. PicoWay is an excellent option for spot treatments as well.
BBL Photorejuvenation – an advanced form of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology is one of the most effective treatments for dark spots. BBL is a treatment that works to rejuvenate the skin by encouraging skin cell turnover and new collagen production. On dark spots, this treatment reduces the unnecessary melanin that produces excess pigment.
Medical Facials – Facials such as SilkPeel Dermalinfusion, Hydrafacial MD, DMK Facials or Oxygeneo, or Intraceuticals Oxygen treatments are some non invasive ways to help reduce superficial pigment and to help maintain results post laser treatments.
Microneedling – Can be an additional option for superficial pigmentations or as a maintenance treatment after skin pigmentation has been treated.
Sun exposure is the primary cause of facial and body brown spots, age spots, freckles, moles and pre-cancerous actinic keratosis. Preventing sun-induced hyperpigmentation is a full time process. Hormones, injury and pigmentation from allergic reactions or skin disease such as acne are mostly beyond your control.
Sunscreen, sunblock, hats and sun-protective clothing are your first line guard against not only unsightly brown patches but also sun damage that could lead to skin cancer.
We have introduced a new UVA protection product called Bluestone Sunshields. Full face protection post procedures and from the sun!
Some types of pigmentation can be improved with creams. Dark pigmentation such as melasma a classical example where we use creams and gentle peels instead of laser to treat this condition. Mild freckles and very early sun induced pigmentation can be improved with a mixture of Vitamin A creams, Vitamin C serums, AHAs and bleaching agents and pigment regulating creams.
In most cases of pigmentation, lasers are needs to markedly improve your skin texture.
