Skin Hyperpigmentations and Melasma

Synonyms: Spots, Sun spots, lentigo, freckles, age spots, melasma, chloasma

Melasma also belongs to this group of hyperpigmentations, it’s a characteristic hyperpigmentation that can develop under the influence of female sex hormones during pregnancy or use of contraceptive pills, as well as all conditions with increase in sex hormone levels.

Any person who has a darker colored areas of skin on their face, neck, décolletage or hands, and wishes to remove them for esthetic reasons or preventative ones.

Preventatively, spots are removed for their ability to evolve into other skin lesions, such as moles, seborrhoic keratoses and in some cases even skin cancer.

The doctor treats only the spots with a LASER, leaving the surrounding skin intact. Pigment gradually disappears during the treatment itself and in some cases there is no need for a repeat treatment. The treatment lasts for about 15 minutes.

When it comes to small spots on the face, 2 treatments are usually sufficient.

On melasma, especially ones that consume a greater area, 2 to 4 treatments are needed .

Skin needs to be kept clean and hydrating/re-epithelizing cream should be generously applied between treatments. Sun protection in the form of SPF 30 sunblock is necessary in the 4 weeks following the treatment.

It’s of greatest importance to mind sun exposure, because if You got hyperpigmentations once, they can return or even expand during the course of LASER treatments on the skin and sun tanning simultaneously. So, it’s of utmost importance to abide the suggestions concerning High SPF sunblocks, and general avoidance of sun exposure, until the 4 weeks from the last treatment expire!

After the treatment, the areas of treated skin will be pink, dry and tight for a few days (like after sun tanning). Therefore it’s necessary to keep the skin moist, applying moisturizing products several times a day.

Also, SPF 30 sunblocks and avoiding the sun (for the next 4 weeks) should be practiced.

You can freely use make up to conceal the redness.

In most cases, all of these effects subside in 3 to 5 days, rarely lasting longer but in a milder form.

Effects are visible soon, in some patients even after 2 to 4 days. Full results will develop over the course of the next few weeks, so Your satisfaction will increase over time.

When hyperpigmentations are removed from the skin, You essentially give the skin it’s vitality back, it becomes healthy again because hyperpigmented skin is damaged and susceptible to new changes.

Persons who are prone to forming scars, on a certain course of therapy (i.e. tretinoin) and with certain skin diseases (dermatitis, psoriasis..) are not suitable for this kind of treatment.

Persons who are sun tanned or tanned in a sun bed should wait for the tan to come off before doing tis type of treatment.

You doctor will assess Your skin in order to determine if You are a suitable candidate for laser wrinkle reduction.

Treatment is not painful, patients describe the feeling as a mild tingling sensation. In order for the patient to be as comfortable as possible, an anesthetic cream can always be applied.

Essentially none, because even if there is some redness or swelling, it’s spot on and spot off and it can easily be concealed by make up.