COSMETIC 10

Melasma and Hyper-pigmentation Treatment

What is Hyperpigmentation?

Overproduction of melanin, the substance that gives our skin, hair and eyes their color.While hyperpigmentation doesn't carry any serious health risks, it can be a source of embarrassment, and have effect on a person's confidence and self-esteem.

Hyperpigmentation Types

A few different types of hyperpigmentation are there.

Melasma

This is a common type of hyperpigmentation, often caused by too much sun exposure. It consists of irregular skin coloring, most often brown & gray. Melasma usually appears on the cheeks, forehead, chin, bridge of the nose, and even the upper lip. It can also occur on the forearms and neck.

One of the difficulties with melasma is that because the splotches can sometimes be so dark, makeup is often not enough to cover it.

Chloasma

The spot is irregularly shaped, dark patches on the face, and possibly anywhere on the body. The difference is, chloasma is usually a temporary condition brought on most often by pregnancy.

This is also true of melasma, which is also thought to be caused by hormonal changes. But while chloasma usually dissipates after childbirth, melasma most often requires some sort of treatment to even out the skin tone.

Because it's associated with hormonal changes, women taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy may also sometimes develop chloasma.

Age Spots

You may have also heard them referred to as "liver spots." Most often age spots appear on the backs of our hands but they can also develop on the shoulders, arms and face. Age spots are most common in people over 50, but younger people can get them too, especially if they spend a lot of time in the sun.

Hyperpigmentation Prevention

The number one way to avoid any type of hyperpigmentation is to use sunscreen while going outside.If you've already developed hyperpigmentation or melasma, don't despair. You can pursue treatment to treat it asap.

         Hyperpigmentation and Melasma Treatment  

Nd:YAG laser, This type of laser is used for these purposes for two main reasons: it's gentle, and doesn't damage the skin; and it targets multiple shades 

How it Works

The skin discoloration is hit by the Nd:YAG laser beam. The light is absorbed by the melanin, which helps to break the excess pigmentation up into smaller particles, effectively destroying the discoloration. Usually, all traces of hyperpigmentation are removed, leaving behind uniform, even skin tone. 

This treatment is so effective that many patients see improvement after just one session .