Treatments for pigmentation
The depth of the melanin in the skin determines the appropriate treatment for pigmentation. There is no standard recipe, so each client receives a tailor-made plan to address individual concerns.
At MASC Laser Clinic, we treat pigmentation with the following:
LASER
The Palomar Icon Max G/Ys hand pieces are based on Optimised Pulsed Light (OPL) and treat superficial (epidermal) pigmentation on the face and body. A course of four treatments is recommended with each taking place four to six weeks apart. There is no downtime required, only mild redness and an initial darkening of the pigment spots within the first couple of days following treatment.
The Palomar Icon 1540 (non-ablative) hand piece is used on low settings and often combined with hydroquinone for the treatment of melasma. Treatments are spaced four to six weeks apart. The number of treatments required depends on the extent of the pigmentation, but may be anything from five to seven treatments and more. You may experience mild redness following the treatment, but there is no downtime.
PEELS
Dependent on the depth of pigmentation, we can utilise a course of six superficial chemical peels with minimal or no downtime or one to two deeper peels with moderate downtime that will cover the entire epidermal area. Superficial peels can be combined intermittently with laser. This will further enhance the effect of the treatment. Peels not only improve superficial pigmentation in time, but also skin texture and enhance product penetration due to the removal of dead skin cells.
MEDICAL NEEDLING
Multiple needles vertically pierce the skin, thereby creating a controlled injury in the dermis (deeper layer) of the skin. Needling is generally prescribed for collagen stimulation to assist with age prevention and treatment, however it can play an active role in preventing hyperpigmentation due to the increased penetration of anti-pigmentation ingredients or Tyrosinase inhibitors. The needling process may also assist in ‘breaking up’ hyperpigmentation within the skin, thereby enhancing the brightening process and reducing a sallow appearance. A course of six treatments – with each treatment spaced six weeks apart – is recommended.