Hyperpigmentation - CurateMD Skin Bar and Wellness Clinic
What is hyperpigmentation?
Skin hyperpigmentation, also known as discoloration, can take many forms. It can appear anywhere on the body, but is most common among people with dark skin. On the face and arms, it may look like freckles or age spots. On other parts of the body, you might see it as a range of brown shades between tan and black. The good news is that in most cases, skin hyperpigmentation isn’t anything to worry about — it’s just a cosmetic issue to fix if it bothers you. It’s a common problem for people of all ethnicities and ages. Hyperpigmentation is caused by natural aging or sun damage, or can occur after certain skin treatments (including lasers and IPL, peels) or inflammatory skin conditions.
Using lasers to treat spots, dots and redness
Lasers are most effective for treating epidermal pigmentation. The laser beam creates microscopic wounds in the skin, which then heal and re-epithelialize. This process improves melanin transfer from the basal cell layer to the outer layers of the epidermis, reducing pigment accumulation.
Lasers treat skin hyperpigmentation by targeting melanin, the pigment that gives our skin its color. They do this by emitting light at a certain wavelength, which means that only those cells that contain melanin will absorb the energy and respond by generating heat. Melanin is a rich source of energy, so it generates more heat than other cells in your body when exposed to laser energy.
Why choose lasers?
Does it hurt?
Lasers for skin hyperpigmentation are not painful. It is a common misconception that lasers for skin hyperpigmentation hurt. All lasers have a natural ability to heat up the cells, which causes them to move or break apart. This is what causes the pigmentation problem in the first place and when this occurs on the surface of the skin, it activates your immune system as if you have been burned so it produces damage repair molecules such as new collagen and elastin.
Lasers for skin hyperpigmentation hurt but not a lot. The laser is delivered in pulses so you feel very little heat, but your skin may become warm during treatment.
