Brown
Spots and HyperPigmentation
Melasma
Chloasma
Age Spots
Inflammatory Hyper-pigmentation
Dr. Pilest does not charge a fee for Consultations for Brown Spots
Please call 1-877-DrPilest for your free exam
How do Brown Spots
and Age Spots form?
Pigmentation is color in your skin produced by
melanin, a natural pigment that also determines eye and hair color.
However, if too much melanin is produced in one area, the result is
a brown patch on your skin ( brown spot or hyper-pigmentation.)
Types of Hyper-Pigmentation
Melasma or Chloasma: Skin
coloration that appears as blotchy brown spots, often covering cheeks,
forehead, or temples. This type of hyper-pigmentation can be hereditary,
or triggered by hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menopause. Taking
birth control pills can also cause Melasma.
Age Spots or "Liver" Spots:
Smaller darkened patches usually on older
adults who have been exposed to the sun for many years. These spots
can be seen on the face, forearms and backs of hands.
Post-inflammatory Hyper-Pigmentation:
This type of hyper-pigmentation
results from any inflammatory injury
or trauma to the skin. Some causes of post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation:
- Acne — particularly cysts or nodules — often
leaves dark discoloration after a blemish heals.
- Poorly administered chemical peels or
laser surgery can leave behind hyper-pigmentation.
- Rashes like psoriasis and eczema often darken
the skin as well.
- Even seemingly innocuous things like leg
waxing and electrolysis can cause the melanin cells to over react.
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Treatments for Hyper-Pigmentation
Skin Rejuvenation Programs:
To have skin that is free from brown
spots, sun damage, hyper-pigmentation, age spots, and Melasma, a skin
rejuvenation program is your first step. Any successful treatment
for pigmentation problems will require achieving and maintaining healthy
skin through pre-conditioning .
Some patients will need only the skin rejuvenation program
to have the beautiful skin they always dreamed of. All forms of pigmentation
problems begin in the melanin cells beneath the skin’s surface.
Obagi Skin Rejuvenation Program: This
treatment uses prescription-level Hydroquinone, a skin lightening
agent, Retin-A and /or Alpha Hydroxy Acids. Hydroquinone will suppress
melanin production at the cell level, while Retin-A and Alpha Hydroxy
Acids exfoliate the top layer of the skin. These products are used at
home and are the first step to achieving clear healthy skin. The exfoliation
from a skin rejuvenation program will not penetrate as deeply as a chemical
peel or laser treatment and results may take slightly longer if this
treatment is used alone. However, used alone or as a pre-treatment plan
with another procedure, the skin rejuvenation program will bring you
beautiful skin, and a healthy skin care regimen to ensure your results
will last a lifetime. More difficult pigmentation irregularities will
respond to other specific treatments.
Cosmelan
De-Pigmentation Treatment: A "Power-Level"
skin rejuvenation treatment for particularly stubborn and dense pigmentation.
Cosmelan's synergistic ingredients work very quickly, resulting in
a fast, effective blending and elimination of undesirable pigment.
The melanin activity is regulated, causing the cells to slow down
production and function in a more uniform way. Cosmelan is "sun-friendly",
an especially appreciated factor for our California lifestyle, and
works well even on darker toned Asian and Latin skin. Cosmelan will
also produce a slight initial "peel" which helps refinish the skin
surface while dramatically diminishing hyper-pigmentation.
Cosmelan link
Cosmelan
(Photo source: Mesoestetics)
Perfecta Laser:
New power-level laser blends resistant browns spots and red areas. Special MicroPulse technology
treats faster with fewer sessions and dramatically reduces bruising which is common with older systems.
Perfecta
Link
Fraxel:
Through a systematic gentle resurfacing of the skin, Fraxel
removes even stubborn melasma and has FDA approval for that
particular condition. A series of comfortable laser treatments
resurfaces 20 to 25% of the treated area each time. Typically a
package of 4 Fraxel treatments are given, from 10 to 14 days
apart. Fraxel can be used to treat the face, neck, chest, arms and
hands.
Fraxel
Link
Chemical Peels: Some
pigmentation problems are more serious and therefore must be treated
with a chemical peel. A chemical peel is a safe and effective form
of treatment for many pigmentation problems. Generally without anesthesia,
a chemical compound such as Trichloracetic acid is applied to the
face. This application will lead to the removal of the surface layer
of damaged and irregularly pigmented skin. After the treatment, the
dead skin peels away, allowing healthier, clearer skin to emerge.
Chemical Peel
link
Microdermabrasion: This
treatment is a comprehensive approach to skin care that is non-surgical,
safe and effective. The skin is literally "polished" with micro-crystals
which are then vacuumed away along with the dull, flaky and discolored
skin cells. This technique delivers a gentle abrasion, which efficiently
produces satisfying results. Discomfort is minimal and normal activities
can be resumed immediately with no downtime. Microdermabrasion
link
Light Therapy/Photo
Facial: Light
Therapy is a new alternative to addressing the issues of hyper-pigmentation.
Light treatments (referred to as IPL, Intense Pulsed Light, Photo
Facial or Foto Facial) affect the melanin-producing cells deep within
the skin. This
totally painless treatment is not only very effective for those aging,
unsightly-looking sunspots on hands, but is excellent for irregular
pigmentation on face, neck and chest.
The hand piece is placed on the skin over the brown spots or other
pigmentation and a bright flash of light is released. This light is
absorbed by the pigmented area, which will darken over the next few
hours. The area will look a bit “dirty” or dark for about a week,
then the exfoliating melanin will slough off leaving clear fresh new
skin. Often only one treatment is necessary to create a stunning difference.
Photo Facial link
IPL- Intense Pulsed Light Photo Facial
(Photo source- Lumenis)
All the above treatments for Hyper-Pigmentation
provide additional benefits to overall skin tone, texture and clarity.
Diolite Laser: For specific
spot treatments when there are singular or scattered spots that require
precisely targeted treatment. The Diolite Laser works by generating
an intense beam of light aimed at the exact location of the lesion.
The melanin absorbs this light, creating sufficient heat to destroy
the lesion, leaving surrounding healthy skin unharmed. This laser
is appropriate for flat brown spots from sun exposure, keratoses,
freckles or the very small black spots common to Asian or African-American
skin. Diolite Laser link
How To Maintain Your
Results
With any treatment of pigmentation problems,
sun exposure must be avoided. Age spots and brown patches on the skin
have been directly linked to sun exposure. To maintain results from
a treatment and to prevent any further pigmentation damage from occurring,
use of a sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher is mandatory. Also,
maintenance treatments of the various therapies may be necessary.
During your
consultation, Dr. Pilest will be able to determine the best course
of treatment for your pigmentation problems.
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2008 © Total Dermatology is one of Southern California's top laser dermatology centers offering
laser treatments for
sundamage,
pigmentation,
acne and acne scars
and
Fraxel CO2 laser for 3 in 1 skin rejuvenation. A Nonsurgical Nose Job is possible with simple injections of Radiesse.
Dr. Pilest, a Board Certified dermatologist and one of Orange County's most
popular cosmetic dermatology specialists, offers patients in Orange County a wide variety of
wrinkle fillers such as
Restylane,
Juvederm,
Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast,
Radiesse (also known as Radiance), and
Sculptra. Dr. Pilest treats patients from the Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills,
Tustin, Mission Viejo and Orange County area as well as cities throughout California, the United States and abroad.
He is recognized as a master level injection specialist and is a national
teaching faculty member for Bioform Medical. Dr. Pilest is well known for his
expert treatments in managing
Rosacea,
acne, and
hyperpigmentation.
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