Pigmented SkinMay be caused by many things, such as congenital lesions (that you are born with), sun (such as freckles), or trauma (accidental or acquired from various treatments).
Common treatments include "light" treatments, such as with VascuLight, microdermabrasion, or topical medications, such as hydroquinone and tretinoine products.
What is VascuLight?It is a highly effective, non-invasive, FDA approved medical system that uses light to treat a wide variety of cosmetic conditions such as sunspots, freckles, melasma, birthmarks and tattoos.
VascuLight safely eliminates these without affecting the surrounding skin. This light energy is absorbed only by the unwanted melanin and the particles are absorbed by the blood stream. Occasionally, a dry skin layer will form and shed completely, removing or fading the unwanted pigmented area. With this unique technology we have the ability to determine exactly what is needed to target the specific area for the best results.
What is treatment like?Each pulse of light feels like a slight sting or pinch, similar to the mild snap of a rubber band. No local anesthesia is required and most people tolerate the treatment well. A topical skin anesthetic may be applied, if desired, prior to treatment.
How many treatments are required?The number of treatments may vary depending on the severity and density of the condition. We are also able to combine NewApeel DiamondTone™ microdermabrasion with our VascuLight treatment program to achieve the maximum in results for you. Certain conditions are helped further by a recommended set of skin care products which we individualize for each patient.
Are there side effects?You may experience some short-term side effects. This may include slight reddening of the skin or mild local swelling, which go away within a few days. Other side effects may include temporary changes in skin color and, in rare cases, some blistering.
Are there restrictions on my activity after treatment?You can return to work and regular daily activities the same day. You should avoid exposure to the sun, which is always good "sun sense."
Is it right for you? Most people can be treated with VascuLight and our other technologies. To find out if you are a candidate, ask to schedule a consultation by calling (734) 434-2800 and give us the opportunity to discuss your particular needs. Sun SpotsSun Spots, so often mistakenly called age spots, are clearly the result of sun damage. They most commonly occur on the face and often on the back of the hands. They may develop at a young age, especially in fair-skinned people. Prevention is the key and, to do this, wearing sunscreen is the secret.
FrecklesFreckles may occur in very young children and usually redheaded children, and are the result of sun damage. Redheads are at the highest risk of developing skin cancer, especially melanoma. Again, sunscreen is the key to preventing this problem. Treatment of both sun spots and freckles may be carried out with Renova cream (tretinoin). Light treatments are often necessary to get significant clearing.
BirthmarksBirthmarks occur in many types, sizes, and locations. Most of them are moles. They can be watched, excised, or followed by a dermatologist, with everyone looking for signs of change. While light treatments may be used to clear these, one has to be careful to avoid taking the color out of a suspected melanoma which is then much more difficult to evaluate and treat.
MelasmaMelasma is often referred to as a brown patchy, or generalized pigmentation of the skin of the face of women, especially those of Hispanic and Middle Eastern ancestory. It often occurs during pregnancy and may go away after pregnancy, only to return with the next pregnancy. Any change in a woman's hormones may cause this, even the use of contraceptive or hormone replacement pills. The brown patches tend to occur most often on the face and are often symmetrical.
The best thing to do for melasma is to try to prevent it by avoiding the sun or at least wearing a lot of a good sunscreen with a high SPF, and wear a broad-brimmed hat. Other treatments include use of bleaching creams, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, or light peels. If the melasma is caused by an oral contraceptive, then another type of contraception should be used. If hormone replacement is suspected, a decrease in the amount might be considered.
Often microdermabrasion and light treatments, such as Intense Pulsed Light and laser, can be valuable. Patients should understand that it may be very difficult to clear even with the services of a dermatologist. A small percentage of women just continue to have their melasma get worse over time and with exposure to sunlight.
TattoosTattoos are pigmented lesions consisting of implanted foreign bodies. It is much easier to get a tattoo then to remove it. There is wide variation in types of tattoos which subsequently affects the feasibility of their removal. These variants are anatomic location, size, ink color and material, as well as depth and age of tattoo.
Tattoos can be very difficult and sometimes impossible to totally remove. An added risk is the development of hypertrophic scars, hypo or hyperpigmentation, necessitating a trial and error method of laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments. Ideally, the laser beam targets the pigment in the skin and mechanically breaks it down. Hopefully, body physiology will then have the ability to eliminate the fragments of pigment and the tattoo will fade. The success of this laser process will require multiple treatments and it is not always successful, but often significant fading may be obtained.
Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion are also often utilized and chemical peeling may be indicated. Sometimes it is best to surgically excise the tattoo if it is not too large and larger tattoos often can be excised in stages to remove the tattoo with a minimal fine scar.
A combination of treatments is recommended to provide you with the most effective program to achieve the best result possible. With light treatments two to ten or more treatment sessions, spaced one to two months apart, may be required. Anesthesia is usually not necessary with light treatments but, if necessary, a topical anesthetic or injection of lidocaine may be desirable.
With regard to coloration, dark (blue/black) and reddish colors are the easiest to remove, while orange, yellow, green, brown, and white may be harder or close to impossible to totally remove. There are over 100 tattoo inks worldwide none of which are regulated by the FDA. All the variables make it impossible to predict the success of any attempt at removal. Skin typing will help us advise you of inherent risk potential.
Again, you should realize as mentioned above the results of any treatment are highly variable and will require our trial and error expertise in that regard. You will benefit from that expertise and will, at the least, have improvement in the existing tattoo appearance.
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