Laser treatments have revolutionized the way we address hyperpigmentation, making it easier and more efficient than ever to treat dark spots, freckles, and redness. But not all lasers address hyperpigmentation the same way or with the same results.
Which laser skin treatment works best for hyperpigmentation? Read on to learn more about a few options worth trying.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
With an IPL treatment, pulses of light deliver heat that breaks up melanin and blood vessels. Once treated, superficial blood vessels are harmlessly absorbed back into the body, and dark spots rise to the skin’s surface before flaking off. You’ll likely notice your dark spots getting even darker in the days after your treatment until they disappear.
IPL is an excellent way to treat freckles, broken capillaries, sun spots, age spots, and uneven pigmentation overall. Most people need a series of at least 3 treatments to see their best results, with little to no downtime between each session.
PicoWay® Resolve
PicoWay gets its name from the pulses of light it delivers—they’re just a picosecond, or one trillionth of a second, long. These quick pulses break up excess pigmentation in the skin the same way they break up tattoo pigment: The photoacoustic action breaks up the pigment into small enough particles that the body can naturally eliminate it.
This laser skin rejuvenation treatment involves little to no downtime and is excellent for treating various forms of discoloration, including sun spots, freckles, and melasma. Most people need 3 to 4 treatments to notice a clear difference in their skin.
Light & Bright
This combination therapy combines IPL with Frax 1550, a non-ablative fractional laser. First, IPL targets visible blood vessels and excess melanin, diminishing redness, dark spots, and sun damage. Then, fractional laser skin resurfacing evens out skin texture. Together, they create clearer, more even, and youthful-looking skin.
Light & Bright is fantastic for treating sun spots, age spots, freckles, and various forms of sun damage-related hyperpigmentation.
You can see examples of laser skin rejuvenation results in my before-and-after photo gallery.
Non-Laser Options
In addition to lasers, these non-laser skin resurfacing options work well for evening out skin coloration:
- HydraFacial®: This treatment gently exfoliates the outer layer of your skin, removing discolored cells. It also removes debris from your pores and hydrates your skin, leaving it soft and refreshed.
- Skincare Products: When incorporated into your skincare routine, our in-depth, clinically proven cosmeceutical skincare products help reveal fresher, more evenly toned skin.
To make sure your treatments are effective at treating excess pigmentation, I offer VISIA® skin analysis, which you can read more about in this blog post. This system analyzes your skin under various spectrums of light to pick up on lingering pigmentation we can’t see with the naked eye. Once we treat these areas completely, you’re less likely to have new dark spots emerge anytime soon.
If you would like to learn more about lasers and other options for treating hyperpigmentation, please request a consultation online or call my Coeur d’Alene, ID, office at (208) 676-8346.
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