Unwanted facial pigment can be a very frustrating concern. Sometimes (most of the time actually) it is from excess sun exposure over time. You may have just a few larger dark spots on your cheeks, your hands may look older than you are, or you may have extensive darkening of your skin. One approach is to use a combination of prescription topical medications to lighten the pigment. This is often the first thing to try, as it avoids procedures. We can discuss options with you, from quick and aggressive to more gentle. A good regimen of sunscreen and the right therapeutic products often works great for lightening background pigment and the pigmentation many women get in pregnancy.
But, sometimes spots just will not go away! For that we use IPL. Our IPL machine can improve the look of individual dark spots as well as all over pigment issues. Several treatments spread out over a few months accompanied by good skin care and sun avoidance can make a big improvement in pigment.
The procedure itself is easy to tolerate. Areas that are treated may crust up and turn darker for about a week. You may experience some peeling and crusting. IPL is safe when done by trained professionals. We do ask that that you avoid tanning for four weeks prior to your first treatment and then during the course of treatment as well. The reason for this is that the IPL can’t distinguish between brown that we want to get rid of and your tan.
We recommend planning on at least three treatments for each location. Please call the office for more information. In addition to your IPL treatments we will recommend therapeutic products to further improve your skin if necessary. And having a good sunscreen to use at all times protects your investment.
