Hyperpigmentation becomes more common with age, and can reveal how old you are even with the best in anti-wrinkle treatments. For a complete aesthetic rejuvenation, our patients at Nuance in Las Vegas are adding on hyperpigmentation treatment, or using it as a stand-alone intervention.
Hyperpigmentation Causes
When we talk about hyperpigmentation, we’re talking about age spots here. It’s still unclear as to why they form, which may involve tissue damage or cell dysfunction as a response to a damaged environment. In any case, age spots are an accumulation of uneven pigmentation in your skin from overactive pigment-producing cells. They generally appear more in areas with greater sun exposure, and are more likely to develop in people with fair complexions. Smokers appear to have a higher risk of developing age spots or developing a larger number of them.
Types of Hyperpigmentation & Symptoms
Age spots are flat brown, black, or grey patches on your skin; they can look faint or dark, like large flat moles. They’re also known as liver or sun spots, and do not turn into cancer. Some may be larger than an inch in diameter, or be barely larger than freckles. Their edges are very defined, but can appear alone or grouped together.
Hyperpigmentation does not cause any pain or discomfort, and is not a sign of inflammation. All age spots are flat and share the same texture as your skin, and do not change in shape or size within a short timeframe. It’s also important to remember that they do not bleed, and never appear red or purple. A mole or potential melanoma is never an extension of hyperpigmentation, but a separate issue.
Skin Hyperpigmentation Treatment
The best hyperpigmentation treatment is laser removal. This directs a targeted beam of laser light to your unwanted age spots, which overheats and destroys excessive pigmentation. In a nutshell, the laser frequency matches the melanin in your age spots, so is absorbed by the pigment deposits without harming the cells or tissue components you want to remain intact. Chemical peels are another possibility, but they are best suited to people with milder, shallow deposits.
At Nuance Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery, we use the top-line ICON system of laser therapy. Not only does it feature a comprehensive treatment suite, but also a live analysis of your melanin content. This allows us to avoid damaging your skin by firing the wrong frequency of light or using too much.
Benefits of Hyperpigmentation Treatment at Nuance Aesthetics
At Nuance Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery, we pride ourselves on offering comprehensive treatment. However, our ICON system and laser treatment isn’t all we offer to patients with pigmentation excess. You can combine hyperpigmentation removal with therapies such as PRP or a facelift surgery, and our range of interventions coupled with decades of collective experience allows us to provide individualized treatment.
To learn more about your specific needs, book an appointment with Dr. Mehdi Sina or Dr. Jeannie Khavkin today.
