Age Spots, Melasma, Uneven Skin Tone

The Skin Rejuvenation laser uses a broad spectrum of light to target various signs of aging, including age spots. It works by gently heating the upper layers of skin, encouraging collagen production and stimulating skin renewal. The increased cellular turnover helps in reducing hyperpigmentation and age spots over time, leading to smoother, clearer skin. Skin Rejuvenation is ideal for someone looking to have a full face treatments to aid in evening out skin tone/texture and targeting sun damaged skin overall.

What can I expect with this treatment?

Immediately you may notice a darkening of your dark spots. This is supposed to happen. The spots may flake away with time making them lighter. Any vascular pigmentations may darken, lighten, or completely disappear.

The reduction of fine lines, wrinkles and pores will take longer to notice. You should start to notice the effects of the collagen production within 1-2 weeks. 

What else do I need to know?

Your face may feel a bit like you have a sunburn for 12-48 hrs and may be slightly reddened however there is no downtime with this procedure. 

You can get Laser Skin Rejuvenation treatments every 3-4 weeks. answer to this item.

This lasers is specifically designed to treat vascular issues (like broken capillaries) and pigmented lesions such as age spots. The wavelengths of light emetited that absorbed by melanin (the pigment responsible for dark spots). The heat generated by the light breaks down the melanin, causing the pigmented lesion to fade gradually as the skin heals and regenerates.

This laser works especially well on age spots because they can precisely target the pigment without damaging the surrounding skin.

Will the dark spots come back?

We can remove and/or reduce the look of dark spots however, over time they may return.

You can prolong the life of the treatment with proper post treatment care. Mainly, you need to be diligent with using sunscreen (even in the winter) and keep the area out of the sun. You may also consider using skin lightening agents, and Vitamin C serums to help cell turnover and even skin tone. If you are using retinols or lightening agents they must be discontinued 2 weeks prior to treatments.

What will I experience post treatment?

Small areas or single vessles will lighten or dissapear completely. 

If you have large clusters of capillaries under the skin you may experience some swelling and bruising to the area as the capillaries are being ruptured under the surface of the skin.

With all laser treatments there is a risk of blistering to the treatment area.

How many treatments will I need?

Targeted broken capillaries may disappear immediately other vascular lesions may require 2-4 treatments. Treatments can be every 2-4 weeks.

Fractional lasers target small areas of the skin with tiny, controlled beams of light, leaving surrounding tissue unaffected. This laser creates micro-injuries in the skin, which promote collagen production and trigger the body’s natural healing response. As the skin heals, it sheds the older, pigmented cells, reducing the visibility of age spots and revealing newer, healthier skin underneath. Fractional lasers are great for improving skin texture and tone while addressing pigmentation issues.

Benefits of Laser Treatments for Age Spots:

• Precision: These lasers can specifically target melanin in age spots without affecting surrounding skin.
• Minimal to no Downtime: The areas being treated with the Skin Rejuvenation and Vascuular and pigmentation lasers should darken and you may develop a "coffee ground" looking scab to the treatment area. This will fade/flake off within 1-2 weeks. The Fractional Laser will leave a faint grid like pattern of scabs to the treatment area. These areas will peel/flake off over the next 1-2 weeks. (see photos under the fractional laser section) You may carry on with your usual daily activites post treatment as long as you are keeping the treatment area out of the sun.
• Skin Resurfacing: Many of these treatments also improve overall skin texture and tone, leading to a more youthful appearance.

1. Melasma’s Sensitivity to Heat: Melasma is a chronic skin condition characterized by hyperpigmentation, often triggered by hormones, sun exposure, and heat. Traditional lasers, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and non-fractional lasers, generate heat that can aggravate melasma. The heat may stimulate melanocytes (cells responsible for producing pigment), leading to an increase in pigmentation and worsening the condition rather than improving it.
2. Risk of Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH): Many lasers can cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), a condition where the skin produces excess melanin after being injured or inflamed. Melasma patients are more prone to PIH, and laser treatments that are too aggressive can trigger inflammation, leading to darker spots instead of fading them.
3. Unpredictable Results: Some lasers can produce inconsistent outcomes for melasma. While they might lighten the pigmentation initially, there’s a higher risk of melasma returning or darkening in the long term, especially if the skin is exposed to sun or heat again.

Fractional lasers, offer a more controlled approach to skin resurfacing that’s safer for melasma patients. Here’s why:

1. Controlled, Precise Energy Delivery: Fractional lasers work by delivering energy in tiny, focused columns, leaving surrounding tissue unaffected. This minimally invasive approach helps to stimulate collagen production and encourage skin renewal without generating excessive heat that could worsen melasma.
2. Less Heat and Inflammation: Fractional lasers deliver energy in micro-injuries rather than heating large areas of skin. By only treating a fraction of the skin at a time, fractional resurfacing limits the risk of triggering excess melanin production and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
3. Improves Skin Texture and Pigmentation: Fractional skin resurfacing helps break up pigmentation in melasma while promoting the regeneration of new, healthy skin. It can improve skin tone, reduce pigmentation, and provide smoother texture. By treating the skin layer by layer, fractional lasers also improve the overall appearance without causing major trauma or inflammation.
4. Customization: Fractional lasers can be customized based on the skin type and severity of melasma. They can deliver lower energy levels, which reduce the risk of side effects like hyperpigmentation while still providing effective results.

Why Fractional Resurfacing is Effective for Melasma:

• Safer: Less heat and inflammation mean there is a lower risk of worsening melasma.
• Effective: It targets pigmentation without causing major trauma to the skin.
• Stimulates Healing: Encourages new skin growth and collagen production, which can fade the pigmentation over time.

Though Fractional Skin Resurfacing can be helpful for melasma, it’s important to note that melasma is a chronic condition that may require ongoing maintenance and treatment. 

If you are interested in treating your melasma, please book in for a complimentary consultation to see if Fractional Skin Resurfacing may be right for you.

Laser Skin Rejuvenation uses non-invasive lasers, often non-ablative, to treat uneven pigmentation, dullness, and mild texture irregularities. These lasers target the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) and sometimes the deeper layers (dermis) to improve overall skin appearance. The primary ways it helps with uneven skin tone are:

• Targeting Pigmentation: These lasers emit light energy that’s absorbed by melanin, the pigment responsible for dark spots, sun spots, and hyperpigmentation. The heat generated breaks down the melanin, which is then naturally cleared by the body over time, leading to a more even skin tone.
• Stimulating Collagen Production: By gently heating the deeper layers of the skin, laser skin rejuvenation stimulates collagen production, helping the skin regenerate and improve texture. This can reduce the appearance of fine lines, smooth out rough patches, and create a more uniform tone.
• Treating Redness and Vascular Issues: Some rejuvenation lasers can also target vascular lesions, which cause redness and blotchiness. By shrinking dilated blood vessels or broken capillaries, they reduce redness, creating a more balanced complexion.
• Non-Ablative with Minimal Downtime: These lasers are typically non-ablative, meaning they don’t remove the outer layer of skin, so there’s minimal downtime. This makes them a great option for people with mild to moderate uneven skin tone looking for gradual improvement.

Fractional Skin Resurfacing uses fractional lasers to treat uneven skin tone more deeply and effectively by resurfacing the skin. It’s particularly effective for addressing more severe pigmentation issues, texture problems, and signs of aging. Here’s how it works:

• Micro-Injuries for Skin Renewal: Fractional lasers deliver precise, fractionated beams of energy into the skin, creating micro-injuries in a controlled pattern. These small areas of injury trigger the skin’s natural healing process, leading to collagen production and the creation of new skin cells. As the skin heals, old, damaged skin (including pigmented areas) is replaced with fresh, healthy skin, improving skin tone and texture.
• Targeting Deeper Pigmentation: Unlike traditional lasers that treat the entire surface of the skin, fractional lasers can penetrate deeper layers of the skin. This is effective for treating deeper pigmentation issues, such as melasma, sun damage, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which often contribute to uneven skin tone.
• Smoothing Out Skin Texture: Fractional resurfacing not only evens out pigmentation but also helps smooth rough patches, acne scars, and fine lines. Improving texture is a key component of achieving a more even skin tone because it enhances light reflection off the skin’s surface, making the skin appear more uniform.
• Customizable Treatment: Fractional lasers can be adjusted based on skin type and the severity of uneven pigmentation, making them a versatile option for various skin concerns. They treat only a fraction of the skin at a time, leaving surrounding areas intact, which promotes quicker healing compared to full ablative treatments.

Benefits of Laser Skin Rejuvenation and Fractional Skin Resurfacing for Uneven Skin Tone:

• Precision: Both treatments can precisely target areas of uneven pigmentation without affecting surrounding skin.
• Gradual, Natural-Looking Results: These treatments promote natural skin regeneration, leading to a gradual but noticeable improvement in skin tone.
• Collagen Boost: Both stimulate collagen production, improving overall skin health and texture, which contributes to a more even complexion.
• Versatility: They can address a wide range of pigmentation issues, from age spots and sun damage to deeper hyperpigmentation conditions like melasma.

While both methods are effective in treating uneven skin tone, Laser Skin Rejuvenation is typically used for milder cases with minimal downtime, whereas Fractional Skin Resurfacing is better suited for more significant pigmentation or texture issues requiring more intensive treatment. Both methods lead to brighter, more uniform skin over time however, you will see faster results with the Fractional Skin Resurfacing.