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Hyperpigmentation is a very common condition where patches of skin get darker than the normal color of the rest of the skin. This skin condition is caused by excess melanin which produces normal skin color, but in the case of hyperpigmentation, it creates deposits.
Liver or age spots are a form of this skin condition. They appear because of the sun damage. Usually, they are small and dark and form on hands and face or other body areas that are exposed to the sun. They usually affect older adults.
Melasma is a form of hyperpigmentation. It can also be called chloasma or “mask of pregnancy”. It represents larger patches of darker skin and usually appears on the forehead, face and abdomen. The people who usually develop melasma are pregnant ladies, ladies who take birth control pills and people who have darker skin tones. Melasma is usually triggered because of hormonal changes.
Hyperpigmentation can be caused by other skin conditions, like acne and other skin inflammations, which can leave dark spots on the skin. Also, the causes of hyperpigmentation may be injuries to the skin, surgeries and others. Another form of hyperpigmentation is freckles. They are formed because of genetics and can appear anywhere on the body.
All these forms of hyperpigmentation can get even darker when the skin is exposed to the sun. This happens because melanin protects the skin from too much exposure to the sun and absorbs ultraviolet rays. This way the skin gets tanned but already hyperpigmented areas get even darker and more pronounced. Therefore wearing a high SPF is crucial.
Even though hyperpigmentation is usually a harmless skin condition it can cause people to lose their confidence. At Lucia Clinic, patients can reduce or eliminate hyperpigmentation with the help of different treatments like laser therapy and chemical peels.
Alma hybrid is an advanced treatment for skin rejuvenation. It is a brilliant method for addressing various skin concerns, including hyperpigmentation. It is more effective than a traditional fractional laser because it can be fully customized.
Every pixel can be preset to suit the patient’s specific skin concerns. One pixel can be ablative the other non-ablative. This is the secret of the Alma hybrid’s effectiveness – it unites the powers of ablative CO2 and non-ablative 1570nm laser. Each treatment is finished with IMPACTTM, which delivers essential products into the skin and boosts the results even further.
The laser is fully controlled and therefore the treatment doesn’t require a long downtime. It is safe for all skin tones even the darker ones.
Alma Hybrid Lift treatment is ideal for treating solar pigmentation. It combines the ablative and thermal effects of the two laser energies. 1570nm laser thermal effect stimulates the regeneration of the dermis layer but leaves the healthy skin cells unharmed. CO2 laser precisely targets only the areas affected by pigmentation.
It is an over-the-weekend treatment with minimal downtime and amazing results – in just two sessions the skin is smoother and more evenly toned.
After the treatment, the patient may experience redness, peeling and dryness of the skin. But, the comfort level of every treatment can be customized so the downtime is really minimal.
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This treatment is ideal for pigmented skin. It reduces marks, blemishes and unwanted spots and leaves the skin flawless with even tone and texture.
Harmony IPL can be used on all body areas.
This ground-breaking laser procedure eliminates the area of hyperpigmentation by emitting pulsed light underneath the skin. It heats the treated area, but it doesn’t harm the surface of the skin – it precisely targets just the unwanted skin blemish.
The heat from the laser light stimulates the production of collagen and elastin and rejuvenates the skin.
Before treating pigmentation, the patient should avoid wearing fake tan or exposure to strong sunlight for at least 2 weeks before the treatment.
The first results are seen 2 to 3 weeks after the course of treatments. The results continue to improve with time. They are long-lasting and can be maintained with occasional touch-up treatments.
The patient may experience minor redness after the treatment, and in 2-3 days pigmentations get darker and peel off within one week. Downtime is minimal because the side effects can be concealed with makeup.
Viora IPL laser treatment is an advanced procedure that effectively reduces hyperpigmentation. It is a versatile treatment and uses a special pigmentation filter to target, heat and eliminate deposits of melanin in the skin. After the course of treatments, the patient’s skin is clear and more evenly toned.
Because of customization, Viora IPL delivers effective and long-term results. It requires minimal to no downtime because it is a non-invasive procedure. It is absolutely safe and shortens the recovery period because it doesn’t damage healthy skin cells.
The customized treatment applicator emits powerful, broad-spectrum pulsed light to treat hyperpigmentation. All treatment parameters are set beforehand so every patient can receive a tailor-made treatment that addresses specific hyperpigmentation skin concerns. The therapist fully controls the strength and depth of the pulsed light and targets only the skin tissues affected by hyperpigmentation.
The therapist applies ultra-sound gel to the patient’s treatment area and sets the treatment parameters. The parameters are the strength of the light flash, the duration of the light pulse and the pause between the pulses. Since the treatment is fully customized the therapist controls the pulse duration and frequency. This ensures that the treatment is completely safe. The therapist then treats the patient’s treatment area in single zaps until the whole area is covered.
The treatment can last between 30 and 60minutes all depending on the size and severity of hyperpigmentation.
The procedure is quite straightforward and requires minimal to no downtime. The patient may experience minor side effects like redness, pigmentations getting darker in the treated area and eventually peel off after 7 to 10 days.
After 4 or 6 treatment sessions, the patient will notice the initial results of the Viora IPL procedure. The hyperpigmentation will be significantly reduced and the patient’s skin gets restored and more evenly toned.
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iPixel laser treatment is another effective method for reducing hyperpigmentation. It is an advanced treatment that is minimally uncomfortable and delivers long-term results. The procedure triggers the body’s natural healing processes and collagen production.
It is a safe procedure that requires minimal downtime and improves skin texture and tone.
Its effectiveness lies in combining ablative and non-ablative laser techniques. The beams of the pixel light are split up into multiple beams and can make different treatment patterns. The beams go through the patient’s epidermis and create tiny heat zones. The number and depth of beams are pre-set so that every patient can get a customized treatment plan.
When addressing hyperpigmentation, light beams create a 9×9 pattern with lower energy and gentle resurfacing. The healthy, surrounding skin is left undamaged and it helps to speed up the healing of the treated skin cells. The result is more evenly toned skin.
The therapist uses a special treatment applicator and places it on the patient’s skin. Then a short, powerful burst of energy is emitted to the surface of the skin. The laser creates tiny wounds and removes them in a precise way. Since this laser is a fractional ablative laser it removes the top layer of the skin and heats the underlying layer of skin in a safe and controlled manner.
The treatment can last between 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the severity and size of hyperpigmentation.
Since this treatment is performed in a controlled and precise way, it provokes fewer side effects than traditional resurfacing lasers. The patient may experience swelling and redness of the targeted area and feel stinging, dryness and itching sensations. After 3 to 4 days, the patient’s skin starts to crust and peel and reveals more evenly toned skin.
The patient’s skin should be healed in 10 to 14 days.
It is absolutely crucial to avoid sun exposure and tanning beds for 14 days and keep the skin moisturized. The patient should avoid saunas, hot baths and vigorous exercise for a couple of days post-procedure and not rub, scratch or pick the skin on the treated areas.
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Secret Erbium is one of the most advanced non-ablative lasers. It reduces skin blemishes and evens out skin tone and texture. The recovery period is minimal and the treatment is safe for all skin types.
The laser remodels the skin and smooths the skin from the inside out. It doesn’t harm the top layer of the skin – it is precisely delivered into the skin’s lower layers. The laser light coagulates the skin tissue and creates deep columns which are healed by the body’s natural healing processes.
Since this treatment is non-ablative it doesn’t cause a lot of side effects. The patient experiences redness, swelling, itchiness and dryness of the skin. There is minimal downtime 2-3 days and the patient can resume all daily activities right after the treatment.
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Chemical peels are effective treatments for reducing hyperpigmentation because they break up the deposits of melanin that form dark patches. They remove the surface layer of the skin and help new and healthy skin to reveal. The new skin is more evenly pigmented. Chemical peels can be of different types and strengths. Weaker chemical peels can treat superficial dark patches. For more severe hyperpigmentation stronger peels are used, but only by professional skin therapists.
There are several types of chemical peels that effectively address the issue of hyperpigmentation.
Cosmelan peel is a unique skin-lightening treatment that can eliminate up to 95% of the hyperpigmentation, caused by excessive production of melanin. It can improve sun and age spots, melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It is safe for all skin tones.
This chemical peel decreases the production of melanin with its ingredients – Ascorbic acid, Titanium Dioxide, Azelaic acid and others.
The treatment involves applying a mask, after which the skin is peeled off and a more even skin complexion is revealed. The skin tone is brighter because melanin concentration is reduced.
The treatment results are visible relatively quickly. After 10 to 14 days the skin blemishes start to improve and the skin restores its healthy glow. The full results of this treatment are seen after 2 months. To maintain the results, special after-care products are used at home.
Dermamelan® peel is an ideal treatment for reducing hormonally caused hyperpigmentation, such as lentigo or melasma. It can also improve skin tone and sun-damaged skin. After the treatment, the skin restores its healthy glow. The treatment involves applying a mask that should stay on the face for 10 to 12 hours. The skin starts to peel off 2-3 days after the treatment.
This chemical peel is safe for all skin tones and is effective in skin surface bleaching. It doesn’t require a long recovery period and provides fast results. The patients can see up to 80% of skin tone improvement in the first month after the treatment. The full results are seen after 3 months.
To achieve the best results, special post-care products are used at home.
Other common chemical peels include glycolic acid, salicylic acid and TCA.
Glycolic acid is Alpha-hydroxy – AHA acid that effectively addresses hyperpigmentation in a safe way. It is mild and doesn’t provoke as many side effects as other AHA peels. Since it doesn’t go deep into the skin layers it is most effective for surface hyperpigmentation.
Salicylic acid is Betahydroxy – BHA acid that successfully treats dark spots. It is safe and mild and causes minimal side effects. It is especially efficient in treating dark spots caused by inflammations like acne because it has anti-inflammatory characteristics.
Trichloroacetic TCA acid peels can effectively treat hyperpigmentation and are medium or deep peels. This acid can penetrate deeper into the skin than other chemical peels so it is suitable for deeper concentrations of melanin.
The effectiveness of a chemical peel depends on the concentration of the chemical solution. Weaker chemical peels can reduce hyperpigmentation, but more dramatic results are achieved with deeper peels.
Chemical peels can cause some side effects like skin redness, stinging, skin peeling, mild irritation and sensitivity to the sun. Chemical peels are most effective on lighter skin tones because there is a lower risk of severe side effects. For darker skin tones the best chemical peel is salicylic acid because it has anti-inflammatory characteristics.
The benefits of chemical peels for hyperpigmentation appear once the skin is regenerated. The new and healthy skin is more evenly toned with significantly less visible pigmentation.
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Clear + Brilliant is a fractional laser that creates microscopic treatment zones in the skin. This way the collagen is produced and the pigmented marks are reduced. The laser doesn’t harm the surface layer of the skin which greatly reduces the downtime. It treats the skin on the superficial layers which is effective for eliminating hyperpigmentation.
The special 1927nm wavelength laser treats pigmentation like sun-damaged spots. It minimizes the production of melanin – the skin’s natural pigment. This way the skin gets a more even tone and texture.
The skin therapist uses the treatment applicator to focus the pulsating beam of light into the skin. The light energy creates tiny treatment zones that are healed by the skin’s natural healing processes. The fractional beams of light trigger the production of collagen and keep the surface of the skin undamaged.
The first results are immediately seen after the treatment. The results continue to improve and after 3 to 6 sessions the skin is more visibly improved. The skin is softer, brighter and more evenly toned.
Since Clear + Brilliant treatment is a non-invasive treatment it causes minimal side effects – redness and mild swelling. The treated area feels hot but it’s quite tolerable.
Clear and healthy skin shows up generally after a week post-procedure.
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