What is it?
Laser Pigmentation Removal is a procedure that uses a laser to remove pigmentation and redness and is also known as laser skin rejuvenation. This is one of the most advanced treatments for removing unwanted pigmentation on the skin such as age spots, sunspots, Hyperpigmentation, Flat pigmented birthmarks, and freckles.
Human skin color is determined by melanin, a pigment produced by specialized cells of the skin. In some cases, the production of melanin goes awry; either too little or too much melanin is produced causing skin pigmentation disorders.
These disorders can make the skin appear lighter or darker than normal, or even blotchy and discoloured. The presence of too much melanin can cause hyperpigmentation and too little melanin can lead to hypopigmentation.
Causes
The root cause is generally attributed to hormones. Some of the other causes of pigmentation disorders are:
- Endothelial cells
- Ultraviolet radiation
- Burning
- Contact with certain chemicals
- Stress and dietary imbalances.
Where is it used?
Laser Pigmentation Removal procedure is used to treat the following skin conditions:
- Melasma is a patchy brown discoloration of the skin on the face.
- Solar lentigines are small brown-pigmented spot on the skin with a clearly defined edge, surrounded by normal-appearing skin.
- Birthmarks are normally flat and are brown or black in color.
- Port-wine stains are the reddish-purple discolourations appearing on the skin as a result of some swollen red blood vessels in the body.
- Freckles are small, brownish spots on the skin that are caused by deposition of pigment and that increase in number and darken on exposure to sunlight.
Procedure
The laser is used to target the pigmented lesion in the skin, which absorbs the light. The laser heats up and shatters the pigment, which is then drawn to the surface without harming the surrounding tissue.
The pigmented lesions will either fade or dry and even flake off the treated area when it is drawn to the surface. This will leave the skin with an even tone and complexion.
There might be a mild discolouration of pigment before it heals after just a few days. The treated area can also sometimes become more sensitive to sun exposure however with proper sun-safety precautions, the effects are minimal.
