Can Laser Skin Resurfacing Erase Hyperpigmentation?

For patients who want to boost the appearance of their skin, the recommended treatment will often be laser skin resurfacing. Los Angeles’ Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills team often meets with patients who are looking for techniques that fade hyperpigmentation on the skin.

While it’s technically not a skin condition, hyperpigmentation is a term that’s used to describe patches of skin that appear darker than the surrounding, normal skin tone. This can occur in small areas, spread over large areas, or affect the entire body. Although it doesn’t cause pain, itching, or any other symptoms, the spots can make people feel self-conscious to the point that they want to address them somehow.

In most cases, the increased pigmentation isn’t harmful—but keep in mind that moles and similar lesions warrant a closer look in case they are skin cancer and can sometimes be a symptom of another medical condition.

Skin cells produce a substance called melanin that gives the skin its color. Localized darkening of the skin is caused by increased production of melanin by cells that are damaged or unhealthy. The pigment clumps together, making an area that looks noticeably darker than the surrounding tissue.

There are several potential factors that can lead to hyperpigmentation, including genetics, adrenal disorders, hormone changes, injuries to the skin, certain medications that increase sensitivity to light, melasma, vitamin deficiencies, and sun damage. Some of the most common signs of hyperpigmentation are sunspots, acne scars, and brown patches from melasma. Even if you limit your exposure to sunlight, dark spots on the skin can continue to develop.

Chances are good that you may be inspecting dark spots on your skin and thinking of ways to treat them so that your skin can return to a more even, clear, and radiant appearance. The most effective treatment for you depends on the reasons why you have hyperpigmentation. The spots often can’t be fully prevented, but sun protection is an ideal way to reduce risk and keep existing spots from worsening.

There are some lifestyle changes you can make and strategies you can employ at home to prevent the pigmentation from occurring, such as limiting sun exposure to avoid damage by staying out of the sun and wearing sunscreen, quitting medications that cause spots to form, and taking certain vitamins. You can also apply over-the-counter topical creams and ointments that contain certain ingredients such as azelaic acid, corticosteroids, glycolic acid, tretinoin, and vitamin C.

It's best to see a skincare specialist so that you can develop a plan to treat pigmentation irregularities safely and effectively. Laser skin resurfacing is one of the most in demand in-office procedures for the treatment of hyperpigmentation. These treatments involve the use of targeted beams of light to remove imperfections in the skin. There are different types of lasers that target either melanin or water in the skin, and both are effective. The dark spots will often become even darker before eventually flaking and falling off.

IPL (intense pulsed light) is a light-based treatment that’s very effective for reducing overall pigmentation issues, and especially flat spots on the skin’s surface. This treatment also promotes collagen production in the deeper layers of skin.

Chemical peels are another alternative to consider. Acids at varying concentrations are applied to the targeted areas of skin. They remove the damaged outer layer to improve the appearance of hyperpigmentation. However, peels may not be the best option if you’re frequently out in the sun, since they increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays. Chemical peels provide faster results compared to over-the-counter face acid products.

Want to discover more about how to achieve an improved complexion with laser skin resurfacing? The Los Angeles-based board-certified dermatologists at Skin Care and Laser Physicians of Beverly Hills can explain more about what’s involved if you’re hoping to banish dark spots for good. Call 310-246-0495 or fill out a contact form online to request a consultation so that you can learn more about skin rejuvenation techniques.