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Pigment Reduction

Hyperpigmentation (darkened skin colouration) is often associated with signs of ageing, sun damaged skin and freckles.

WHY CHOOSE Pigment Reduction

Hyperpigmentation or hyperchromia is the presence of lesions or patches of skin that are darker than the surrounding skin. These uneven pigmentations are mainly due to excess melaninthe brown pigment in the body that is responsible for your skin color. Hyperpigmentation can be caused by aging, pregnancy, hormones, certain medications, medical conditions (Addison’s disease), acne, sun exposure, and as a side effect of some aesthetic procedures.

Types of hyperpigmentation

  • Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) dark spots from healed acne lesions.
  • Sunspots (liver spots or solar lentigines) light to dark brown discoloration due to prolonged sun exposure
  • Freckles (ephelides) small brown spots that are hereditary and can be exacerbated by repeated exposure to sunlight
  • Melasma (chloasma) — large tan or brown patches on the face that often occurs during pregnancy and when taking birth control pills

 

Recovery
2 days
Treatment Time
45 mins
Anaesthetic Required
None

Who can benefit from this?

This procedure is aimed at individuals who have hyperpigmentation, this includes: sun damaged skin, freckles and other changes resulting in darkened areas. Before treatment, a compulsory consultation will be carried out by our trained therapists.

How does this treatment work?

Short bursts of laser light act to break up concentrated areas of melanin – the compound that causes darkened skin. The laser only targets the hyperpigmented areas, surrounding skin is unaffected.

How long can results take?

Results will be visible within 1-2 weeks (depending on individuals), if you follow our recommended course of 3 treatments, you can expect results to last up to a year.

Are there any side effects?

This procedure carries a small risk of darkening pigmented areas, and flaking and scabbing of skin. Immediately after the procedure you may experience some redness and swelling. The procedure itself is not typically painful.

After care

After the treatment, if you have any redness or swelling, application of a cool pack or aloe Vera gel will help reduce this.

Return to activities

You can return to work straight after this procedure depending on the amount of redness post-procedure. Furthermore, you are also able to apply makeup after the procedure providing there is no evidence of epidermal blistering (your therapist will provide you with advice).

Precautions and Contraindications

Avoid excessive sun exposure prior to treatment as this can cause irregular pigmentation in treated areas. If you have taken Accutane recently, you may have to wait for a few months before having laser pigment reduction. This treatment is also not recommended for the following cases:

  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Active lesions, infection, or inflammation in the treated area
  • Autoimmune disorder or a weak immune system

Safety

Laser treatment is a fairly safe procedure for fading pigmentations, improving acne scars and wrinkles. Aggressive treatments often make the condition much worse, but our laser system is proven effective and safe for all skin types and colors.

Your skin may appear red or swollen after treatment; this is temporary and you may cover it with makeup to conceal any redness. Other common side effects after a laser procedure include:

  • Flaking
  • Blistering or scarring
  • Itching
  • Changes in skin color

Results

Results vary from patient to patient. Visible changes in pigmentation can be seen within 1-2 weeks. Usually, three sessions are necessary to achieve optimal results. Regular sun protection is important to minimize unwanted effects and keep the integrity of the healed skin.

Pigment Reduction Treatment
Per session 6 sessions
Small area £120 £300
Half face £180 £500
Full face £250 £700

SOME INFORMATION

Home » Treatments » LASER » Pigment Reduction

What is pigment reduction treatment?

Clinical laser and light-based therapies are excellent procedures for treating hyperpigmentation. We use the Soprano Ice Platinum machine from the award-winning Alma Lasers. It treats sun damage, PIH, melasma, and other skin discolorations. Laser skin rejuvenation effectively reverses pigmentation and lentigines associated with photoaging, but it is also effective for facial lines and furrows.

How does it work?

A powerful focused light beam targets the high melanin content of the darkened skin and disperses them. The fragments of pigment are then cleared or removed through the lymphatic system. The process does not create open wounds or burns and the integrity of the surrounding skin is protected, which minimizes downtime.

The laser device induces microscopic thermal wounds to the treatment zones that are rapidly re-epithelialized by the surrounding, untreated skin. The undamaged tissues serve as the reservoir for faster wound healing. Ultimately, the dispersed pigments are removed from the body and a fresh, even-toned, unblemished skin is revealed.

Pigment reduction can be performed on the face and different parts of the body; it is commonly requested by patients with skin discoloration on the cheeks, neck, chest, and back of the hands.

Treatment Details

  1. Our highly-trained consultant will assess your skin condition and recommend the appropriate treatment plan to achieve your desired results.
  2. During laser pigment reduction, light energy is directed to the skin and melanin pigment absorbs laser light.
  3. You may feel a brief stinging sensation like that of a rubber band snapping on the skin.
  4. If the treatment site is very sensitive to pain, a numbing cream may be applied prior to treatment.
  5. The targeted skin cells coagulate, resulting in the flaking off of pigmented lesions.
  6. Skin discoloration will continue to fade for several weeks.