• acne
• acne scarring
• birthmarks - brown
• birthmarks - port wine stains (red)
• facial volume loss
• fat deposit reduction
• freckles
• gynaecomastia / man boobs
• hand rejuvenation
• injectable lip enhancement
• keloid / hypertrophic scarring
• laser hair removal
• laser tattoo removal
• leg veins / spider veins
• melasma
• neck rejuvenation
• non surgical facial shaping
• rosacea and facial capillaries/redness
• skin analysis
• skin pigmentation
• sweating - excessive
• wrinkles

• anaesthesia/analgesia for procedures
• anti-wrinkle injections
• chemical peels
• dermal fillers
• laser - apogee
• laser - gemini
• laser - medlite
• laser - ruby
• lipodissolve
• make-up - dermacolour
• make-up - glo minerals
• microdermabrasion
• photodynamic therapy
• plasma skin regeneration
• sclerotherapy
• skin care - asap
• skin care - cosmedix
• skin care - osmosis
• skin care - rationale
• skin needling
• topical lightening agents
• topical retinoids

Skin Pigmentation Treatment

Quick Facts

• Excessive skin pigmentation can be from a number of causes including UV exposure, hormones, skin trauma, and congenital.
• Pigmentation can be treated with lasers and lightening creams.
• Different lasers are used for different types of skin pigmentation and skin types
• UV protection/sunscreen is paramount in the treatment of pigmentation

What is skin pigmentation?

Excessive skin pigmentation is result of abnormal production and deposition of melanin by the melanocytes. Melanocytes are pigment-producing cells. The number of melanocytes present in our skin will determine our skin colour. Production of melanin is dependent on UV or sun exposure, and is a natural protective mechanism of the skin.

What causes excessive skin pigmentation?

Reasons for skin pigmentation problems are;

• In most cases, especially in an area of high UV levels like Australia, this is caused by excessive UV or sun exposure (most common)
• Hormonal, as seen in melasma or chloasma that is a type of pigmentation usually caused by pregnancy or the pill (common)
• Trauma to the skin. This can be a result of physical trauma to the skin, chemical peels, laser treatments, or acne. This is known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (common).
• Birthmarks and acquired pigmentation - skin pigmentation can be present at birth (birthmarks), appear in childhood, or adulthood. Examples of these include; congenital melanocytic naevus, cafe au lait spots, spilus naevus, hori's macules, and naevus of ota.
  
  

What are my options for treating excessive skin pigmentation?

Sunspots/Solar lentigos

For those wanting to treat pigmentation (only) due to sun-damage with as few sessions as possible, the Medlite q-switched laser and the Sinon Ruby laser are the most effective.

For those wanting to treat pigmentation and wrinkles, Plasma skin regeneration is an effective means of resurfacing sun-damaged skin.

A combination of lasers can also be used to treat different problems in the one sitting, e.g the Gemini laser can be used first to treat broken capillaries, and then the Ruby laser can be used to treat hyperpigmentation.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Melasma/Chloasma

Freckles, brown birthmarks, and epidermal (superficial) pigmented lesions

Brown birthmarks such as cafe au lait spots and congenital melanocytic naevi can also be treated with the q-switched Medlite laser or the Sinon Ruby laser.

How can skin pigmentation be treated with lasers?

Lasers can be used for the treatment of skin pigmentation yet leave normal skin intact. Selective photothermolysis­ is a term that describes how pigmentation selectively takes up the energy given out from the laser in preference to that of the normal skin. This allows the laser to selectively disrupt the pigment with minimal or no damage to surrounding skin. Two types of laser that treat pigmentation are listed below. They are both effective in treating pigmentation, and have pros and cons to each.

One type of laser for treating pigmentation are quasi-continuous pulse width lasers. These lasers emit pulses of light that are attracted to the melanin in the pigment, and this selectively disrupts the pigment by thermally heating it. The length of each pulse in this case is in the millisecond range, and although this sounds short, it is actually a long time in this instance. An example of this laser is the Gemini Laser.

Another type of laser for treating pigmentation are q-switched lasers. These lasers emit extremely short pulses of light that are attracted to the melanin in the pigment. They also selectively heat the pigment to disrupt it, but as the pulses are much shorter, they also have a photomechanical effect ie. they shatter/shock the pigment causing it to breakdown. It is this effect that also allows these lasers to treat tattoo pigment as well. Generally the advantage of these lasers is that they require fewer treatments to treat pigmentation. It is a more aggressive and effective treatment, and therefore also has more side effects such as a longer recovery time as well as an increased chance of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Examples of these lasers include the Sinon Ruby laser and the Medlite laser.

How can skin pigmentation be treated with topical agents?

The first method of treating skin pigmentation is to prevent its appearance or worsening by daily application of sunscreen. UV exposure from sunlight or sun beds will invariably worsen any existing pigmentation and promote further pigmentation to arise. The risk of skin cancers also rises with increasing exposure to UV.

At The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, we recommend physical sunscreens as opposed to chemical sunscreens. Physical sunscreens contain titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These are not absorbed by the skin and provide long lasting protection through the day. Chemical sunscreens such as Para-aminobenzoic acid, are absorbed into the skin and need reapplication after two hours. Studies have found that these chemicals are absorbed by the skin and found in the liver soon after application.

All sunscreens should be applied twice, ten minutes apart, to ensure an even coat. Furthermore, sunscreen should be applied everyday, even if it is cloudy, or overcast, as UV light is still present. It is also important to avoid direct sunlight, especially during the middle hours of the day, seek shade when possible, and wear a hat and protective clothing.

At The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, we recommend sunscreen from our two ranges, Cosmedix and ASAP . These are physical sunscreens that are not comedogenic or acne forming.

Once sun protection has been implemented, it is now possible to treat the skin pigmentation.

Common lightening agents include; hydroquinone, kojic acid, paper mulberry bark extract, retinoids, and glycolic acid. 

For more information on topical lightening agents click here.

Why should I choose The Victorian Cosmetic Institute to treat my pigmentation?

At The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, our doctors will carefully assess your pigmentation problem and carefully formulate a treatment plan for you. We have a wide range of treatment options including a large number of topical agents and lasers, and this will ensure that you will get the treatment most suited to your pigmentation.

Our doctors are also highly experienced in laser treatments, and will be able to give you the best advice for your treatment.

The first step is simply contacting us for your initial consultation, where we will discuss with you what is a realistic and achievable outcome, and what to expect from your laser treatment.

Making that first phone call about any cosmetic procedure can be a confronting task - many of our patients have preferred filling out our online enquiry form. We can then contact you with an understanding of the results you are hopeful of achieving and ensure the treatment is appropriate.