Hyperpigmentation Treatment in Edmonton
We are specialized in all types of hyperpigmentation treatment. “Age spots”, “sun spots”, or dark skin on the face are all different types of skin hyperpigmentation. No matter what you call it, it feels like the only thing people see. In truth, we all get spots on our skin as we age.
What causes hyperpigmentation?
Hormones or sun damage can cause melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, to begin producing brown pigmentation. Melanin, not to be confused with the skin melanoma, is a harmless, natural pigmentation. It’s the pigmentation that creates dark skin. On light-colored skin, it usually manifests as a tan, freckles, and, later in life, like age spots and sunspots.
Hyperpigmentation is when these normal skin coloration get out of control and become a nuisance. These are some of the different types of hyperpigmentation:
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation - These are the dark spots left behind when a zit disappears.
- Photoaging - Sunspots, technically called photoaging, appears usually on the face. Prolonged sun exposure and lack of sunblock are the reason for all the photoaging problem.
- Melasma - These are gray-brown patches that are usually caused by hormones normally during pregnancy. For most women, it will resolve itself after the baby is born.
- Freckles - These tiny little brown spots can become more severe as we age.
Treating hyperpigmentation
At Albany Laser and Cosmetic Center, Dr. Kamal Alhammik, Ph.D. Pharmacy, leads a team of nurses and technicians that use various techniques to treat the three main concerns of hyperpigmentation treatment: skin resurfacing, melanocytes, and melanin overproduction. Some of the methods we use include:
- Topical creams - We’ve created several formulas of creams that include a chemical peel, a fruit acid peel, skin lightening, and anti-tyrosinase (an enzyme then prompts the production of melanin).
- Skin peel - Using Lamyxal solution, this is an advanced form of microdermabrasion
- Poly-peptide solution with micro-needling - This will inhibit the production melanin and reduce the appearance of the dark patches of melasma.
- Nano-second Q-switch laser - This is the workhorse laser for hyperpigmentation treatment removal and prevention. The laser reaches below the skin to the melanocytes.
- Fraxel Dual Laser - This laser also reaches below the skin at different frequencies than the Q-switch. It’s able to reach into different layers of the dermis and also causes a natural skin peeling.
Fotona Laser -This laser utilizes water molecules as a chromophore and is safe on all skin types and colors. Moreover, we use it in combination with other types of treatment for hyperpigmentation.
Is hyperpigmentation a problem?
In most cases, there are no significant health issues associated with hyperpigmentation It’s usually the result of an old scar that healed after damaging the melanin-producing cells right under the dermis. It’s not difficult to get rid of hyperpigmentation with the right laser treatment that helps to correct those cells and stops the overproduction of melanin.
What are hyperpigmentation treatment side effects?
It depends on the treatment and protocol, however, the most concerning problem is getting the pigmentation lesion darker. Most inexperienced laser users choose the wrong settings or the wrong laser. Therefore, it is important to choose the right laser center to get the treatments.
How much does the treatment protocol cost?
Depending on the protocol, the prices vary between 300 to 1500. The best is to book a free consultation to get a better idea.
What laser do we use?
There is no clear answer to this question. At Albany Laser and Cosmetic, we offer the best laser machine in the skincare industry including, Spectra nano-second, Fraxel Dual with two wavelengths and Fotona laser. The combination is important to provide the best results for hyperpigmentation treatment.
“There is a lot that we can do to help someone with melasma, sun spots, age spots, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, the dark spots caused by acne,” said Dr. Kamal, Doctorate of Pharmacy. “Using the power of chemistry, laser light, and microneedling, we’re able to provide many of our patients with dramatic improvements in the appearance of hyperpigmentation. For many of our clients, hyperpigmentation is traumatic simply because it appears most frequently on the face..”
Hyperpigmentation is one of the most treatable disorders that we see. The use of lasers and other treatments have shown immense success in treating these disorders and allowing patients to look the way that they would like to. Best of all, the treatments don’t take a long time and usually don’t need to be repeated too many times.
What to expect at Albany Laser and Cosmetic Center
Depending on the severity and the cause of the pigmentation, the expert at our center will design a protocol to fit specific cases. Results may appear right away, but the real results begin to show about a week after the first laser treatment. This is because the production of melanin would have stopped and the brown skin cells will begin to fall away. These treatments are also great for treating acne and other skin disorders. However, before starting laser treatment, other treatments such as silk peel may be needed.