Laser hair removal can be a fantastic way to rid oneself of unwanted body hair, but some clients may experience post laser hyperpigmentation (PLH). While this condition affects all skin types equally, certain may be more vulnerable.
Healthcare providers may suggest lightening creams like hydroquinone or tranexamic acid as an effective treatment option for PIH. When combined with sun avoidance measures, such treatments can quickly heal the affected area.
What Causes Hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation refers to patches of darker skin that cover different parts of the body and has various types. While most are harmless, darkened spots could signal an underlying health condition and require treatment; thankfully there are numerous steps you can take to both prevent and treat them.
Hyperpigmentation occurs when your body produces too much melanin – the pigment responsible for giving skin its color – leading to brown spots, blotchy skin and rough textures on your complexion. Hyperpigmentation could also be indicative of serious medical conditions like cancer or an autoimmune disease.
Melasma is the most prevalent type of hyperpigmentation and appears as patches of tan, brown, or brown-gray pigment on the face. More common among women than men, pregnancy hormone fluctuations or taking oral contraceptives may trigger it; Melasma also tends to run in families and will usually disappear following childbirth or stopping taking any medications that triggered it.
Sunspots, another common form of hyperpigmentation, are darker patches of skin exposed to the sun that appear on areas like hands and faces exposed to direct sunlight over time. Sunspots result from excess sun exposure over time and may affect people of all skin colors; although sun avoidance may help improve them over time. They typically improve but won’t completely go away over time.
Other types of hyperpigmentation include Pigmentary Induced Hyperpigmentation, or PIH, which is a prevalent skin condition characterized by redness and swelling to an affected area. Most often found among people of dark complexion, but can affect people of all ethnicities. Caused by inflammation combined with buildup of pigment deposits in skin cells, treatment often clears away its symptoms over time.
Other types of hyperpigmentation may be more widespread, forming patches over larger areas of the face or body. These conditions often occur as side effects from certain medications – antimalarial drugs and tricyclic antidepressants typically. They can also be signs of Addison’s disease or hemochromatosis – conditions where your body stores too much iron in its cells.
How Can I Prevent It?
Laser hair removal can be safe and effective on most skin types when performed properly; however, for some individuals the treatment can cause hyperpigmentation – darkening of skin caused by increased melanin production – which must be treated to restore evenness. There are ways to address this problem and restore an even complexion.
Always consult a dermatologist with experience performing laser treatments on both face and body to ensure you receive top quality care, without risking unnecessary exposures.
Dermatologists will also be able to advise you on the most effective practices for safe laser hair removal, such as shaving the area before your session so as to allow for adequate hair coverage by the laser light follicle without harming surrounding tissue. Shaving will allow the laser light to more easily identify and target its targets without causing too much collateral damage.
Avoid sun exposure after laser hair removal treatments to minimize hyperpigmentation marks from UV rays. If necessary, use a high-SPF sunscreen with broad spectrum coverage in case any exposure occurs.
Finally, to reduce the appearance of discoloration after laser treatments it’s essential to utilize a gentle exfoliant, such as facial scrub or chemical exfoliation with glycolic acid. Furthermore it’s beneficial to utilize a moisturizer with soothing ingredients which may also help lessen hyperpigmentation.
Be wary when considering laser treatment if you are more prone to hyperpigmentation. Individuals with Fitzpatrick skin types III to VI are particularly at risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). This condition occurs when injured skin cells produce excessive melanin, leading to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
How Can I Treat It?
Laser hair removal usually does not cause permanent hyperpigmentation; typically it takes one or two months for any dark spots or patches on your skin to dissipate after receiving laser therapy that only targets epidermal melanin accumulation and not dermis melanin accumulation.
Utilizing a moisturizer designed to even out your skin tone daily is one easy way to diminish dark spots after laser therapy. A physical or chemical exfoliant may also help remove dead cells, lightening existing dark spots. You might even try products containing kojic acid which has been shown to decrease melanin production.
Your skin can also be protected against future discoloration by minimizing sun exposure. Wearing long-sleeved cotton clothing, with an SPF lip balm applied topically is ideal to keep the sun at bay and reduce discoloration caused by UVA/UVB radiation rays. In order to stay as healthy as possible after laser treatment, it’s wise to protect it with broad spectrum sunscreen with protection from both UVA and UVB rays as much as possible – particularly during outdoor activity such as summer camping! It is wise to apply broad spectrum sunblock to all three wavelengths at once – since sun damage can also cause discoloration!
Before engaging in laser treatments, it is advisable to speak to an experienced board-certified dermatologist as the results can have dramatic repercussions for your skin. A trained professional can assess your complexion, order blood tests to examine vitamins and minerals levels as well as perform a biopsy on your pigmentation for you.
Melasma is an extremely common condition that results in irregular, tan or brown-gray patches with various shades on the face. Doctors don’t understand exactly why it occurs, though doctors suspect hormonal fluctuations might play a part. Pregnancy or taking birth control pills could trigger it; after this has passed it typically fades. For added relief there are prescription topicals like hydroquinone and tretinoin that can help alleviate its appearance – both can also provide significant help post laser hair removal! If hyperpigmentation occurs post laser hair removal, Dr. Green can discuss treatment options at her boutique NYC office with her boutique NYC practice!
Do I Need to See a Dermatologist?
Laser hair removal uses concentrated beams of light to target and destroy pigment in hair follicles, stopping them from growing new hairs. While this treatment can effectively eliminate unwanted hair growth, its side effects include hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). While not usually serious in nature, they may still be cosmetically undesirable.
If you are experiencing hyperpigmentation after laser hair removal, the first step should be consulting with a medical professional with experience treating skin of color. A board-certified dermatologist such as Dr. Green in NYC will have all of the expertise and training to recommend safe yet effective treatments that will produce cosmetic results you are after.
Laser hair removal usually causes temporary hyperpigmentation that will quickly fade within one or two months after treatment, however if hyperpigmentation results from melasma or another permanent condition it may require other measures for optimal cosmetic results.
Before beginning laser hair removal treatment, it is crucial that the area be prepared by shaving and applying sun block. This will help ensure that skin remains as light as possible before treatment starts, increasing its efficacy while decreasing chances of side effects. It is also advisable not to pluck or wax the area prior to getting laser treatment done.
Before your laser hair removal appointment, it is recommended to refrain from using products containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and/or retinol; these ingredients can lead to increased skin sensitivity or irritation and should be avoided at all costs. A dermatologist or other qualified laser provider will be able to advise on which products to avoid as well as pre- and post-treatment skincare routines which will minimize complications.
Should you experience unwanted side effects during laser treatments, it is crucial that you consult a dermatologist immediately. He or she can assess your situation and ascertain whether your laser type and settings were performed as planned or whether an adjustment needs to be made for your particular skin type and tone.
