Pigmentation Therapy

Do not wax or thread hair from the treatment area. Do not have electrolysis on the area. Do not use depilatory creams on the treatment area. Do not bleach on the treatment area All other treatments including hair removal. Do not use sunbeds for 30 days before or after treatment. Do not sun bathe for 30 days before or after treatment. Do not use tanning cream. It is common for the area to feel slightly warm after treatment. It is also common to experience some redness, local swelling and mild tenderness. These symptoms may appear immediately or a few days after treatment. The use of Aloe Vera gel (100%) is recommended directly after treatment and for a further few days if necessary. An ice cold compress can be applied if the area feels hot or uncomfortable. A high SPF 30+ should be applied when outside for 4 weeks after. Excessive exposure can cause hypo or hyper pigmentation of the skin. For the next 48 hours minimum (after all treatments): Avoid all heat treatments such as steam rooms, saunas, hot baths, hot showers and excessive exercise. Avoid all perfumed creams, soaps and lotions on the treatment area (Until scabs have healed) Only use Aloe Vera gel. Do not touch pick or scratch the area else scarring may appear.

Inflammation is a key trigger of hyper-pigmentation, with inflamed blood vessels associated with pigmented areas, meaning any treatment needs to address this also. Epidermal pigmentation exists in two forms, which need treating differently. Pigmentation produced in melanocyte cells is routinely transferred to keratinocyte cells, which consistently migrate to the skin's surface where they die and drop off. We call this epidermal mobile pigmentation. The second occurs when pigment absorption by epidermal cells (keratinocytes) reduces with age or when damaged. These 'pigment packets' are not as was thought until recently, reabsorbed by melanocytes, but must go somewhere. They are in fact absorbed by Basal 'Mother' keratinocytes which are attached to the dermal epidermal junction. This pigment builds up over time but never travels to the surface of the skin. Pigment also becomes trapped in crevices within the junction membranes , and builds up over time. These represent Epidermal Fixed Pigmentation. With age and damage the membrane 'breaks down' releasing this fixed pigment into the dermis where melanophages should remove it but often don't. This remains as Dermal Pigmentation. Hormones moderate melanin manufacture, but hormonal change as seen with ageing or pregnancy, makes melanocytes more reactive to inflammation so even minimal irritation can exacerbate pigmentation pigmentation production dramatically. Ageing skin is more prone to free radical inflammation, leading to to marks such as 'age spots'. Most products address only Epidermal Mobile Pigmentation, but many patients often have Fixed Pigmentation too.

How many treatments you will need depends on the type of pigmentation you have. Some types of pigmentation can be removed in as little as 1 or 2 treatments, some might take several to achieve satisfactory results. If the pigmentation is due to hormonal problems you may need maintenance treatments and creams.

With all pigmentation treatments the pigmentation is disrupted so the body can start the removal process. Some types of pigmentation will become darker over a week or two then crust up and flake off leaving new skin behind. With other types of pigmentation it may simply be absorbed by the body. Your technician will discuss this with you at your consultation.

One of our technicians will assess your pigmentation then recommend a treatment to suit your skin type and medical requirements. We use a variety of treatment including medical creams, peels, Derma FNS needling, IPL, and various types of laser treatments.