Hyperpigmentation refers to skin that looks darker in small patches or large areas. The dark patches vary in size and may be found on any body part.
Melasma comes in the form of brown patches on the skin, mainly on the face. It does not come with other physical symptoms or pain.
Melasma affects parts of the face and body with high sun exposure. For the face, this includes the forehead, cheeks, nose bridge, chin, and upper lips. For the body, common areas include the neck, arms, and shoulders.
Melasma is one of the many common types of discoloration. Other types include age spots.
If you are unhappy with the way that discoloration makes your skin look, come in for treatment at Refresh Palm Beach Medical Aesthetics. It’s also important to get it evaluated and checked for possible underlying medical conditions. Knowing its type and cause will help you find the proper treatment for it.
The leading cause of hyperpigmentation is excessive melanin production. Melanin is a pigment responsible for skin color and is produced by melanocytes. Some medications and chemotherapy drugs result in hyperpigmentation. Other causes include hormonal changes during pregnancy, an endocrine condition like Addison’s disease, inflammation, and excessive sun exposure.
The potential causes of melasma include sun exposure, hormonal changes during pregnancy, birth control pills, hormone treatments, and certain skincare products. Medications such as retinoids, anti-seizure medications, blood pressure medications, and antibiotics may cause melasma.
Diagnosing hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and melasma requires a consultation. You must provide your medical history, including all past treatments and allergies, and undergo a physical exam. A biopsy may be necessary to help rule out other medical conditions.
During a consultation, your skin will be examined, and treatment options will be discussed in great detail.
Hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and melasma can be treated using an IPL photofacial. It uses intense pulsed light (IPL) to heat dark skin patches for 30 minutes. The heat from the light energy is absorbed by the pigment-producing cells, destroying these cells.
This process lightens the pigmentation, causing it to fade and disappear. It can be used on the face, chest, and arms and restore your balanced and glowing complexion.
During the treatment, anesthesia may be administered beforehand for numbing. You might feel minor pinches on the target area.
After the session, you can go back to normal activities without recovery time or downtime. The treated area might experience some redness up to a week after the treatment.
Following treatment, it is recommended that you use an SPF-30-or-higher sunscreen with broad-spectrum coverage. Apply sunscreen daily and reapply it every two hours if you’re taking part in activities that involve prolonged sun exposure.
Monday: 9am – 5:30pm
Tuesday: 9am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 9am – 5:30pm
Thursday: 9am – 9pm
Friday: 9am – 5:30pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
© Copyright 2024 by Refresh Palm Beach Medical Aesthetics