Not Down with Brown Spots: Effective Treatment Options for Brown Spots and Melasma
Regardless of their origin, brown spots are unwanted skin blemishes that you just want gone – ASAP. Most of us in Colorado have some mysterious brown spots or patches – those we have developed through the years as a result of aging, exposure to the sun, or hormones, but understanding the cause of our pigmentation is essential to finding the proper course of treatment.
Hyperpigmentation, a broad term used to describe a skin condition in which the skin is darkened or discolored, can be brought on by many factors, including sun, aging, burns, acne, hormones and even some medications. However, there is a type of skin condition known as melasma that appears in the form of discoloration on the skin, usually triggered by factors such as hormones or sun exposure. In fact, if you’ve ever heard the term “pregnancy mask”, melasma is to blame, affecting more than five million Americans, most of them being women. The hormonal component is what distinguishes melasma from traditional hyperpigmentation, and therefore, requires a different type of treatment all together. Melasma appears more as patchy areas, unlike traditional hyperpigmentation, which looks more like spots.
So, now that you’re in the know about these different types of skin conditions, how do we treat them? Regardless of their cause, we’ve got you covered, with an effective skin care regimen and treatment options for melasma and other unsightly spots so you can say bye-bye to brown to reveal healthy, glowing skin.
Banishing the Brown… Spots…
Known by many names including, sun spots, age spots – and yes – even liver spots, these types of blemishes can be easily and effectively treated. And, while brown spots respond extremely well to treatments such as microneedling, photofacial treatments and peels, we’ve perfected the perfect at-home skin care regimen to prep your skin prior to treatment to achieve the best possible outcome.
Ten days prior to undergoing treatment of brown spots, we highly recommend prepping your skin with an effective lightener designed to soothe and calm your skin, like Rebrightalize Pads, which combine the botanical skin tone brightening ingredients of kojic acid, arbutin and bearberry along with skin protective antioxidants. To this we add the prescription lightener, hydroquinone. This can be added up to 10%, making it our strongest skin lightener. We also offer Glytone 4% Hydroquinone in a gel or cream.
For a non-hydroquinone lightener, Glytone’s Enhance Brightening Complex uses organic acids to promote a smoother, more refined visage. Absorbing quickly into skin, its blend of glycolic and azelaic acids work in tandem to exfoliate dead, dull skin cells, all while brightening dark spots and restoring a radiant, healthy-looking appearance.
Now that your skin is primed and ready, treatments such as our IPL/Photofacial Skin Rejuvenation, microneedling, microdermabrasion or chemical peel options – like the Perfect 10 Peel – are the perfect follow-ups to take your skin care treatment of dark spots to the next level.
Making Melasma a Memory
Due to the fact that hormones are to blame, effective treatments for melasma significantly differ from that of brown spots. For example, lasers are not recommended for this type of skin condition and can actually exacerbate the condition or cause damage to skin cells. Rather, peels have had a more significant impact on mitigating melasma when combined with an at-home treatment regimen to reveal healthy, unblemished skin. Here’s what you need to know…
We recommend starting an at-home skin care regimen up to six weeks prior to scheduling your chemical peel appointment. Get things going with a lightening treatment such as Glytone’s 4% gel or cream and hydroquinone, and use in conjuction with a retinol-based topical. We like Avene’s RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream, which, unlike other retinols, is less harsh on your skin and has been proven to visibly minimize the signs of aging with little to no irritation. Rich in antioxidants, RetrinAL 0.1 helps even skin tone and encourages cell renewal to smooth wrinkles and boost firmness.
A chemical peel, like the Perfect 10 Peel, provides the perfect final step in treating melasma by offering clients a safe and effective treatment designed to actually peel, exfoliate the skin and deliver desired results – in just five steps.
We highly recommend continuing with your at-home regimen following any spa treatment for the most effective results in order to keep your skin looking beautiful, healthy, youthful and vibrant for years to come!
Want to learn more about our favorite products and treatment options that are right for you when it comes to treating brown spots and melasma? We are so excited about our offerings that we continue to provide great specials to our clients. Check out our latest specials and book your appointment online today.