Pigment Removal

The best treatment plan can be determined after your initial consultation. There are multiple considerations that will go into the decision process. Based on your skin type, level of damage, and health history, certain treatments may provide better results than others, while some treaments may not be an option for you. Often best results come from combining therapies. We will also take into consideration your budget, downtime and availability.

Almost anyone is a candidate for pigment removal, but the final determination will be made at your consultation. Certain darker skin types are prone to color change, especially with laser therapy. Most of the time, this is temporary, but it may take many months to return to normal and sometimes it remains. Therefore we have options for those with darker skin that have less chance of causing skin color changes. Also, some medical conditions will preclude you from having certain treatments. It is very important to be thorough and honest about all your medical issues and medications during your consultation.

At Genesis Medspa, we feel that in order to achieve the best results you should not only treat the pigment that is on the surface, but also treat the skin so that you are less prone to forming new brown spots. This is achieved through surface treatments such as chemical peels and lasers. In addition, if you continue with a medical skin care regimen, you can suppress and slow the formation of new pigment. This involves the daily use of mineral sunscreen to decrease your exposure to ultraviolet and blue light radiation. Blue light is more significant in today’s world due to cell phones, computers, LED lightning, etc. If you are not protecting yourself from blue light, you will continue to form brown spots as well as promote skin laxity!

The most important thing before your pigment removal treatment is to avoid sun exposure. If you are sunburned or tanned, we will need to reschedule your treatment. You should also stop any retinols or Retin-A at least one week before your treatment. You should be well rested and hydrated as this will make your treatment go smoother. If you are on any antibiotics you should tell us before your appointment.

Once you arrive, we will take pictures of the area to be treated and have you sign a consent form. It is very important to have "before" pictures in order to see the changes as they occur. The staff will then clean the area and position you on the bed. If you are having a chemical peel, the peel solution will be applied and left on for a period of time. You may experience some slight tingling or stinging, which is usually very minor. Some of the peels will require a neutralizing solution while others do not. Afterwards, moisturizer and sunscreen will be applied and you are done!

For laser treatments, the staff will protect your eyes with shields and then begin the treatment. Most of the treatments do not hurt, but occasionally you may feel a slight stinging sensation that is very tolerable. After the treatment, the staff will clean your face and apply sunscreen and you are finished. Some of the spots may appear reddened or darker, but do not worry, they will disappear over time.

It is very important to follow the post-procedure protocol that we will prescribe for you. While they are similar for most of our patients, there may be some unique instructions for you based on our pre-procedure evaluation. If you had a chemical peel, you may start to have skin peeling a few days after your treatment. Some peels cause more shedding of old skin than others, so if you don’t shed do not be concerned. The peel will have a beneficial effect on reducing the pigment.

If you had a laser pigment treatment, afterwards your skin may be red for up to two weeks and there can be some crusting/scabbing. It is important not to pick at anything on your face. The pigment is slowly broken up by your body and then removed permanently.

We will have a very specific product regimen for you to follow, which will reduce the formation of new pigmented lesions. You must remember that if you see some on the surface, they are many more being formed in the deeper skin layers, and treating these before they surface is very beneficial. Also, using mineral sunscreen daily is mandatory to protect your skin from the sun and blue light radiation from phones, TVs, lights, etc. This will further reduce the formation of new pigmented lesions and lessen the need for future surface treatments.

The treated surface lesions will be permanently gone once full healing has taken place. Some lesions will require repetitive treatments as they may be very large and/or into the deeper layers of the skin. This is why we approach your skin with a multi-modal treatment regimen. To think that one treatment will remove years of sun damage is unrealistic, but if you follow the product and treatment regimens we recommend at Genesis Medspa, we can guarantee you will have healthier, more beautiful skin!

Pigment removal is considered a cosmetic procedure and therefore will not be covered by most insurance companies. We do offer financing options to cover your costs. Just ask our staff and they will be glad to assist you.

We will be happy to schedule a consultation on pigment removal at the Genesis Medspa at your convenience. We are excited to tell you how we can help you!