High Tech Spot Remover
As mentioned in the previous two articles, spots and stains on the skin are frustratingly difficult to remove. Even with the most invasive treatment – for instance a laser resurfacing – doctors won’t guarantee it will remove discoloration - in fact, for some skin types, deep peels may deepen discoloration.
There are two approaches which have pretty favorable results, and advances in technology and protocol have made them safe for most if not all skin types: IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and TCA (trichloracetic acid) Peels (but only when done in conjunction with pre- and post-peel protocols). In this article, we’ll discuss IPL, the newer 'high tech' option.
IPL (aka Fotofacial) uses intense flashes of certain light ranges (it’s not a LASER) to target skin ‘lesions’. The light used is attracted to color. Just like black will absorb sunlight and get hotter than white which reflects it, IPL light is absorbed by the brown of discoloration, and heats it up. As the brown spot becomes hotter, it is damaged or destroyed. Interesting, no?
There are a few downsides: it takes a series, usually five treatments, before patients are happy with the results (warning: many practices only bundle a series of three. This is so you don’t experience the sticker shock that can come with a series of five – almost all people need five).
Also, IPL is ideal for sun-induced discoloration, not so much for hormonally-induced hyperpigmentation. Because this treatment can't effect your hormonal balance, which is the underlying cause, the spot will be prompted to return.
If your discoloration is due to the hormonal ebbs and flows (e.g. melasma, or spots around the perimeter of your face you’ve noticed since menopause), your best bet would be a TCA peel and a regime that suppresses the tendency to hyperpigment. Your practitioner should be able to determine the cause – and it may well be you have both types.
If you have darker skin (African-American, Asian, Hispanic) IPL also may not be the best treatment for you. The machine will need to be turned down to insure you do not get burned - these are powerful pulses of light, and your natural pigment will absorb a lot of the heat. At lower intensities it will be safe, but the treatment just won’t be nearly as effective. There are some practices that may specialize in your skin type, and be more comfortable turning up the intensity, but most will be concerned about damage, and of course your unhappiness if any permanent mark is left. Again, the TCA peel and a supportive regime would probably be the better option.
Now to the upside: Fotofacials are generally non-invasive, so no need to go into hiding, although you can get some light scabbing. IPL also heats up the collagen and elastin in the dermis, and this prompts a little renewal, the benefits of which continue to manifest months after the final treatment. Whenever I saw a patient a year after she had completed her series, I would do a double take. It does give a glow.
As with any skin treatment, the results will be dependent upon how well you care for your skin during the series and after. Practicing safe sun is the best way to preserve your investment.
