Sun Damage Skin - Laser Skin Pigmentation Treatment

Having enjoyed the sunshine during the summer months, many people will now be seeing the after effects it has on their complexion, especially in regards to uneven skin pigmentation. Yes the sun has its benefits, it can be great for getting rid of acne spot for example, but it has a lot of downsides especially the aggravation of brown pigmentation in the face and body.

The reason for this is that the pigment producing cells (Melanocytes) are stimulated very easily by UV light, something the sun has an awful lot of. Once this stimulation occurs, melanin is over-produced and forms in an uneven pattern of patchy pigmentation on the skin. The best prevention for this is a simple one, sun block! Of course this is prevention and won’t help if you’ve already made that mistake of going out unprotected.

Now not all skin pigmentation is caused by sun damage, such as Melasma, which is hormonal, Chloasma, which occurs during pregnancy and Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH), which is caused after some kind of damage or trauma to the skin followed by exposure to the sun. However for now we will talk about sun damage pigmentation and how it can be treated.

This is a very common occurrence in lighter skin types. It appears as freckles or brown spots of pigment, often known as sun spots or liver spots, on the back of hands, face, neck and decollete.

This type of pigmentation has no pattern or symmetry to it; in fact, it follows a pattern dictated by the side most exposed to the sun which in the UK is the right-hand side. A study conducted on American truck drivers found their most sun damaged side was the left side, in particular the face and arm, as a result of driving with their arm resting on the open window of the truck door.

This form of skin pigmentation responds well to chemical peels but it also responds well to laser therapy.

This laser skin pigmentation treatment utilises Intense Pulse Light (IPL). IPL is a well known method of hair removal and very popular in many beauty salons and cosmetic clinics. When the hair is removed, the IPL is attracted by the dark colour of the hair bulb; following the same logic, the light is attracted by all red and browns on the face or body provided there is a good enough contrast between these colour and the background skin tone.

The problem with people who want this treatment to remove the irregular pigmentation is that they are often sun worshippers, those who spend all their time in the sun getting a tan without the right protection. Now these people can be treated, but treatment cannot occur until their tan has completely faded, or else the laser cannot pick up the contrasting colours of the skin and the pigmentation.

With the right assessment of the particular type of pigmentation and the right treatment applied, very rewarding results can be achieved. There are many reputable clinics that offer laser skin pigmentation treatment such as Glancey Medical with clinics located in London and Essex, who can advise you on your skin pigmentation condition and how to best treat it.