Pigmented lesion, solar lentigo, solar lentigines, age spots, liver spots, sun damage - there are lots of names for wee brown marks that pop up on your face or hands as you clock up the years
There are a number of different ways to treat these, but we tend to use a Q-Switched Green laser for focal areas, and Erbium laser facial if you have a lot of fine pigmentation scattered across your face.
These tend to go without too much drama in 1 to 3 treatments
Please note, we do not attempt to remove freckles or moles. These have a high risk of going darker on treatment
How long will pigmentation removal take and how much will it cost?
Pigmented lesions normally respond in 1 to 3 treatments. Please see Prices for a guide to costs.
Why is the Highland Laser Clinic Technology better than other systems?
We have several modalities to choose from to remove pigmented lesions. Normally we choose to use a green Q-Switched laser. Our Q-Switch platform is of very high quality and power.
Q-Switched green is a parameter which deserves a high degree of respect and caution, and we use it carefully to get the response you want without causing unwanted side effects. It’s easy to perform these procedures badly.
For more diffuse signs of sun damage we recomend our Erbium CoolPeel laser facial.
Can you get rid of my pigmentation?
Probably. Fairly light coloured lesions often respond in a single treatment. Darker sun damage may take more sessions.
Will my pigmentation come back again?
Possibly. It is common for darker pigmented lesions to reoccur again to some extent a few weeks after treatment, but they will come back lighter than before and will respond further to additional treatments.
Pigmented lesions are symptomatic of cumulative sun damage and are common amongst people who live an outdoor lifestyle. Further sun exposure is likely to cause more pigmented lesions. The best way to prevent against them is to use a physical/mineral sunblock and hats
Can you treat me when I have a sun tan?
Unfortunately not. If we try to remove excess melanin in your pigmented lesions when you have extra melanin in the surrounding skin from a sun tan, there is a risk we could leave lighter patches. We need you looking pasty.
I have darker areas around my mouth and cheeks that appeared during pregnancy. Can you make these go away?
This sounds like melasma. It’s complex to treat and requires a combined approach of topical treatment and laser. We can help, but we would refer you to a friendly aesthetic nurse to manage the topical treatment side of things. Get in touch for more information.
I have an Asian or other non-caucasian skin type and have some darker areas on my face I would like addressed. Can you help?
This is a very specialised area for a Highland clinic. There are operators who make it their life’s work to address this concern using a variety of techniques. They tend to be glamorous lady doctors and operate in major urban areas. We would respectfully decline to treat these cases as being outwith of our skillset.
Does it hurt?
There is a bit of discomfort intrinsic in any laser procedure, but this treatment is definitely very mild. We use the laser at a very superficial level to target excess pigmentation on the surface of your skin. A sensation akin to being gently flicked with a rubber band is commonly described.
How long does it take to heal after treatment?
Recovery generally takes 1 to 2 weeks. The treated area will immediately go much darker than before, and so will look worse before it looks better.
This darker area is mostly denatured melanin which forms a slight crust on the surface of your skin. This should be allowed to flake away in its own time revealing lighter skin underneath.
Pre Treatment Advice
For 4 to 6 weeks prior to treatment
• Avoid strong sun exposure, tanning beds, and self-tan. We cannot
treat tanned skin.
1 week before treatment
• Avoid microdermabrasion and chemical peels on the treatment area.
On the day of treatment
• Wear accessible clothing for the treatment area.
• Avoid swimming in chlorinated water beforehand.
• Ensure you are well-hydrated and have eaten. Avoid alcohol, hangovers, and working a night shift before treatment.
• If suitable, you may take paracetamol an hour before treatment for
discomfort (if safe for you)
• PLEASE DO NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF PRODUCT ON THE AREA TO BE TREATED ON THE DAY OF TREATMENT, INCLUDING FAKE TAN AND MAKEUP
Post Treatment Advice
First 48 Hours
• The treated lesion will darken significantly.
• Do not pick, scratch or otherwise irritate the treated area
• Use a low tech moisturiser on the area, such as E45 cream
• Avoid all heat treatments including hot baths, saunas, steam rooms and hot showers directly onto the treated area(s)
• No swimming in chlorinated water
• Do not use Retinoids, AHA’s, BHA’s or other intensive skin treatments
First Week
• The treated lesion will form micro-crusting that will naturally flake away.
• Do not pick or exfoliate. Allow the skin to heal on its own.
• Avoid microdermabrasion or peels
Up to 8 weeks post treatment
• It is normal for pigmented lesions to reappear slightly in the weeks following treatment, but they should be noticeably lighter than before.
• Use sun protection SPF30+
• Limit sun exposure and do not use tanning beds. If you are tanned we will be unable to repeat the treatment