| LASER
REMOVAL FOR BROWN SPOT AND SUN DAMAGE
What
is a Brown Spot?
Brown
spots are sun damaged areas that are also called
"age spots", "liver spots"
and "lentigines." These are localized
collections of pigment within the top layers of
the skin.
These
are more common as a person ages. The most common
areas are the hands and the face, but the arms
and legs may also have these spots.
How
may brown spots be removed?
The
brown spots can be removed with creams containing
Retin A, Alpha-hydroxy acids and Vitamin C. They
also may be removed with chemical peels and lasers.
Laser is very effective in treating the brown
spots, especially deeper and darker spots.
Nd:
YAG Laser
The
YAG has become the standard brown spot removal
laser. Nd: YAG laser has many types currently
available, but only the Q-switched lasers are
effective at removing brown spots. Although this
laser may emit several colors of laser light,
the green light wavelength is most effective at
removing brown spots.
The
Treatment
The
brown areas are quickly treated using the Nd:YAG
and they immediately develop a white color. This
will later turn into a small scab. Usually only
one treatment is needed. After one week on the
face and up to two weeks on the hands, the scabs
will fall off. There may be a light red discoloration
for several weeks, but this will also resolve,
leaving healthy new skin in its place.
The
only expected side effects are scabbing at the
site of the treatment. There may be some slight
changes in the color of the skin after the treatments,
but this usually returns to normal after several
months.
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