Whether it's addressing melasma, hyperpigmentation, or other concerns, our dermatologists offer personalized solutions. Treatment options include specialized creams, cutting-edge laser treatments, and rejuvenating peels designed to diminish discoloration and restore your skin's natural tone and texture.
Severe or persistent dark spots can often be treated using an in-office procedure. There are multiple treatments, and your dermatologist can recommend the best option to help fix an uneven skin tone.
It depends on the cause. If a medical condition is causing the skin discoloration, treating the underlying issue may fix the skin discoloration. If the skin problems or moles are cancerous, you'll need surgery to remove areas of your skin or begin radiation therapy or other cancer treatment.
This is an umbrella term used to refer to any modified skin pigmentation. Two basic forms of skin discoloration include hyperpigmentation, where more melanin is produced and leaves darker patches of skin, and hypopigmentation, where less melanin is produced leaving lighter areas on your skin.
Depending on the cause of your hyperpigmentation, some medications can be prescribed by your dermatologist. Intense-pulsed light treatment is used for treating melasma using a broad spectrum of light to generate heat to target and remove pigment.
Hyperpigmentation causes patches of skin to become darker than the surrounding skin. It occurs when the skin produces excess melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.
Three common types of hyperpigmentation include: Sunspots, age spots, liver spots, or solar lentigines. These are different names for spots that develop because of one thing—sun exposure. Sunspots are most likely to pop up on areas that are commonly exposed to the sun, such as your face and hands.
Topical therapy is the recommended first-line treatment, with the gold standard being hydroquinone, which can be used alone or in combination with other agents.
Vitiligo is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color. This happens when melanocytes – skin cells that make pigment – are attacked and destroyed, causing the skin to turn a milky-white color.
If OTC remedies aren't helping, it's time to call in the pros. Dermatologists consider products with hydroquinone, alone or combined with other lighteners, to be the gold standard for fading dark spots because it slows the production of pigment.
It is essential to see a doctor if any new discolored patches of skin appear or if existing moles change in any way. This helps to make early diagnosis and treatment possible, which often leads to a better outlook.
However, you can improve your natural complexion and skin tone by following these tips: Consistently use sunscreen to prevent tanning and damage. Consume foods rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Regular cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing can improve skin texture and brightness.
CO2 laser resurfacing has been successfully used to treat wrinkles and scars as well as other benign skin growths such as warts, birthmarks, rhinophyma (enlarged oil glands on the nose), and other skin conditions. Recovery time with CO2 laser resurfacing is up to two weeks.
Look into a mirror in natural light. Artificial lighting can alter the appearance of your natural skin colour. Notice the colour of the skin along your jawline or behind your ear. These areas typically tend to show your skin tone in its purest form, without any redness or discolouration that could get in the way.
As sun exposure worsens hyperpigmentation it is important to protect the skin with sunscreen on a daily basis. Treatment often begins with a skin care regimen composed of a daily sunscreen, moisturizers, and skin care brighteners.
Topical therapies (creams and lotions applied to the skin) are the most common treatment option for hyperpigmentation. Combination therapy, in which multiple topical treatments are used together, is usually most effective in treating hyperpigmentation. The most common cause of hyperpigmentation is sun exposure.
Retinol benefits the skin in many ways – by stimulating cell turnover, renewing the skin, reducing sebum production and has even been proven to lighten some forms of pigmentation over time. This has resulted in retinol being increasingly touted as a solution for many skin conditions including hyperpigmentation.
How long does it take for hyperpigmentation to fade? Once what's causing the dark spots or patches is found and stopped, fading can take time. A spot that is a few shades darker than your natural skin color will usually fade within 6 to 12 months. If the color lies deep in your skin, however, fading can take years.
In the case of pigmentation, the melanin production is in balance, leading to an even and natural skin tone. However, with hyperpigmentation, there is an overproduction of melanin in specific areas, resulting in darker patches or spots.
A number of factors can trigger an increase in melanin production, but the main ones are sun exposure, hormonal influences, age and skin injuries or inflammation. Sun exposure is the number one cause of hyperpigmentation as it's sunlight that triggers the production of melanin in the first place.
Call your health care provider for an appointment if you have: Skin discoloration that causes significant concern. Persistent, unexplained darkening or lightening of the skin. Any skin sore or lesion that changes shape, size, or color may be a sign of skin cancer.