Hyperpigmentation Specialist

What is hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation is a common skin issue that’s strictly cosmetic. If you have it, patches of your skin look darker in color than the rest of your skin because of too much melanin production. Melanin is a pigment that gives your skin its tone. 

You can get hyperpigmentation regardless of your age and natural skin color, and the patches or spots usually appear in areas most exposed to the sun. That includes your face, arms, neck, chest, and legs. Inflammatory hyperpigmentation, however, appears after injuries or inflammatory skin conditions and doesn’t always appear in sun-exposed areas. 

If you don’t like the way your skin looks because of some form of hyperpigmentation, there are several options for treatment at the Dermatology Center. Your dermatologist finds the underlying cause and recommends a treatment after examining the skin. 

What causes hyperpigmentation?

There are lots of different behaviors and conditions that can cause hyperpigmented spots and patches. Various diseases can also lead to an uptick in melanin production within the skin. Before treating your hyperpigmentation, your dermatologist at the Dermatology Center considers common causes like:

• Excess sun exposure
• Pregnancy
• Other hormone fluctuations
• Certain medications
• Chemotherapy
• Addison’s disease
• Inflammation or trauma to the skin
  
  

Not all hyperpigmentation is preventable, but wearing sunscreen every day can lower your overall chances of getting it. You can take other steps to protect your skin from the sun, too, like wearing full-coverage clothing or staying out of the sunlight when possible. 

How is hyperpigmentation treated?

The Dermatology Center specializes in treating hyperpigmentation with noninvasive in-office treatments, as well as product recommendations and prescriptions to add to your skin care routine. 

Your dermatologist monitors you as they treat your hyperpigmentation and can move on to more intensive treatments if their initial recommendations aren’t working to even out your skin tone. Options include:

• Fraxel® laser treatment
• Lumecca intense pulsed light (IPL)
• Retinoids
• Hydroquinone
• Vitamin C
• Azelaic acid
• Corticosteroids
• Kojic acid
  
  

If you opt for a light-based therapy like Fraxel laser treatment, you need several treatment sessions to see a difference in your skin tone. Your dermatologist tells you how many treatments you need and how to care for your skin between them for the best possible results. 

Hyperpigmentation like age spots or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation shouldn’t concern you, but you might not like the way it looks. To set up a hyperpigmentation treatment consultation, call the Dermatology Center, or click the online booking tool today.