Melasma


Melasma is a common condition of skin discoloration that causes brown and gray-brown spots that are usually on the face. It can be treated with different techniques including:

Hydroquinone creams, lotions or gel to lighten the skin

Tretinoin and corticosteroids that enhance the skin lightening process when they are used in conjunction with hydroquinone

In-office procedures such as a chemical peel, microdermabrasion, dermabrasion are placed on the discoloration to lighten it

Targeted laser therapy works to lighten a specific area targeted by the laser

Ideal candidates for melasma treatment are healthy individuals suffering from discoloration or hyperpigmentation that is located primarily on the face. The pigmentation occurs in patterns including centrofacial (center of the face), malar (cheekbones) and mandibular (jawbone). The treatment is also suitable for patients who want to improve the tone and texture of the skin.

The cost depends on the type of treatment performed by the doctor, the number of treatments, how much of the skin is treated, severity of the condition, fees charged by the doctor or the facility and the geographic location of the procedure. Hydroquinone treatments are $40-$200 while tretinoin and corticosteroid costs from $50-$150.  In-office procedures can run from $100-$1000 for chemical peels and $1500-$2500 for dermabrasion or microdermabrasion. A laser treatment runs from $500-$1250.

 Any of the procedures work to restore the skin to its original texture and tone. The amount of downtime needed depends on the procedure and the amount of work performed in the patient. The final results are long lasting but follow-up treatments will be needed to maintain the results.

Halo Hybrid Fractional Laser

Halo Hybrid Fractional Laser

submitted on   Wed Jun, 15, 2016 by Aric Aghayan, MD     
Halo hybrid fractional laser is a skin laser that delivers ablative and non-ablative wavelengths of laser energy at the same time. Ablative lasers, like CO2 and Erbium, vaporize the outer skin layers to effectively resurface and rejuvenate the skin. Non-ablative technologies like Fraxel laser...