Everyone looks forward to having flawless skin; however, only a few people happen to attain the same. The factors, such as dark spots, acne, wrinkles, and other skin issues, disrupt the overall radiance, making your skin look older and duller than ever. Dark spots or hyperpigmentation has become one of the most common skin issues among people these days. The condition occurs as a result of the overproduction of melanin, a pigment that gives color to your eyes, skin, and hair.
There are several causes of dark spots – genetic, hormonal changes, exposure to the sun, not taking proper care of the skin, using the wrong chemicals, aging of the skin, and so on. Depending on the type and severity of your dark spots, you can choose from among the following methods and get rid of them once and for all.
Here are some dermatological techniques that help remove dark spots and maintain flawless skin.
Chemical Peel
Chemical peeling is one of the most popular skin treatments that address various concerns, including acne and dark spots. Unlike their name suggests, the procedure doesn’t include the use of chemicals that peel off your skin. These peels contain acids and other compounds applied to your face as a mask. Over a week, the peel turns over the top layers of your dead skin, thus offering exfoliation. The new layer so formed is smooth and flawless.
You can talk to your dermatologist and schedule regular chemical peels, depending on the severity of your dark spots. They are also beneficial to reduce the appearance of acne scarring and wrinkles.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment has proven itself to be a boon in dermatology. It combines light and power technology to rejuvenate your skin. The laser treatment option works well for all kinds of dark spots, thus reducing pigmentation and retaining the original color of your skin.
This treatment works by delimiting a bright light through a laser. The dark spot absorbs light, allowing the spots to fade. After the procedure, new cells start growing, revealing smoother skin. A single session of laser treatment helps remove several dark spots from the skin. But if your damage is deeper, you may require more than one session to treat the same. Laser treatment is also effective in treating scars.
The two most common types of laser treatments include the following:
- Intense Pulsed Light
Also known as IPL, this treatment targets sun spots on the face and is considered a gold standard in dermatology for the treatment of dark spots caused by the sun. The procedure involves emitting a series of light-energy pulses toward unwanted sunspots and removing them.
- Fraxel Laser
Often considered the mother of all laser treatments, Fraxel laser helps to transform your skin completely. From sunspots to other issues of pigmentation, this procedure helps remove everything in one go. Fraxel can also turn the clock back by regenerating collagen growth.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a sought-after treatment used in the case of lighter and mild cases of hyperpigmentation. The treatment involves the use of an ablative material and a mechanical device. The combination scrubs off all the dead cells from the surface of the skin, removing dark spots and resulting in clean and flawless skin.
The mechanical device used for this procedure also offers suction throughout the process that promotes circulation. Besides removing dark spots, this treatment is also effective in targeting acne spots, fine lines, stretch marks, and wrinkles.
Microneedling
Microneedling is often confused with microdermabrasion; however, both treatments are different. The effects of microneedling last longer than microdermabrasion. This procedure involves using a device with several tiny needles attached to it. The role of the needles is to puncture the top layer of the skin. As the needles keep rolling on the surface of the skin, they rejuvenate the top layer, thereby reducing dark spots.
This procedure also helps in the production of collagen, which makes your skin tighter than before. Other skin issues that can be treated with microneedling include open pores, fine lines, wrinkles, etc. You can also ask the dermatologist about RF microneedling, where the needles enter the skin cool while letting out a radiofrequency current.
Do These Techniques Work Best on All Skin Types?
Different kinds of dark spot treatments work differently for each skin type. For people with fair skin, high-beam lasers and IPL therapy offer the best results. If you have a medium skin tone, your dermatologist will recommend microdermabrasion and chemical peels to do the needful. People with darker skin may get good results from microdermabrasion, lower-strength chemical peels, and some laser treatments.
Takeaway
Hyperpigmentation can be treated by the above-listed procedures. In addition, your dermatologist may also recommend topical treatments to reduce the dark spots from occurring. Talk to them about your requirements, and they will create the best treatment plan for your skin.