One of the most stubborn barriers to youthful, glowing skin is the appearance of splotchy hyper-pigmentation. This can come in the form of sun spots, acne scars, or a common condition called melasma. In all forms, these sun spots can be difficult to fade and are hard to avoid as they are often caused by hormones or cumulative sun exposure. Instead of gradually getting lighter, these sun spots often worsen as we age because the skin stops producing new cells. When skin is exposed to sunlight, specific things happen to the skin at all levels; a biochemical pathway is activated, resulting in the production of a pigment called melanin that acts to protect your skin cells from further damage by UV rays. Melanin can be passed from one area to another, resulting in uneven skin tone. Proper sun protection can prevent this from happening- nothing looks more beautiful in your fifties than sun protection in your twenties! If you are seeking to reverse sun damage or target general hyper-pigmentation, we offer a variety of cutting edge treatments. Dr. Day and her team can resurface the skin and give you a brighter, more even tone by combining light and laser devices with chemical rejuvenation. Patients can complement these treatments with brightening creams that contain ingredients such as hydroquinone or tranexemic acid.
Fraxel
Fraxel treatments involve the application of fractional laser energy to create micro-injuries in the skin and stimulate regeneration. This works to swap damaged, pigmented skin for new layers of smooth, even skin by bringing new layers to the surface.
The intense pulsed light emitted from our state of the art M22 Lumenis device effectively treats a range of hyper-pigmentation issues. The broad-spectrum light heats and destroys brown spots, sun spots, and melasma, uncovering brighter and more rejuvenated skin.
Dr. Day will apply a specially formulated blend of powerful brightening agents, stimulating your skin to peel. The hydroquinone and retinoid ingredients used are powerful brighteners and exfoliators. The damaged, discolored layers of skin (including sun spots!) will begin to peel 2-3 days after the in-office application, leaving behind brightened, rejuvenated skin. Patients can expect stimulation of collagen, improvement of skin tone and texture, and the diminishment of fine lines and hyper-pigmentation.
ResurFX is a non-ablative fractional laser, meaning it can emit powerful light energy without visibly damaging the outer layer of skin. The fact that it is a fractional device means that it emits energy in a dotted pattern that leaves some skin undamaged, resulting in less discomfort and downtime. The laser is applied to create controlled thermal damage and micro-injuries. As these micro-injuries heal, new collagen and elastin are produced, resulting in resilient, glowing skin.
Micro-needling can either be chemical free or can be enhanced with the use of skin enriching topicals. The treatment encourages the skin to heal itself by creating micro-channels with a pen consisting of several small needles. This induces surface bleeding and stimulates the body's innate healing response. After approximately a week, the old layer of skin will begin to peel off, leaving behind a rejuvenated layer that is free of hyper-pigmentation, sun spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars.
Fractional resurfacing provides one of Dr. Day's most comprehensive treatments. Surface level imperfections, such as sun damage and brown spots, along with deeper skin problems, such as wrinkles and scars, can all be effectively treated with this complete resurfacing treatment. For this reason, Dr. Day loves combining two systems and recommends TotalFX for the majority of patients interested in resurfacing. That being said, your specific protocol will depend on your individual goals and areas of concern, which will be addressed by Dr. Day and her team.