Solar lentigines,
or sun-spots, are annoying brown splotches on sun-exposed areas such as
the tops of the hands, the forearms, chest, and face. Bleaching creams
with Retin-A, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and glycolic acid are very effective
when treating a few small lesions. Seborrheic keratoses (waxy, brown bumps
on the chest, face, and back) and skin-tags (tiny, annoying hanging pieces
of skin on the neck, back, and underarms) are spots on the body that are
sometimes difficult to treat, when there are too many of them. When the
spots are resistant to treatment or when there are too many to treat singly,
the Nd:YAG laser can be more cost-effective and successful in removing
them.
The Q-switched Nd:YAG
Laser is "magnetized" to the brown color of the spots on your skin. Its
special light passes right through the skin without damage, and delivers
its energy directly to the color-packets beneath the surface. These packets
are shattered into many smaller pieces and are removed by the body's collection
system.
It usually takes only
one treatment to remove the spots. When there are many spots to be done,
multiple treatments may be required. The sensation of the laser has been
compared to that of the sting of a rubber band on the skin; however, we
recommend that you use EMLA cream to numb the area before the procedure.
Local injections may be necessary. There may be some pin-point bleeding
after the procedure, but this will resolve during the night. The treated
spots will become darker over the next few days and slowly peel away to
clean, pink skin in about 2 weeks.
If you are interested
in this treatment, or have questions, please call the office to schedule
a consultation, or speak to your nurse. There is, as always,
no charge for the initial consultation visit.
Click here for more information concerning lasers for brown spot removal.
Before |
Immediately After | Two Weeks After |
|