Skin Tone (Color) Changes
Uneven skin tone (coloration) robs us of our smooth, youthful appearance, and, in severe cases, can affect our self esteem. Abnormal skin coloration can be a result of genetic conditions, sun exposure and other environmental factors, hormone changes, and some are even present from birth. And all skin types are susceptible, even darker skin tones. Correcting and evening out skin tone is a foundational part of slowing the aging process.
What Causes Changes in Skin Tone and Color?
Sun exposure creates “sun spots”, also called solar lentigines. These light- to medium brown spots appear in areas of the most sun exposure, primarily the face, decollette, arms and legs. They are a defensive effect of the skin increasing the pigmentation to protect itself, and are evidence of damage from UV radiation from the sun.
Genetic conditions can range from minor birth marks to extreme abnormal pigmentation. These conditions can be brown, blue, grey or reddish coloration. Nevus of Ota and nevus of Ito are typically present from birth and are prevalent in Asian populations. Port wine stains are also present from birth and, when on the face, can be disfiguring.
Hormonal changes (pregnancy, menopause) can cause abnormal pigmentation in the skin as well. The most common of these is melasma, a chronic condition that causes irregular brown pigmentation on the face. It can affect even darker skin tones and tends to fluctuate based on temperature, stress, and other factors. Melasma is a complicated condition, and has pigment, vascular and inflammatory components. Lasers can be a very effective means of reducing melasma pigment, but the effects are not long-term. Other treatments include topical and oral tranexamic acid and hydroquinone. Melasma requires repeated treatments to keep in check, and treatment should be performed only by experienced practitioners.
Vascular lesions are another type of skin coloration issue. Vascular conditions include rosacea, spider veins and cherry angiomas. Treating vascular lesions requires a laser that targets hemoglobin without damaging the surrounding tissue.
How Do We Treat Skin Tone Concerns at Esslinger Medical and Aesthetics?
Medical grade skin care products can make a difference, particularly for brown pigmentation. Products containing hydroquinone, tranexemic acid, kojic acid and niacinamide (Vitamin B9) are an essential part of treating and managing brown pigmentation.
Some pigmented lesions can be permanently removed, while others require chronic long-term management. At Esslinger Medical & Aesthetics, we have all the tools we need to manage pigment in every skin type, from light caucasian to dark brown. We pride ourselves on our ability to treat skin of color, and we have purposely sought out treatment techniques to cater to darker skin tones as well as lighter ones.
Key treatments:
- PicoSure Pro
- Clarity II
- LaseMD Ultra
- IPL
- Medical-grade skin care
