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| Oak
Vassar Medical Building |
Toll
Free: (800) 357-0095 Office: (434) 384-0610 Cosmetic Surgery: (434) 384-8831 |
Chronic sun exposure causes changes to the skin, resulting in “photodamage”. Some of these changes include changes in the pigmentation of the skin. Long-standing sun exposure commonly results in the formation of brown spots (sunspots, agespots, and freckles) on the face and hands. The laser emits a specific wavelength of light that targets the pigment in brown spots. The light is absorbed by the pigment in the pigment-producing cells of the skin. The absorbed light energy is converted to heat energy, which disrupts the pigment.
Best Candidates
The best candidates are for light-skinned patients with dark brown spots.
The laser is less-effective with lightly pigmented brown spots.
Planning your
procedure
In an initial consultation, your physician will determine if you are a good
candidate for laser treatments, based on your skin type and the degree of
pigmentation of the brown spots. You will be asked to refrain from tanning
bed use for one month prior to treatment.
The procedure
After a skin preparation, you will undergo treatment with the CynosureTM
Apogee 5500 alexandrite laser. The duration of treatment varies based on the
areas to be treated. Typical treatments of the face take 10-15 minutes. Most
patients describe the treatments as mild pin pricks or rubber band snaps to
the skin. To alleviate the sensations, a SmartCoolTM cooling system provides
a cool air jet to the treatment surface.
After the procedure
Typically patients develop a superficial ash or scab with a surrounding area
of redness. These may persist for several days to a week. Once the area heals,
the brown spot has usually lightened or disappeared completely. Because of
the variability in the degree to which the brown spots respond to the laser
treatment, multiple treatments may be necessary.
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