Brown Spots on Face Treatment Advice

An IPL ( intense pulsed light) device would be best since it would be more effective, less expensive, less risky, and give you less downtime than a laser. An IPL which gives off light in the green part of the visible light spectrum (550 nanometers) would be the most apt. It treats both the vascular problems, rosacea, and brown spots. A number of companies make excellent IPL machines including the Sciton IPL, the Palomar LuXG, Alma's Harmony and Cutera Limelight.

Drs. Seckel and Goldberg are two of the foremost authorities in Laser Medicine. I FULLY agree with their posts. I too agree that Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is the answer to your brown spots, some freckling, broken capillaries and red blotches. I prefer the Sction IPL - termed BBL (BroadBand Light) which allows rapid skin cooling and protection with two heads making the treatment of brown spots, freckling, capillaries and red blotches MUCH easier. You may want to look Sciton BBL on YouTube... more

IPL or Intense Pulsed Light, not laser resurfacing is the best choice to treat brown spots, vessels and Rosacea of the face. Lasers can remove brown spots and vessels, but are stronger, more irritating treatments and can cause Rosacea to flare. IPL, also called photofacial treatments in the 550-650nm wavelength range are excellent and gentle and will help Rosacea as well as pigment and vessels

There is no one machine best for everything. Treating brown spots either with a Q-switched laser or an intense pulsed light (IPL) source can be used. With a Q-switched laser, fewer treatments are required but there is some treatment-associated downtime. In the end, both of these devices can work for the treatment of brown spots but there is no machine perfect for everything you have described. In terms of the energy required from the machine, the same Q-switched laser from different... more

Both a series of IPLs and chemical peels are needed to remove brown spots, red blotches and dull skin. Usually I perform both an IPL treatment and a light TCA chemical peel at the same visit and do a series of 5 treatments about 2 weeks apart for good results for roughly $3000 for the series. Your skin will look great and healthy with no down time. Sincerely, David Hansen,MD

I will completely agree that the best laser for what you have is IPL which also has no recovery and virtually no risk. You need a series of treatments but the benefits will be very visible.

The VersiPulse laser will treat many of your concerns (brown spots, broken capillaries, and to some degree the rosacea) at different wavelengths. I would suggest pre-laser treatment with at least Retin-A, of not the entire Obagi skin program. This will improve your laser results and may take care of some of your concerns alone.

The treatment of your sun spots, capillaries, dull skin, and rosacea is fairly easy. There are many different lasers and skin care products that can treat them. IPL, fraxel, lasers for spider veins/capillaries, skin care lines like Obagi, all can treat these varying problems. You really need to go in for a consultation.