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Spots and Scars on Legs and Thighs: Will Skin Peeling Remove Them?

asked 1 year ago by Tola
Latest answer by Elizabeth F. Rostan, MD
Question viewed 887 times
Tags: legs, thighs, dark spots, mosquito bite, red spot, scar, sore, spots

whenever i am bitten by mosquitoes, i would get a red bump which will later turn into a sore. after that sore is heal it would leave a very dark spot. i have a lot of them now and fell very uncomfortable wearing certain type of clothing that will expose them. my dermatologist suggested skin peeling so i would like to know if it will remove them. thanks for your advice.

3 answers to Spots and Scars on Legs and Thighs: Will Skin Peeling Remove Them?

+1

Pigmentation on legs

I love the responses from the other dermatologists and completely agree with their opinions on this challenging condition. I usually recommend a lotion containing some type of mild exfoliatiant such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid or urea or a combination of those. Tretinoin can also be helpful but is more expensive and can be a bit irritating. I have seen nice results using these creams but it takes a long time - many months.
Elizabeth F. Rostan, MD

Charlotte Dermatologist
+1

Spots and scars on legs and thighs.

The legs very easily hyperpigment due to trauma, insect bites and the like.  Often what looks like scarring is just "postinflammatory hyperpigmentation" which is pigment that occurs with skin healing.  This problem can take a great deal of time to resolve.  I prefer to avoid any aggressive peels or laser treatments because of the risk of additional postinflammatory pigmentation as a result of the procedure.  You might consider one or more of the following: a... more
Bryan K. Chen, MD

San Diego Dermatologist
+1

Pigmentation from bug bites/scratching

The problem you have is called "post inflammatory hyperpigmentation", and is a very difficult problem to fix particularly on the legs.  Pigmentation in this area can often last 2 years or longer.  First of all, every time you get a bite, apply hydrocortisone and a bandaid to keep from scratching.  For the spots that are already there, and are healed, try a prescription cream, hydroquinone, just to the spots twice a day.  You can also use a glycolic acid... more
Madeline Krauss, MD

Boston Dermatologic Surgeon

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