Laser, Obagi Nuderm, or Skin Medica Lytera? (photo)

In order to achieve the results you desire, it would be to your benefit to pursue a multi-layer approach. In office treatments coupled with an appropriate home care regimen  and CONSISTENCY are key to achieving your skin care goals. Obagi Nu-Derm is a great starter(and maintenance) home care regimen that will address pigment and provide improvement in your overall tone and texture.  In office, we often combine IPL treatments with nonablative fractional laser resurfacing to address the pigment and texture in a single treatment. A series of 3-5 treatments(based on your degree of desired correction) will yield optimal results.  Pigment and texture issues require maintenance since pigment has memory and the aging process does not stop. Therefore, discuss with your practitioner a maintenance program tailored to your concerns and lifestyle(i.e. a series of chemical peels, microneedling, Vit C treatments, etc).Remember, CONSISTENCY in home care, in-office treatments and communication between you and your physician(or aesthetician) will allow for treatment modifications to help you achieve your best results as you progress towards your skin care goals. 

It looks like you are struggling with some hyper-pigmentation (dark spots), I would recommend the Obaji Nu-Derm System. It is targeted specifically for hyper-pigmentation. Obaji Nu-Derm Clear has 4% hydroquinone which fights against dark spots and helps bring your skin back to life by giving you a more even skin tone. Also, making sure that you are using SPF daily to not only protect your skin from harmful UV rays but to prevent your current dark sports from darkening. Sun Shield Matte Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is included in the Obaji Nu-Derm System, this SPF in particular protects against UVA and UVB rays. This product also gives you a matte finish that most SPF products do not, and MUST importantly this product in non-comedogenic which mean it will not clog your pores.

Our office specializes in IPL facials in Los Angeles. We use
a combination protocol for our photofacials that includes application of creams
before and after the photofacial session. The combination of IPL + creams
allows for a more definitive improvement in surface sun damage, complexion,
photoaging, and solar lentigenes.

 

Photofacials help improve brown discoloration and broken
capillaries that cause surface redness on the skin. Brown discoloration can
further be improved with application of Melarase creams twice daily (Melarase
AM and Melarase PM).

 

Downtime is relatively minimal compared to other treatments.
Our office employs the Limelight technology and we feel this is an excellent
modality in terms of its safety and efficacy.

 

Best,

 

Dr. Karamanoukian Los Angeles

We like IPL, Obagi and SkinMedica's Lytera but also recommend Clear+Brilliant Laser, Fraxel Dual and SkinMedica Vitalize Peels to lighten pigmentation.  There are pro's and con's to each.  Obagi Nu Derm, for example, has way too many steps for most people and is very costly, so we are now recommending Lytera which achieved equal results in a head-to-head study with Obagi, but with only 2 steps and less than half the cost for a kit.  We recommend all our patients who wish to lighten pigmentation treat at home with either a hydroquinone product such as Obagi, or with Lytera, either by itself or to prepare for and then maintain after an in office treatment.  We also like Elure Lightening Lotion to breakdown pigmentation, if a treatment is not being done in the office.  

Treatments in addition to products like BBL photofacials and SkinMedica's Lytera are great plans for hyper-pigmentation.  For tone and texture, you may want to look in to laser resurfacing or micro-needling (dermapen) for better results. Penetrating the skin on a deeper, more aggresive level assuming you are the correct skin tone, may be a quicker route for better skin.Dr. Ritacca