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

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