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Will Dark Brown Patches Created After Elos Treatment Fade?‏ (photo)

Hi, about 4 weeks ago I had a skin rejuvenation treatment (elos laser)to lighten what appear to be solar lentigines(?)on my face. It took 6 days to recover(darkening,crusting,flaking) but then my skin looked better with the spots significantly faded. However, approx 2 wks after the treatment the spots started to appear back but now I also have two darker brown patches on each cheek. I took all precautions posttreatment(avoid sun, SPF30+ etc). What could have caused these and will they fade?

Doctor Answers 2

January 16th, 2012

Laser treatment for dark spots

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Hello,

Sidney Australia=lots of sun. Thanks for writing. We know you guys get lots of sun!

Be patient. Some treatments take several treatments to see good results. Make sure your sunscreen is being reapplied several times a day and that you also stay in the shade.


Nashville Dermatologic Surgeon

January 30th, 2012

Solar lentigos are hard to treat, be patient

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Solar lentigos are hard to treat, but be patient. My assumption of what's happening is that the brown is actually raising to the surface, which is why you can see it again. Some of the more surface area of it was removed with the treatment, now more of what was underneath is actually rising to the surface. As you undergo each treatment you will see this happen again and again. While it can be frustrating to see, it's actually pulling the pigment layers up and up, which will overall help lighten them and break up the solar lentigos more and more with each treatment. Be patient, undergo your treatments, use your sunscreen, and you will see better and better results over the coming months.

F. Victor Rueckl, MD
*Treatment results may vary

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