White spots after laser burn with Cynosure Elite, will Vitix and Elocome help to heal this? (photos)

Question

I have got my leg and tummy burnt a month ago during the second session of hair removal with Cynosure Elite laser. I used Mebo cream, the burns healed and now that the crusts are gone I have white spots. I have been told to use Vitix cream during the night and Elocome during the day, to repigment the white spots. Please advise if this is the appropriate treatment and how long will it take to heal completely (weeks, months or years?). Many thanks in advance

Anna Avaliani, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and your photographs. You have hypo pigmentation as a side effect due to burns from laser treatment. Most likely the settings used for your skin tone were too high or wrong laser was used. My office offers LHR with Elite + and the machine has Alexandrite and Nd:Yag lasers. Dark skin tones can only have Nd:Yag laser and lower energy settings. It is possible that the skin can take up to 1 year before the pigment comes back, less commonly if severe damage  happened, the pigment may never come back because the pigment cells were destroyed. Based on the photographs, your burns were not severe, so there is a lot of hope. No cream will help you and the problem is deep down and it has to do with pigment cells not producing color. One very big mistake is trying to tan the area to try and even out the color. If you do this, it can cause the damage to be permanent. You need to avoid the sun all together for at least 1 year, making sure to wear SPF and reapply. I would suggest speaking with the provider you received the treatment with so they can examine your skin and give you the best options for reversing the pigmentation loss.

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and photographs. Unfortunately it is difficult to predict whether your skin will return to its normal pigmentation. Sometimes the pigment does return to normal, but depending on the laser used and the depth of the burn, the hypopigmentation can be long-lasting or irreversible. I recommend returning to your treating physician for an evaluation. All the best!

Hardik Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for
your question and photographs. Unfortunately it is difficult to predict whether
your skin will return to its normal pigmentation. Sometimes the pigment does
return to normal, but depending on the laser used and the depth of the burn,
the hypopigmentation can be long-lasting or irreversible. I recommend returning
to your treating physician for an evaluation. All the best!

White spots after laser burn with Cynosure Elite, will Vitix and Elocome help to heal this? (photos)

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White spots after laser burn with Cynosure Elite, will Vitix and Elocome help to heal this? (photos)

Answers (3)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Laser Hair Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.