I Am Going to Have a Full Bikini Laser Hair Removal, but I Have a Hyperpigmented Vagina and Inner Thighs?

Before you spend $$ on peels or IPL, try these topicals.
This is called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). 
I recommend Melarase AM and Melarase PM creams from Kare Skin as well as a broad spectrum sunblock like Spectrase. Bothe are from Kare Skin. Scler-x post inflammatory hyperigmentation relief complex is a great supplement to take as well. See link below. 
Spectrase is a wide spectrum sunblock SPF 50+that is also recommended to prevent ongoing inflammation. 

You definitely need to be sure that the laser is done by a professional who understands your problem and would use an appropriate laser at the appropriate stting  to minimize any discoloration.  It  terms of the hyperpigmentation, there are treatments available with appropriate bleaching creams.

Good  Luck.

Dear Suzanne,

 

It is very common for women to naturally have darker skin on the upper inner thighs and in the bikini areas. If my patients have a darker skin in the bikini as compared to other areas of their skin, I will turn the energy down on the laser when treating the bikini area. In some cases where the skin is significantly darker than the surrounding skin, I will switch from a long pulsed Alexandrite laser or other laser hair removal device to a long pulsed Nd:YAG laser which is safer for darker skin types. Your physician may also recommend a skin brightner be used before and in between treatments to decrease the risk of pigmentation following laser therapy. Finally, I would recommend seeing a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon whom is well versed in laser therapy for your treatments given your needs.

 

Best,

Jennifer Peterson, MD