Are these hypopigmentation spots ever going to fade?? (photos)

Question

Hi, i got laser hair removal done on both my arms 3 weeks ago, and unfortunately, i got burned. The spots at first were dark, but they peeled off and are white now. I have medium to tan skin. I wanted to know if these are permanent, and what i could do to help them get back to normal. I am so worried that they will stay permanent. Please help

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

I have found the best treatments for this are a combination.  You can get improvement with Fraxel or viva and microneedling with PRP.  I suggest only seeing an expert as skin care and sun protection will be essential as well.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and I am sorry this happened to you. The pigmentation will improve over time. The laser needed to be adjusted to your skin type to prevent such burns. I recommend having a consultation with a skin expert. Best of Luck!

Hardik Soni, MD · Answer

I am sorry this has happened to you. The pigmentation will over time improve but might not return to normal. The laser needed to be adjusted to your skin type as your skin is fairly tan. There is no known procedure that returns pigmentation to the skin. Please consult with an expert in skin care.

Steven F. Weiner, MD · Answer

I'm sorry this has happened to you. The pigmentation will gradually improve but it might never return to normal. Your skin is fairly tan and the laser needed to be adjusted for this or not treat at all. It is a shame that the operator continued to treat you without looking at the areas previous treated. There is some evidence that microneedling and applying Latisse has helped. Possibly PRP as Dr. Emer suggested. Good luck.

Elizabeth Damstetter, MD · Answer

This is very unfortunate. It seems that the burns you experienced from the laser hair removal procedure have left you with areas of diminished/absent melanin. It is extremely important that no laser procedures be performed while your skin has an active tan. These spots should eventually return to near-normal, however the damage to the melanocytes (pigment-producing skin cells) could take months to years to recover. I am not aware of any procedure that restores pigmentation to this broad of a surface area, and you should be wary of any claims to the contrary. Please consult with an expert in skin care and skin repair. My strongest recommendation is to seek care from a board-certified dermatologist..

Are these hypopigmentation spots ever going to fade?? (photos)

Answers (6)