Brown Spots on Face - are these spots fixable? (photos)

Question

I had a full series of both IPL and BBL in the hopes of reducing brown spots and redness on my face. I do see a reduction in the redness, although I still have some broken capillaries on my cheeks. But the biggest issue for me is that the brown spots appear unchanged, or only minimally lighter, and I believe my practitioners used strong settings. I've been told I'm a perfect candidate for BBL because of my very white Irish skin, but is there something else I should try? Are these spots fixable?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser.  Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads can seriously improve surface sun damage and UV related pigmentation. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.  
Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Kian Karimi, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you so much for providing these helpful photos. I agree that you are a great candidate for the Broad Band Light (BBL) laser. Often, this laser is used conjointly with a hydroquinone, kojic acid, tretinoin, and hydrocortisone compounding cream that will prime the skin for optimal results. The cream has a “bleaching” effect on the skin and would be prescribed by the practitioner since it is pharmaceutically compounded. Notably, multiple laser treatments are recommended for optimal results. For more information, I recommend completing multiple in office consultations with certified experts to discuss your aesthetic goals. This way, they can better assess your face and create an ideal treatment plan for you. Best of luck, Kian Karimi MD, FACS

Brown Spots on Face - are these spots fixable? (photos)

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Brown Spots on Face - are these spots fixable? (photos)

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