Will a Vi Peel Get Rid of Melasma?

Melasma, or hyperpigmentation of the skin, is caused by a variety of factors, including hormones, genetics, sun exposure, scarring, and inflammatory skin conditions.

In most cases, melasma is a chronic condition that can be improved, but not cured. There are many effective treatments for melasma, including topical prescription and non-prescription medications, chemical peels, laser treatments, and avoidance of the sun.

Ironically, many of these same treatments that are used to treat melasma can also cause melasma. The discussion you have with your doctor about melasma should focus on ways to minimize melasma.

If you are considering any one specific treatment for melasma, you should have an in-depth discussion with your physician about the depth of treatment and practical goals of any single procedure.

For all practical purposes, there is no single procedure that will provide sustained and permanent reduction of melasma.

 

One option I recommend is the Melarase cream program to reduce pigmentation and skin discoloration. 

Melasma is dark skin discoloration that appears on sun-exposed areas of the face. There are different causes of melasma.

To date, there is no cure for melasma, however, there are many treatment to improve the appearance of melasma. Vi Peel can significantly improve the appearance of melasma when combined with other modalities such as sunblock. It may require many treatments.

Melasma is a very difficult condition to treat and is not curable. Causes include fluctuating hormones, birth controls, UV exposure, pregnancy, etc. An important factor in controlling melasma is limiting your sun exposure as much as possible, as well as protecting your skin with higher SPF sun lotions.Existing melasma can be diminished with procedures including chemical peels, such as the VI peel, laser resurfacing, and/or whitening creams. The VI peel is a safer chemical peel as it has a lower risk of hyperpigmenting the skin. Typically, multiple treatments are needed for satisfactory results. I would recommend a consultation with a provider in your area to ensure you would be a candidate for the procedure! 

Unfortunately there is no known cure for melasma. Melasma is a common skin condition that effects many people with 90% of those being women. It appears on the face as a sort of "brown splotchy mask" This excessive pigmentation is due to overproduction of melanin by the pigment cells, melanocytes and deposited in the dermis. Most common triggers for melasma include sun exposure, pregnancy, both control, hormone therapy and hypothyroidism.The combination of acids, vitamins and minerals in the Vi Peel makes it one of the few peels that is able to treat deep enough in the dermis to reach melasma with very low risk of making the pigment darker. Multiple treatments may be required over a six month period with excellent results but may not rid the appearance of all the pigment. Melasma can be maintained with topical uses of hydroquinone 4%, kojic acid, azelaic acid, and arbutin. Daily sunscreen and avoidance of sun exposure on the face is highly recommended.

The formulation of the VI Peel was designed to help treat melasma and it will definitely help.  You may need multiple treatments depending on how significant the discoloration is.  The VI Peel is a deeper peel than your standard glycolic or salycilic peel, so it is definitely the way to go for aggressively treating melasma.

Melasma is a condition where the skin becomes hyperpigmented (discolored). As noted by others in their answers, there are several factors which predispose one to developing melasma including genetics, skin type, hormones, sun exposure, inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, medications (ie. birth control medication), pregnancies, and scarring.  Melasma is considered a long-term (chronic) skin condition which can be very difficult to treat and impossible to cure completely. There are many treatments for melasma, some more effective than others. Treatments include strict sun avoidance, topical over-the-counter and prescription skin-lightening products, laser treatments, chemical peeling and micro-dermabrasion treatments (ie. Silkpeel Dermalinfusion).  Vi Peel is one type of chemical peel which can be useful for improving melasma in the right patient.  As mentioned, improving melasma can be challenging so it is important for you to consult with a board-certified dermatologist experienced in treating pigment conditions of the skin.  

Nothing cures melasma in my experience. However, I recommend the ViPeel as a powerful initial way to reduce the dark areas of skin. However, this has to be combined with strict sun avoidance and often retin-a, hydroquinone, sunscreen, etc. Since we get sun no matter what we do, additional ViPeels are often necessary.

First, there is never a "guarantee" in medicine, so you shouldn't expect anyone to guarantee to you that any procedure will get rid of your melasma.  Melasma is a chronic condition which can be tamed, but not ever really "cured".  You will always be prone to more hyperpigmentation, even with the smallest amount of sun exposure.

Peels, including the Vi Peel, can be one effective tool for treating melasma.  Photofacial (IPL) treatments are also a mainstay in melasma therapy.  A proper skin care routine, including a bleaching cream and a great sunblock, are mandatory.  Most people have a combination of treatments over time to suppress as much pigment as possible, but don't expect one treatment, or even just one type of treatment, to be all you'll need.