Pigmentation

A little beam of light can make all the difference . . .

We're all born with birthmarks (benign pigmented lesions), even if it's only a few freckles. And some of us are born with more prominent pigmented lesions, such as café-au-lait spots, that can be cosmetically troublesome if on the face, neck, or some other visible area.

Freckles and age spots (solar lentigines), too, can be cosmetically bothersome. They're caused by excessive exposure to the sun, and most adults eventually get them. There used to be little you could do about pigmented lesions, but now, laser technology has revolutionized treatment so that many pigmented lesions can be virtually erased.

Understanding pigmented lesions

Pigmented lesions are caused by an excess of melanin in certain skin cells (melanin is the substance that gives skin its color). Some pigmented lesions, such as café-au-lait, freckles, and age spots, are closer to the surface (in the epidermis), while others are deeper in the skin (in the dermis).

In the past, the only remedy for pigmented lesions was to cover them with make-up. More recently, dermabrasion, cryosurgery, and other techniques have been tried, but they can leave a scar or a visible white, unpigmented area.

Now there's the new VersaPulse® Aesthetic Laser, a state-of-the-art system specially designed to treat a full range of pigmented lesions.

Understanding laser treatment

A laser produces a beam of highly concentrated light. Different types of lasers produce different colors of light. The color of light produced by a particular laser is the key to the laser's effect on pigmented lesions.

Particular colors of light are absorbed by specific colors or pigments in the skin. The laser's light energy, which is absorbed by the targeted lesion, eliminates the appropriate pigmented cells.

The VersaPulse® advantage

Pigmented lesions vary in color, depending on the type of lesion and the natural tone of the person's skin. This means that not every pigmented lesion absorbs the same color of light. Earlier lasers emitted only one color of light, often requiring doctors to use two or more lasers and repeated sessions to treat pigmented lesions.

The VersaPulse® C Aesthetic Laser produces short pulses of a wide spectrum of light colors to treat the full range of pigmented lesions in a simple series of office treatments.

What you can expect

                                              Removing age spots may take only one or two 10 to 15-minute laser treatments; café-au-lait spots and other birthmarks often take more sessions. Sessions are usually spaced 4-6 weeks apart and are performed by Dr. Baker with minimal to no down-time.

The laser treatment itself feels like numerous small snaps with a rubberband. Most patients do not require anesthesia during the procedure. Topical or local anesthesia is provided for those who do.

The appearance of the treated area immediately after a laser session will vary from patient to patient depending on the extent of treatment. Immediate after-effects, if any, are minor. They may include redness, light crusting, or tenderness, all of which heal in a short time. Dr. Baker will be happy to tell you more about your treatment, its side effects, and what you can expect.

We're here to help

Ask us about the VersaPulse® laser and how Dr. Baker  can use it to treat your unwanted pigmented lesion.