Skin pigmentation can be dark patches on the face and body such as melasma and freckles. These are caused by genetics, hormones, infection, sun exposure, age, or medical conditions.
Pigmentation problems may quickly magnify into a long-term nuisance when left untreated. A simple darkened area can take months to years to fade, but it may heal fast with the help of medical treatments.
However, treating pigmentation in certain areas can be challenging because there is no one-size-fits-all method. One treatment can be used in some areas but may be too aggressive for other locations that are sensitive or have thin skin.
The first step to effectively healing your skin pigmentation problem is to consult a certified and experienced specialist. Dr Justin Boey, Medical Director, shares more on how to identify the type of pigmentation that you have, how to minimise new pigmentation and the best treatment for it to go away.
We will also discuss more on proven pigmentation treatments in Singapore such as topical creams, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and pico laser treatments.
Contents
- 1 Pigmentation Removal Treatment Singapore
- 1.1 What is Pigmentation and what causes it?
- 1.2 Sozo Pigmentation Removal Treatment Combination
- 1.3 Laser Treatment for Pigmentation
- 1.4 Chemical Peels
- 1.5 Creams for Pigmentation
- 1.6 Pigmentation Treatment Price / Cost in Singapore
- 1.7 FAQ
- 1.7.1 How many laser treatments does it take to remove pigmentation?
- 1.7.2 Can laser remove pigmentation permanently?
- 1.7.3 How long does laser pigmentation take to work?
- 1.7.4 What Can I Expect During Laser Pigment Removal Treatment?
- 1.7.5 Are Lasers Suitable For Darker Skin Types?
- 1.7.6 Does pigmentation come back after laser?
What is Pigmentation and what causes it?
Pigmentation is a skin condition whereby you see brown spots due to over-production of melanin pigments in your skin. These brown pigmented spots tend to occur at sun-exposed and visible areas of the face such as the cheeks and nose. That is why many people feel self-conscious about their pigmentation.
There are many different types of pigmentation. The most common types of pigmentation include freckles, melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
There are different causes of pigmentation. For example, freckles are primarily due to sun exposure. Freckles also tend to occur from teenage onwards. Freckles can occur in both male and females.
Melasma, on the other hand, is a form of pigmentation that is due to sun exposure as well as hormonal fluctuations. Melasma tends to affect mid-aged females. Due to the “lacey” pattern of pigmentation at the cheeks, melasma can be quite visible and affect one’s self confidence significantly.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can occur after skin injury such as pimples, chicken pox and eczema. These brown acne scars tend to be temporary. It can last between 6 to 12 months, or even more, depending on your skin’s ability to heal. Pico Lasers and depigmentation creams can help to lighten post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation more quickly.
There are triggers that can worsen pigmentation such as excessive sun exposure without the use of sun protection. This is common in Singapore which has a hot and sunny environment. Patients should also take extra care to apply adequate sun block and avoid the sun whenever possible so that their pigmentation doesn’t worsen.
Other possible causes of pigmentation are genetics, family history and long-term history of sun exposure due to lifestyle or occupation.
Sozo Pigmentation Removal Treatment Combination
Our recommended pigmentation removal treatment combination consists of a multi-treatment, multi-pronged approach.
The rationale for a comprehensive, multi-treatment approach is because pigmentation has many causes, triggers and risk factors. As such, there is no “one size fits all” treatment plan. Neither is there 1 perfect treatment that can completely eradicate pigmentation.
There are 4 types of treatments for pigmentation. Do note that specific forms of pigmentation like melasma are more stubborn and would require more types of treatments over a longer duration.
These treatments can be used in combination for best results. Many of these treatments work synergistically.
Sun protection and sun avoidance is the first step to prevent new pigmentation and improve pre-existing pigmentation. Pigmentation is your body’s natural response to sun exposure. Hence, it is of the utmost importance to reduce sun exposure as a trigger for worsening pigmentation.
Next step in pigmentation treatment is topical depigmentation or pigment lightening creams. There are several types of topical pigmentation removal creams available. These creams reduce pigmentation by reducing new pigment production. Unfortunately, a common side effect of these creams is redness and dryness of the skin in the treated area. As such, careful use of the cream under medical supervision is highly recommended.
Laser treatments for pigmentation is the next step in pigmentation treatment. There are several types of lasers that have been used to treat pigmentation and uneven skin tone. A popular choice of laser to treat pigmentation in 2020 is Pico Laser. This is because Pico Laser technology is a non-invasive, gentle and minimal downtime treatment for pigmentation. There are several brands of Pico Lasers around. I use a Pico Laser from Korea because it is said to be most suitable for treating pigmentation in Asian skin and darker skin types.
The last type of treatment for pigmentation is oral medication like tranexamic acid. Tranexamic acid medicine is used to treat melasma, which is a stubborn form of pigmentation.
For best outcomes, please have a formal medical consult to diagnose your type of pigmentation and to get a suitable treatment plan.
For price/ cost of pigmentation treatment, please refer to the price list at the bottom of this page.
Laser Treatment for Pigmentation
Some skin pigmentation problems require to be treated deeper into the skin. Laser treatments in Singapore are one of the most advanced treatments for the reduction of many skin pigmentation conditions. They tend to be more precise, and experts have more control over the intensity of the procedure. Laser energy is zapped into the skin, even in the deepest layers, to break down pigments and gradually make them disappear over a certain period.
Laser treatments offer a number of benefits:
- It reverses the signs of sun damage such as freckles, brown spots, blotches, wrinkles, and pigmentation on the face and body.
- Laser pigmentation treatments are safe and effective – as long as a trained and experienced specialist handles it.
- This treatment rejuvenates your skin. Expect an even skin tone and a more youthful-looking skin through the removal of unwanted pigmentation.
There are several types of laser treatments that target pigmentation. They differ in their wavelengths, pulse durations, and laser light.
Laser treatment for pigmentation include pico laser, yellow laser and facial rejuvenation lasers.
The most popular laser for pigmentation treatment in 2020 is the Pico Laser.
Pico laser is able to lighten pigmentation by delivering laser energy in very short pulses to disperse the pigmentation under your skin. This ensures a safe and effective pigmentation removal process.
Yellow Laser helps to reduce the vascular component of certain forms of pigmentation.
Lastly, facial rejuvenation fractional lasers also help to lighten your pigmentation.
Lutronic PicoPlus Pico Laser
Lutronic PicoPlus is another pigmentation treatment in Singapore that uses ultra-short picosecond pulses of laser to reach deep within the skin. Some common skin pigmentation disorders it treats are freckles, melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, rosacea, and acne scarring.
PicoPlus uses a unique focus lens that effectively removes most impurities from the skin’s surface. In fact, it can also remove even the deepest tattoo ink by using an energy pulse targeting technique. Unlike other traditional lasers, PicoPlus does not burn your skin.
Its versatility, pulse control, and wavelengths allow the system to safely deliver laser energy underneath the skin to break up the pigmentation. The procedure causes micro-cavities in the area to stimulate collagen production and elastin fibres. Pigments are broken down at a faster rate, reducing the skin’s exposure from laser heat, which significantly reduces the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Ruvy touch is a skin pigmentation treatment that uses 660nm laser beams at ultrashort picosecond pulse duration. The short pulses make it safer as there is less inflammation, heat, and damage to surrounding tissues. This treatment uses red pulses of laser energy to effectively treat freckles, age spots, and other epidermal (superficial) pigmentations for clearer and brighter skin.
Intense laser energy is delivered deep into the skin to precisely treat the pigmented area, causing melanin to break down. Ruvy touch has a safe wavelength which lowers the absorption in hemoglobin – keeping the blood vessels intact even after treatment. The risks of side effects, such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, are also reduced because of the lower absorption of hemoglobin.
A Ruvy Touch treatment may take 30-45 minutes of treatment time, depending on the area size. Visible results of reduced pigmentation can be seen after 2 to 4 sessions.
Pro Yellow Laser Treatment works by using a wavelength of 577 – allowing a higher absorption in the blood. This effectively treats various conditions such as age spots, rosacea, red acne marks and brown spots brought by sun exposure and aging.
The laser produced by the device is absorbed by the blood vessels and melanin – causing a breakdown of pigments. At the same time, it reduces the blood supply to the targeted skin cells to prevent them from producing pigments.
Pro Yellow offers long-lasting results by not just targeting visible spots on the skin’s surface, but also targeting the underlying vessels. Also, unlike other treatments that destroy blood vessels resulting in bruises, Pro Yellow laser coagulates blood in vessels leading it to collapse with minimal bruising.
ProYellow Laser is a safe treatment even for darker skin types. Expect minimal downtime, better comfort during the procedure, and reduced risk of side effects such as burns and blisters. A clearer and healthier looking skin can be noticed after each procedure. However, the best outcomes are seen after 6 sessions of treatment.
Chemical Peels
There are different chemical peels for treating skin pigmentation. Chemical peels usually contain acids and concentrated ingredients that penetrate deep into the skin, altering pigmentation with minimal damage to the area.
Superficial chemical peels are the mildest type, as they only target the outer layer of the skin and require only minimal downtime. Deep chemical peels that target serious pigmentation issues such as severe acne scars, typically involves a downtime of 7 to 10 days.
During the procedure, the chemicals cause a reaction with the skin which dissolves the skin’s outer layers – creating a small injury to the surface. This signals the body to heal itself and encourage collagen production – eventually leading to rejuvenated skin with an even skin tone and texture.
Dermaceutic Laboratoire Cosmo Peel
Cosmo Peel reduces the appearance of pigment disorders such as acne and pigment spots. It contains active ingredients, such as Glycolic acid which is an effective agent for treating pigmentation. Expect to see lightened dark spots after 5 treatments.
Dermaceutic Laboratoire Mela Peel
Mela peel reduces the appearance of melasma and pigmented spots leading to more radiant and brighter skin. It contains a highly concentrated combination of active ingredients that are suitable for all skin types.
Modified Jessner’s Peel
This is done by brushing an acidic liquid on the skin area to get rid of the top layer, encouraging new skin to grow. It reduces age spots, smoothes fine lines, and treat pigmentation conditions such as melasma, hyperpigmentation, and acne scars.
Cosmelan
This is a pigmentation treatment that can decrease melanin from the skin by acting as a pigmentation agent. Expect some peeling and flaking after a procedure. It is an effective solution for melasma and other skin discolouration conditions.
Creams for Pigmentation
Medical-grade depigmentation creams are used to improve pigmentation, apart from in-clinic laser treatments.
There are 2 types of creams for pigmentation: Cysteamine (Cyspera) and Hydroquinone-based creams (Tri-Luma).
Cyspera (Cysteamine)
Cysteamine is naturally present in the body – it helps reduce melanin to naturally correct pigmented spots. It is effective in treating skin pigmentation issues such as melasma, freckles, and hyperpigmentation. Redness and drying of skin are the only side-effects of Cyspera, which is why it’s advisable to use a basic hydration cream to bring balance back to the skin. Results can be seen as early as 2-3 months and will continuously improve with consistent use.
Tri-Luma (Hydroquinone triple cream)
Hydroquinone acts as a bleach to the skin that helps lighten skin pigmentation issues. This works by decreasing melanocytes cells that are responsible for producing melanin. Tri-Luma is a topical treatment containing 3 active ingredients: Hydroquinone, Fluocinolone acetonide, and Tretinoin. All of these ingredients work together to effectively improve the appearance of pigmentation.
Pigmentation Treatment Price / Cost in Singapore
Price of Pico Laser treatment sessions cost from $150. Pico Lasers will require 5 to 10 sessions on average.
Total cost of pico laser treatment for pigmentation would cost from $2000 upwards.
The total cost of pico laser treatments for pigmentation is dependent on the severity of your pigmentation. In general, if you have more pigmentation, you would require more treatment sessions to achieve your desired results.
Treatment | Price |
|---|---|
Pico Plus Laser | From $150 |
Ruvy Touch | From $350 |
Pro Yellow Laser | From $180 |
Chemical Peels | From $180 |
