Pigmentation
Pigmentation problems are one of the most visible aging changes on the face. Pigmentation is common in all skin types and results in an overproduction of melanin and an increased number of melanocytes. Sometimes this occurs because of sun exposure, and sometimes this occurs because of the other systemic problems such as liver dysfunction. In the past, sun spots on the face were called liver spots.
We at the Center for Advanced Dermatology have numerous effective modalities for treating sun spots, liver spots, increased or decreased pigmentation of the skin. The first step is clear diagnosis of the problem. Sun spots and melasma (“the mask of pregnancy”) that are induced by increased pigmentation may be addressed using hydroquinone and non-hydroquinone bleaching and brightening products.
Seborrheic keratosis which look like sunspots, will not respond to those bleaching agents because they are a function of extra cells on the surface of the skin. Different modalities need to be applied, like “Spots and Dots.”