Brown spots or discoloration of the face is a common problem affecting a wide spectrum of patients across different age groups. New spots should always be evaluated by a physician to ensure that they are not dangerous; however, for the majority of patients, these blemishes are benign signs of age, hormones, injury, or a combination of the three. Despite their non-dangerous nature, these spots can often cause significant distress to a person who wants to always look their best. Fortunately, there are a variety of lasers that can treat these discolorations and help restore your skin to its original, beautiful state.
Dr. Hooman Khorasani has spent over ten years expertly treating brown spots and discoloration, and has actively investigated new therapies for these conditions through a number of research publications. As such, Dr. Khorasani continues to provide cutting-edge treatments that are individualized to each patient, to provide optimal results.
To create a treatment plan personally tailored to your individual goals, visit Dr. Hooman Khorasani at our New York City practice. To request a consultation, text message us securely, or contact our Manhattan office by phone at 212-230-3378.
Patients of all ages and skin types may be affected by brown spots or discoloration of the face and body. In younger individuals, these dark spots usually occur in areas where acne was previously present and is medically referred to as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Female patients often suffer from a type of skin discoloration called melasma, which refers to flat tan or brown patches on the face. Melasma is frequently associated with the use of oral contraceptives, pregnancy and sun exposure. In older patients, benign brown spots of the face and body are formally called solar keratosis or solar lentigines, but are colloquially referred to as “wisdom spots.” These spots of wisdom are the result of genetics, natural aging and sun exposure. Although these particular types of brown spots or areas of discoloration are not dangerous, they can be extremely bothersome to patients.
During your initial consultation, Dr. Khorasani evaluates your brown spots or discoloration to ensure that it is not dangerous to your health. You will be scheduled for treatment once he has determined that the discolored areas are completely benign.
Depending on your individual aesthetic goals and tolerance for down-time after treatment, Dr. Khrorasani will likely use one of the following laser therapies:
Clear & Brilliant Perméa is a gentle laser that renews your skin by creating millions of microscopic treatment zones in which damaged cells are replaced with new, healthy cells. Patients with mild melasma (discoloration associated with pregnancy, oral contraceptives and aging) who want to avoid down-time after treatment are best suited for this laser. Additional benefits include an improvement in skin radiance and texture. After each 30 minute treatment, you may experience mild redness or swelling, which typically subsides within a few hours. Patients will start to see results within a few days after the first treatment; however, most individuals will require multiple treatments spaced four to six weeks apart for optimal results. Many of our clients love this device so much that they come in every few months for maintenance therapy.
The Alex TriVantage is a Q-switched laser that breaks up pigment in the skin by delivering short bursts of laser energy to the target area. These fragmented pieces of unwanted pigment are then naturally removed by the body. Initially designed for the removal of tattoos, the Alex TriVantage has been modified to treat dark spots in a precise manner that preserves the surrounding skin. As such, this laser is best suited for patients with deeper, localized dark spots. After this laser treatment, the targeted areas will develop small scabs that will require approximately one week to heal; however, this short downtime is rewarded by significant improvement in your dark spots’ appearance! Additionally, most patients will require only one to two treatments to achieve their personal aesthetic goals.
The Fraxel 1927 laser delivers columns of energy into the superficial layers of the skin. This process both destroys damaged skin cells and stimulates the body’s natural healing process to produce new, healthy skin. This laser is much more powerful than the Clear & Brilliant Perméa and provides enhanced correction of brown spots, discoloration, and an additional bonus of texture improvement. However, this heightened power is associated with a mildly increased down-time following the treatment. The Fraxel 1927 laser is, therefore, best suited for patients who want to aggressively target their dark spots with fewer treatments and can tolerate 5 days of skin redness and peeling.
The ActiveFX laser is the most powerful of therapies available for the correction of dark spots or discoloration. This laser is considered an ablative laser, which means it selectively removes columns of superficial skin layers and stimulates the deeper layers to completely replace these areas with new, healthy skin. This allows for the removal of deep dark spots or discoloration, while also improving the appearance of fine wrinkles and overall skin texture. As always, the improvement in treatment efficacy is associated with prolongation of downtime. However, most patients will require just one of these super-powered treatments to achieve their personalized goals. As such, the ActiveFX laser is most appropriate for patients who desire rapid and long-lasting improvement in their dark spots, wrinkles and texture, but are also able to tolerate several days (about a week) of flaky skin and a few weeks of redness that can be covered-up with makeup.
Dr. Khorasani has expertise in multiple laser therapy modalities designed to treat brown spots and discoloration. Each laser is individually selected to account for one’s particular skin blemishes, overall skin color and lifestyle constraints. As such, we will be able to find a treatment option that works best for you!
Patients who should not consider laser therapy under any circumstances include those currently on isotretinoin (Accutane), have any conditions or are on any medications that cause photosensitivity, have severe inflammatory skin disease or are currently pregnant.
Dr. Khorasani will hand-pick for you a laser treatment that best meets your personal aesthetic objectives and life-style constraints. Each laser will deliver a different result. Please see the above Clear & Brilliant Perméa, Alex TriVantage, Fraxel 1927, and ActiveFX sections for further details. Regardless of the therapy modality chosen, Dr. Khorasani will work with you every step of the way to transform your individual goals into reality.
Safety of our patients is always our primary concern. As such, we will provide you with special goggles or eye coverings to wear during your treatment to protect your eyes from the laser energy. During treatment, you will feel the handpiece of the laser moving across the target areas. We may also provide additional cooling therapy during treatment, depending on the laser used.
Other than safety, your comfort is our number one priority; therefore, we will numb the area prior to treatment using a topical numbing cream and may also employ a cooling device during treatment. Stronger laser treatments may also require numbing injections to further enhance your comfort. Each laser will feel slightly different during therapy. Most patients describe feeling a hot “prickly” sensation during treatment with Clear & Brilliant Perméa and Fraxel 1927. Treatment with Alex TriVantage has been compared to being snapped with a rubber band in the targeted area. Finally, patients have reported a warm, stinging sensation during treatment with ActiveFX.
The length of each session varies depending on the type of laser used and the number of brown spots or areas of discoloration to be treated. Based on the best treatment plan for you, Dr. Khorasani will discuss with you in detail the total amount of time you can expect to spend in the office for each session (including the time needed to numb the area before treatment).
Result onset and longevity vary from laser to laser. The results from Clear & Brilliant Perméa are seen immediately after treatment and improve with time; however, for truly significant results, multiple treatments are required. Results from Clear & Brilliant Perméa will last for months following treatment. Alex TriVantage boasts results within one week of treatment and tends to be permanent. Fraxel 1927 and ActiveFX results begin to emerge within 7-10 days and fully manifest within three to six months. The trade-off for this prolonged waiting time is results that last for multiple years following your treatment. After your treatment, you should do your best to avoid any inciting factors, which at a minimum, requires using sunscreen on a daily basis.
The recovery varies depending on the laser therapy used. Clear & Brilliant Perméa, the most gentle of our pigment removal lasers, can cause up to 24 hours of redness and swelling after treatment. Additionally, you may notice a sandpaper-like texture of your skin that is only visible upon very close inspection. The Alex Trivantage will cause a scab to form only over the areas that are treated. These scabs will naturally fall off after one week. The Fraxel 1927 will result in one week of skin redness and may also be associated with swelling, peeling, and/or crusting of the skin. The ActiveFX laser will absolutely result in swelling, peeling, and/or crusting of the skin and is associated with redness that lasts for approximately two weeks.
On the day of treatment, we will go over with you our detailed post-care instructions, and will ensure you understand how to care for your skin after your procedure to ensure the best possible outcome. These instructions include how to clean, moisturize and (if relevant) bandage the treated area. We understand this recovery time can be difficult. Our office staff is available to you at any time during this process to discuss your concerns or review any instructions that may be unclear. We are always here for you!
Dr. Khorasani will hand-pick for you a laser treatment that best meets your personal aesthetic objectives and life-style constraints. Each laser will deliver a different result. Please see the above Clear & Brilliant Perméa, Alex TriVantage, Fraxel 1927, and ActiveFX sections for further details. Regardless of the therapy modality chosen, Dr. Khorasani will work with you every step of the way to transform your individual goals into reality.
Dr. Hooman Khorasani is a quadruple board-certified, fellowship-trained cosmetic and skin cancer surgeon. He has over ten years of experience treating brown spots and discoloration in patients of all ages and skin types. Furthermore, his passion for treating patients and providing cutting-edge care has led to his active involvement in research investigating the best treatments for these particular skin blemishes. As such, Dr. Khorasani will be able to provide you with a tailored therapy plan that addresses your individual needs and employs the latest advances in laser technology. Additionally, his educated office staff provide personalized care and are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have before, during and after your laser treatment.
Dr. Khorasani and his highly-specialized team look forward to working with you to transform your medical or aesthetic goals into reality. To expedite a request for a consultation, message us securely, or contact Dr. Khorasani’s Manhattan office by phone at 212-230-3378. For more information about how to get in touch:
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