Hyperpigmentation, Dark Spots & Freckles

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Hyperpigmentation, Dark Spots & Freckles Pigmentation can occur in the face and body in a number of ways. Usually spots of discolouration can cause embarrassment, but this can be easily treated with the Aurora ELOS Intense Pulse Light Machine, proven to be 3 times more successful than any other IPL in the world. Hyperpigmentation is a common, usually harmless condition in which patches of the skin become darker in colour than the normal surrounding skin.  This darkening occurs when there is an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that causes normal skin colour, forms deposits in the skin.  Hyperpigmentation can affect the skin colour of people of any race. Age or "liver" spots are a common form of hyperpigmentation. They occur due to sun damage, and are referred to by doctors as solar lentigines. These small darkened patches are usually found on the hands and face or other areas frequently exposed to the sun. Melasma or chloasma spots are similar in appearance to age spots but are larger areas of darkened skin that appears most often as a result of hormonal changes. Pregnancy, for example can trigger over production of melanin that causes the mask of pregnancy on the face and darkened skin on the abdomen and other areas.  Women who take birth control pills may also develop hyperpigmentation because their bodies undergo similar kind of hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. If one is really bothered by the pigment, alternative birth control measures should be investigated. Changes in skin colour can result from outside causes. For example, skin diseases such as acne may leave dark spots after the condition clears. Other causes of dark spots are injuries to the skin, including some surgeries. Freckles are small brown spots that occur anywhere on the body, but are most common on the face and arms. Freckles are an inherited characteristic. Freckles, age spots and other darkened skin patches can become darker or more pronounced when skin is exposed to the sun. This happens because melanin absorbs the energy from the suns harmful Ultra Violet rays in order to protect the skin from over exposure. The usual result of this process is tanning, which tends to darken areas that are hyper pigmented. Wearing a sunscreen is a must. The sunscreen must be a broad spectrum (i.e. blocks out both Ultra Violet A and B). A single day of excess sun can undo months of treatment. Click here to find out more about  Aurora ELOS Intense Pulse Light.