Pigment spots / age spots
Many people suffer from the brown to brown-black skin changes on the face or hands popularly known as "age spots". These harmless pigment spots are often associated with sun-induced photodamage and can be lightened and removed by various treatment options.
Age spots back of hand before treatment
After successful treatment
Such light damage is a serious warning sign. The corresponding people are at high risk of soon developing skin cancers and should be thoroughly examined by a dermatologist at least once a year.
But still be careful with so-called "age spots"! It is not so rare that behind such so-called "age spots" a malignant black skin cancer (malignant melanoma) is hidden. A careful light microscopic and, if necessary, histological examination is therefore an absolute prerequisite before laser treatment.
The face, back of the hands and forearms are predominantly affected, i.e. the areas that are most exposed to sunlight. If a reddening or scab does not disappear after months or keeps coming back, it is high time to go to the dermatologist.
With a special pigment laser, it is possible to remove both light brown to dark brown pigment spots without scars and in most cases with little pain. This special laser (called a Q-switched frequency-doubled neodymium YAG laser in technical jargon) works from the outset with the light of two wavelengths, which hits both the light and dark brown melanin of the pigment spots or freckles in the uppermost layer of the skin.
Pigment spots are not only triggered by influences of age and sunlight. Even in young people they can be triggered by various causes:
- Traces of perfumes (especially with bergamot oil) together with sunlight.
- Medications (e.g. St. John's wort)
- Hormones (especially the pill)
- Healing inflammations of the skin (e.g. also pimples)
- Injuries and scars healing with brown discoloration (pigmentation)
- Sclerosing treatments
- and others
For most of these causes, pigmentation does not occur until sunlight is added. Pigment or birthmarks that show even the slightest suspicion of an atypical cell change must not be treated with the pigment or ablation laser.
This pigment laser is not only suitable for the absolutely scarless and painless removal of age spots.
It can also be used to remove other pigment spots:
- Freckles
- pregnancy spots
- Removal of permanent make-up
- Pigmented, brownish scars
