Melasma is a flat darkening of the skin with an irregular border. It can result from sun exposure, hormonal changes, genetics and irritated skin. It is more common in women, especially those with elevated hormones from pregnancy, oral/patch contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy. Discolouration develops slowly over time. Melanocytes are stimulated to release pigment called melanin which is transferred to keratinocytes (skin cells on the superficial skin).

They are commonly found on the nose, lips, upper cheek and forehead.

The best skincare to treat melasma is called triple therapy and involves a combination of hydroquinone, tretinoin and a topical corticosteroid. Both hydroquinoine and topical corticosteroids work by different mechanisms to inhibit melanin production while tretinoin increases skin turnover and allows stained epidermal cells to be shed faster. A superficial peel is an alternative to tretinoin to increase shedding of stained epidermal cells. Long-term skincare treatment including broad-spectrum sunscreen is required to prevent recurrence of the melasma.
Q-switch Nd:Yag laser treatment offered by Face Doctors Clinic allows destruction of the melanin pigment causing discolouration. IPL lasers on the other hand have been shown to be useful in facilitating the upward shedding of the melanin particles. Combination treatment using Q-switch lasers and IPL may therefore be a more powerful combination.

Lentigines are dark flat lesions with regular borders that occur due to hyperplasia (multiplication) of melanocytes. They are different from moles because they are not raised. They differ from freckles due to their more regular borders and the fact that it is an increased amount of melanoctyes causing the pigmentation change rather than the release of pigment from melanocytes.

Face Doctors Clinic offers a frequency double Q-switched Nd:Yag treatment which has been shown in studies to be the most effective lasers to treat lentigines. Picosecond lasers have a similar effectiveness in the treatment of lentigines. These lasers aim to destroy pigment particles into smaller pieces so they can get cleared by the body. Both work better than ablative lasers which aim to completely remove the pigmented skin.