NH Lasercare Centre' offers Laser and IPL Services for the Treatment of Pigmented Lesions, Sun Spots and other Skin Inperfections at Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, NH

Pigmented Lesions

A vast majority of individuals have some type of pigmented lesions. Some are born with prominent pigmented lesions, birthmarks, café-au-lait spots, or freckles, which can be cosmetically troublesome if on the face, neck or other visible area. Other lesions develop over time. Age spots (solar lentigines) can be cosmetically bothersome. Most adults develop them over years of sun exposure. Women also acquire unwanted pigmented lesions due to hormonal changes. In the past, the most effective remedy for pigmented lesions was to cover them with make-up. Recent endeavors in removal such as cryo-surgery and chemical agents have been attempted, but often leave scarring or hyper/hypo-pigmentation. A need has existed for an effective, patient-friendly modality. Our Yag Laser is the perfect solution. The Yag is able to target and remove pigmented lesions through selective photothermolysis, the same process, which allows convenient and safe removal of tattoos.

What is a pigmented lesion and which ones can be treated with laser?

The most commonly treated conditions are solar lentigines, also known as "age spots," "liver spots" or "sun spots"; café au lait birthmarks; and freckles. These benign pigmented lesions are due to an excess of pigment in the skin, usually due to sunlight exposure and congenital factors. Age spots may appear as enlarged light freckles on the face and hands. Café au lait birthmarks may appear as light brown markings anywhere on the body and can be quite large.

What does the treatment involve?

Treatment varies from patient to patient depending on the type of lesion, size of the affected area, color of the patient's skin and depth to which the abnormal pigment extends beneath the surface of the skin. Some lesions, such as "age spots," will require only a few pulses, while others, such as café au lait birthmarks, will require more. Some lesions require re-treatment, necessitating multiple patient visits.

Specially filtered bands of light target the melanin in pigmented lesions, where the light is converted into heat. This heating selectively destroys the pigmented lesion, which is sloughed away, clearing the lesion within two weeks.