Fifty Shades of Brown Spots

By: Nicole Angione APRN, Couture Med Spa Ocoee

Have you ever noticed dark, discolored patches on your face that seemed to appear out of nowhere?  This is called melasma, a common skin condition in adults that presents as irregular patches of hyperpigmentation (brownish-grey spots). This change in pigmentation is most prevalent on the face and can leave clients looking older than they really are. Melasma typically appears in women and in clients with darker skin complexions.

The most common trigger for melasma is ultraviolet light from sun exposure in areas of the face such as the cheeks, bridge of the nose, above the upper lip, or forehead. Melasma may also develop as a result of hormonal changes resulting from pregnancy,  birth control,  or hormonal therapies. An increase of estrogen can cause an increase in melanin which changes the pigment in the skin.

Here at Couture Med Spa, we want to help make one thing clear — your skin! We offer a variety of services that can help decrease and eliminate melasma on the face including our fractional laser as well as our medical-grade skincare products and esthetician-administered chemical peels and facials.

How Do Fractional Lasers Target Melasma?  

Couture Med Spa uses a non-ablative skin resurfacing laser called fractional laser that uses photothermolysis to target melasma. Pulses from the laser are delivered down into the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin to remove pigment through heated columns and resurface the skin. Topical numbing cream is applied prior to the laser treatment to provide a more comfortable treatment experience. After fractional laser treatments, you’ll want to use Couture Med Spa’s Hyaluronic Acid Serum on your face to replenish the skin’s moisture. It will also smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while speeding up the skin’s inflammation response to the fractional treatment.

See how our proven laser technology can help reverse the visible effects of melasma naturally, helping you look as young as you feel.

Esthetician Services to Reduce Melasma

Lindsey, our resident esthetician at Couture Med Spa Ocoee, is a true magician when it comes to meeting your skincare needs. The Fire and Ice facial has fruit enzymes that assist in reducing the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation caused by melasma, making it an ideal facial for clients with this condition. The removal of dead skin aids with the resurfacing and retexturizing of the skin which is great to use in addition to the fractional laser treatments.

Medical Grade Products to Treat Melasma

Couture Med Spa offers clients customized treatment plans including specialized prescription products from our providers such as Hydroquinone. Hydroquinone is a depigmenting agent that can lighten dark patches on the skin. Hydroquinone along with fractional laser treatments and facials will enhance melasma treatments by decreasing the melanocytes on the skin. The medication usually takes a few weeks on average to take effect and sometimes up to a few months to see full results.

Preventing Melasma

Along with utilizing our Couture Med Spa’s services, there are some things that clients can do at home to prevent melasma from worsening.

• Avoiding sun exposure and protecting the skin from the sun is essential to maintain treatment results.
• Wearing a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 50 or higher on a daily basis, such as our Couture Matte Sunscreen, will prevent further progression of those dark spots. Reapply every 1-2 hours for further protection.

Avoiding triggers such as heat, and stress can also decrease your risk of developing melasma because heat can make melasma worse.

Don’t hide behind brown spots anymore, be happy with your skin because you deserve to love the skin you’re in! A consultation with one of Couture Med Spas providers can further assess melasma and treatment recommendations. Click here to contact our team!