I had a client's hyperpigmentation clear up in 8 weeks with just chemical peels, but my coworker swears by lasers.

This client had stubborn melasma patches for over a year. We did a series of 4 glycolic acid peels, one every two weeks, and used a strict mineral sunscreen routine. The before and after photos show about an 80% reduction. My coworker at the spa says she gets the same results in half the time with a fractional laser, but I'm worried about the heat risk for darker skin tones. Which approach do you all think is more reliable for Fitzpatrick IV and up?

4 comments

4 Comments

ross.lily5d ago

Was that 80% reduction after the full 8 weeks or did you see steady progress after each peel? I read a dermatology blog a while back that said the heat from some lasers can actually make melasma worse for people with deeper skin, even if it works fast at first. Your slower method with the peels probably has a much lower chance of causing a rebound. It sounds like your coworker is chasing speed over safety.

vera1955d ago

Exactly, and that rebound effect is no joke. My sister went the laser route for her sun spots and they came back darker and angrier within a few months, it was a total mess. Slow and steady with peels might test your patience, but it gives your skin time to actually heal instead of just shocking it. Some people just won't listen until they learn the hard way.

logan5615d ago

Forget the skin type charts. Check your family history first. My mom's melasma got way worse after any heat treatment, lasers included. Turns out her mom had the same reactive skin. Genetics can set you up to fail before you even start.

the_hayden5d ago

Actually, lasers work fine on deep skin tones now.