What is Skin Pigmentation and pigmentation treatment in Singapore?

In Singapore, skin pigmentation is any condition that causes darkening of a general or specific areas of skin. This can range from birthmarks that are found from a young age, to age spots that develop when older.

Skin pigmentation in Singapore can be caused by genetics, hormones, infection, sun exposure, medical conditions or age.

There is a specific type of pigment found in our skin called Melanin. Parts of our body such as our hair, eyes, skin color are all determined by the Melanin content inside them. When melanin production in our skin becomes altered, it might cause pigmentation-related conditions. In general, people who have fairer skin tend to have a lower melanin content in their skin, while people who have darker skin tend to produce more melanin. This is why pigmentation-related conditions in Singapore tend to be more common, harder to treat, and also more recurrent in darker skin individuals.

With pigmentation treatment, it is usually important to rule out dangerous skin conditions before starting pigmentation treatments in Singapore, specifically melanoma which is a cancerous condition.

Skin Pigmentation Conditions In Singapore Include:

Freckles
This surface layer (epidermal) pigmentation problem usually presents as spotted discrete brown marks in the mid-face areas. Usually caused by sun exposure in Singapore, extremely easy to remove with very little risk and with minimal recurrence. Can take as little as 1 session for removal.

freckles

Melasma
Melasma presents as symmetrical, patchy and unevenly pigmentation patches that can happen on the whole face, most commonly over the mid face, but also in the lower face and forehead areas. This condition is extremely common in Asian skin tone and types and can be very difficult to treat without the proper knowledge and expertise (especially melasma around the eyes – periorbital melasma). Many experts will tell you that there can only be mild improvement when you develop this chronic disease, but the truth is there can be substantial improvement in Singapore and even a cure with a precise approach.

pigmentation

Age spots
Otherwise known as lentigenes (plural of lentigo), they happen with aging and sun exposure in Singapore. These are quite similar to freckles but usually deeper and harder to remove completely. More pigmentation treatments in Singapore may be required to remove completely.

age-spots

Acne and PIH marks
This epidermal and dermal pigmentation (both surface and deep) can occur after any type of skin damage, and it is known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). Acne-induced post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is one of the most common types of pigmentation. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation usually will fade with time, but can take extremely long in some individuals. The good news is there are simple treatment methods that can remove them efficiently. Certain lasers also have the benefit of treating and preventing acne, hence avoiding the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation altogether.

image_2020_06_06T15_15_37_299Z

Cafe-Au-Lait macules
These are light coffee coloured birthmarks that can occur on the face or different parts of the body. Treatment of choice is with lasers and complete removal is possible, but with some risk of recurrence.

carfe-au-lait

Nevus of Ota and Nevus of Hori
These conditions are dermal (deeper) pigmentation conditions, and can be congenital or acquired in Singapore. These dermal melanocytotic usually require more sessions of therapy to achieve good clearance. Hori’s nevus in particular can occur in conjunction with other pigmentation types, and if not careful, the treatment of one condition may worsen the pigmentation of other.

Melanoma
A melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer that develops from melanocytes and is usually caused by UV light in those with strong genetic predisposition. Diagnosis is through a proper consultation and skin biopsy, and treatment involves surgery to remove it entirely. In the later stages of the disease, it may spread throughout the body (metastasis) and may require chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

melanome

Various Evidence Based Options

Never start pigmentation treatment without a proper medical examination to rule out dangerous or cancerous skin disease. Treatment with good skincare, topical and oral medication and medical peels are all age-old proven therapies for many types of pigmentation. More recently, pigmentation laser treatment in Singapore are proving to be the mainstay of pigmentation treatment based on the direct targeting of diseased pigmentation cells with various lasers. Various laser treatment help target different types of pigmentation more effectively. Laser treatment for pigmentation in Singapore include pico laser, yellow laser treatment and facial rejuvenation laser.

The Veritas Method

Pigmentation needs to be first ASSESSED ACCURATELY and diagnosed properly before treatment. Without the proper tools and assessment, this step is frequently ignored with people seeking the hype of laser pigmentation treatment. Proper photo-documentation is proper medical record taking for pigmentation problems.

If pigmentation treatment is deemed to be suitable in Singapore, it should be approached holistically, with proper preparation, adjuncts and post care if necessary.

Veritas developed the BLEND and PERFECT laser protocols which was designed for efficient and multi-layered treatment of complex pigmentation conditions (especially more complex in Asian skin types). The intricacies are about achieving the correct combination, at the correct individual setting.

FAQs on Pigmentation Removal Treatment in Singapore

  • Topical creams. – Topical creams are over the counter pigmentation treatments that help to decrease pigmentation. They are usually applied once or twice a day to help lighten melasma over time. They work best for skin pigmentation like melasma or age spots in Singapore. No preferred skin types.
  • Face acids. – Face acids, or skin acids, work as pigmentation removal by exfoliating the top layer of your skin. New skin cells will emerge. This pigmentation treatment process helps even out your skin tone, remove melasma and make skin smoother overall. Face acids work best for mild pigmentation or post inflammatory pigmentation on fairer skin tones.
  • Chemical peels. – Chemical peels aid in pigmentation removal by removing the epidermis of skin. Deeper versions of chemical peels may penetrate the middle layer of skin to produce more dramatic pigmentation removal results. This pigmentation treatment is recommended if you have melasma, sun damage or age spots. However, if you’re out in the sun on a regular basis, chemical peels may not work.

A laser peel in Singapore is a pigmentation treatment that uses targeted beams of light to reduce pigmentation. Ablative laser treatments are the most intense and remove layers of your skin. Non-ablative laser treatments target the dermis to produce collagen growth. Ablative laser treatments are stronger, may cause more side effects and may work better for people with fair skin.

Dermabrasion may work as a pigmentation removal option in Singapore. It also involves removing your epidermis and is sometimes used to address skin problems like wrinkles, melasma from sun damage. This pigmentation removal treatment works best for fair skin.

In general, high-beam laser and IPL therapy might be off limits if you get melasma from the sun easily or have darker skin pigmentation. Medium skin tones with not a lot of melasma or pigmentation may find chemical peels helpful, and darker skin might benefit from low intensity laser treatment.

Lasers that are commonly used to treat pigmentation and melasma do not peel the skin or affect skin thickness at all.

Sometimes, pigmentation (especially melasma and freckles) will recur after successful treatment. However, this has to do with sun exposure and hormones which can cause pigmentation to recur. To prevent this from happening, ensure you apply sun protection measures that won’t result in pigmentation.

Contact Us

Please drop us a call or send in a contact form and we’ll be happy to assist you.


13 Stamford Rd, #B2-35 Capitol Singapore, Singapore 178905

ask@veritas.com.sg

+65 6283 3885

+65 8129 9789

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