Researchers share that “Our review found that microneedling alone, without any topical treatments, results in a 23 – 29% improvement in melasma. Adding topical treatments in general to microneedling resulted in greater improvements in melasma severity.” Combining treatments is often a great avenue for optimizing and extending results.

Microneedling by the Numbers

The study consisted of a meta-analysis of 12 studies and a systemic review, ultimately considering 459 patients from around the world. The studies were required to include both the words “microneedling” and “melasma.” There were a number of topical treatments mentioned throughout these studies including Vitamin C, as well as non-hydroquinone and hydroquinone products. These ingredients are often found in medical-grade skin care products and are only legally available in the highest concentrations in such products. Non-medical-grade products, such as over-the-counter creams and even high-end department store products, might not have the ingredients included in the study at all or may not have them in the same concentrations.

Researchers found that combining microneedling and these topicals led to a “moderately positive effect” after eight weeks and a “large effect” at 12 weeks. It is important to keep in mind that many treatments and products do not offer immediate results (though there are some that do). A lot of the time, a cumulative effect is the key to the best and longest-lasting results. Microneedling alone (and starting a new skin care regimen) will likely not show any difference in skin quality that same day or even that same week. However, both changes are hard at work below the skin’s surface.

What this Means for Melasma Patients

The researchers note that this combination has a “similar efficacy” to fractional CO2 lasers, one of the more aggressive lasers available on the market. While this is the case, recovery and downtime from a CO2 laser treatment can be intensive. “Recovery” from microneedling requires nothing at all, though most clients are a little pink for a few hours post-treatment. However, this is nothing compared to the after-effects of a CO2 laser treatment, with most patients who undergo microneedling feeling confident enough to get right back to their daily tasks.

The authors of the study say, “Microneedling can be a safe, effective and relatively affordable modality best used in combination with topical medications for the treatment of melasma.” Anyone who has had melasma knows how difficult it can be to treat. This is exacerbated by the fact that it often presents on the face (though not always) in a mask-like manner and can be gray in color. Melasma can be brought about or exacerbated by hormones, which is why many melasma patients are pregnant women.

Microneedling for Everyone

You don’t have to have melasma to benefit from microneedling. This treatment works by creating thousands of micro-channels in the skin that are invisible to the naked eye. This stimulates collagen production and healing from the inside out. Not only is adding topicals going to naturally improve the results of any treatment, but there is an added benefit of having those micro-channels. Applying a topical treatment right after microneedling means that the topicals can more easily penetrate the skin’s surface. If you’re interested in micro-needling, combining it with a facial is a fantastic way to make the most of your session.

It is also important to be aware of the dangers of DIY microneedling. There are many at-home “microneedling” tools available, but none are medical-grade. They do not have the proper needle length and width, nor the quality. Microneedling sessions should be customized for every patient, with your provider being the only person equipped with the tools, training, and experience to give you the best possible results. Microneedling at home can be pointless at best and dangerous at worst, sometimes resulting in scarring. To learn more about microneedling, medical-grade products, and other melasma treatments, connect with Palo Alto Laser and Skin Care today by giving us a call or completing the online form.

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As a medical day spa, Zuzana Likar personally trains all staff members to her high standards. This is why Palo Alto Laser and Skin Care has made a name for itself as being so much more than a MediSpa. We have the treatments, tools, and expertise to help you achieve your skin goals even when struggling with an issue as stubborn as melasma. Also known as the “mask of pregnancy,” melasma can affect those who are pregnant but can also occur at other times. Women are by far most likely to get melasma, but men can struggle with it as well. Melasma can be virtually any color but is unique in that it is often a gray color and spreads around the eyes and across the bridge of the nose like a mask.

Treatment for Melasma in Palo Alto

There are a few different types of chemical peels that can be helpful for melasma, and particularly the VI peel. This is a medium-depth peel that goes deeper than superficial peels and can affect the layers where melasma resides. It exfoliates and stimulates collagen production at the same time. Just like every other treatment for melasma, it often works best in tandem with other complementary treatments such as microneedling.

Microneedling works by “telling” your body to heal itself. A medical-grade handheld device with thousands of needles of just the right length and width penetrates the skin to cause micro-injuries. The body responds by sending an influx of blood flow and collagen production to the area. Microneedling for melasma is typically a great addition to a more aggressive procedure, but many people love the results so much that they begin to schedule routine microneedling appointments. Microneedling can also be a fantastic precursor to an in-office topical application since it opens up channels in the skin to best receive the topical products.

Lessen Your Melasma Today

The Clear + Brilliant laser is most often thought of as a “pre-juvenation” procedure since it is so gentle it requires no downtime. However, it has also shown to be highly effective in treating melasma. The session takes just about 30 minutes and a numbing cream is applied beforehand for maximum comfort. Next, a handpiece is glided across the area with Optical Tracking technology to ensure the perfect contact is made with skin in a uniform pattern. Like microneedling, Clear + Brilliant can help enhance the results of topical treatments because it increases skin permeability.

A number of medical-grade skin care products may be helpful in reducing the appearance of melasma. Medical-grade products are a must because they can legally contain more active ingredients in higher concentrations than even the most expensive non-medical skin care products. We carry all of the most effective and popular skin care products and can match you with the perfect at-home regimen so you can treat your melasma and other skin woes on a daily basis.

Say Goodbye to Melasma

Combining two or more of these melasma treatments is going to be the best approach for the vast majority of clients. It is unusual for a single treatment to work best for any skin condition, but this is especially true for a tricky condition like melasma. The good news is that melasma symptoms are typically not chronic, even without treatment, but that provides little comfort when melasma is keeping you from feeling confident and having a flourishing social life. Let us help you speed up the process and say goodbye to your melasma faster.

Palo Alto Laser and Skin Care has built a reputation for helping clients get their skin to the level they want. If you have melasma or any other skin concern, contact us today for a complimentary consultation by calling the office or completing the online form.

The post Melasma Isn’t Your Typical Hyperpigmentation—and We Don’t Have the Typical Solutions appeared first on Palo Alto Laser & Skin Care.

You can take steps to seriously reduce the appearance of melasma now by understanding it and working with leading professionals like Zuzana Likar, who can personalize a treatment plan. There are means and methods to minimizing melasma flare-ups and effective treatments to lessen its appearance. However, it is critical to only trust reputable professionals with years of experience treating melasma in order to yield the best results.

Treating Melasma

Melasma is often triggered by sun exposure and hormonal shifts. It is an especially stubborn type of hyperpigmentation that often appears around the eyes and across the bridge of the nose, which is why it is often dubbed the “mask of pregnancy.” The changes in hormone levels during pregnancy are a common melasma trigger, but UV exposure and other hormone fluctuations (such as during menopause) have also been linked to melasma. Melasma is not dangerous, but considering how visible it is, it can affect self-esteem and self-confidence.

However, trying to treat melasma yourself or going to a non-reputable clinic can do more harm than good. For example, some over the counter skin lighteners can actually aggravate melasma and make it worse. A Harvard Health study found that using glutathione as a skin lightener is potentially very dangerous, and at-home remedies like apple cider vinegar and lemon juice can increase skin sensitivity and make it more prone to melasma. Combining in-office treatments is usually the most effective, quickest, and safest way to treat melasma.

Laser skin rejuvenation treatments are a proven method for lessening the appearance of melasma, with Clear + Brilliant being one of the most effective. This laser creates a number of small treatment zones in the uppermost layer of the skin. Two handpieces are available with the Clear + Brilliant device, and the Perma 1927nm handpiece is ideal for mild melasma. It can also be used to deliver SkinCeutical’s tranexamic or antioxidant serums, which lighten melasma skin imperfections. Melasma is a condition that, when aggravated, can be controlled but not cured, and a Clear + Brilliant treatment is a great start.

Reducing the Appearance of Melasma

You can combine Clear + Brilliant treatments with other procedures, such as microneedling. Microneedling is a fantastic complementary treatment to a variety of procedures, and it works by harnessing the healing powers of your own body. Very minimally invasive, a special tool is rolled across the treatment area to create invisible punctures that are not painful but do tell the body to start healing and creating collagen. Microneedling is best used as a routine treatment with appointments spaced a few weeks apart.

Chemical peels can also be useful to lessen the appearance of melasma. The VI Peel is medium-depth, so it goes deeper than the superficial layer of skin. It is highly recommended for a number of hyperpigmentation types and is effective for melasma because it can reach layers of the skin that mild peels do not. The VI Peel is also safe for all skin types and tones, which is not necessarily the case with all medium-depth peels.

Creating a Melasma Plan

If you are prone to melasma, it’s just as important to reduce future flare-ups as it is to reduce current hyperpigmentation. Avoiding UV exposure by changing your lifestyle (such as opting for morning runs rather than mid-day runs), enhancing your sunscreen regimen, and talking to your OBGYN to find a different hormone therapy are all possible solutions.

Some studies have shown that blue light can aggravate melasma. Avoiding technology would be ideal, but not realistic. However, there are some sunscreens that offer blue light protection and you can also purchase special screen shields for your technology to reduce blue light exposure.

To start reducing your melasma today, connect with Palo Alto Laser and Skin Care and book a complimentary consultation.

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