People of colour are a very large group, which in South Africa includes people of African and Asian descent. It also includes patients of mixed backgrounds who have more darkly pigmented skin.
Darker skin type people represent a significant and growing group of patients seeking aesthetic procedures. This is because of the increased awareness of safe, affordable aesthetic procedures. These procedures include amazing new lasers that are colour blind and are less invasive than previous generations of lasers. Yet special concerns have to be addressed when treating skin of colour as the wrong choice of treatment (especially when it comes to Lasers and lights) can have dire consequences and adverse effects.
Melasma, also known as hormonal pigmentation, is a considerable problem for South African women, especially in darker skin types. It is a chronic skin condition that occurs on the face in the form of symmetrical brown patches and it is a dynamic (active) condition that needs lifelong management. It often shows up when someone is pregnant, taking the pill or using some form of hormonal therapy. That being said, it is not exclusively women who suffer from this condition, it can affect men as well.
Melasma is not treated in the same way as normal sun-induced pigmentation because it is not just a superficial concern and it has internal triggers and hormonal influences. This treatment therefore requires treatment (in-clinic), topicals to maintain the treatment results and prevent new pigment from forming, supplements that suppress the internal and hormonal and inflammatory triggers from within.
What treatments can be done Safely on dark skin types to treat and manage Melasma?
- Dermamelan & Cosmelan deep pigmentation treatments
- Laser Genesis with the Cutera Laser
- RF Needling with Secret RF or Endymed Intensif
- Laser Painting / Laser Toning with the Candela VBEAM Laser
- PDT with TA Solution
- Combination peels with Salicylic and Azelaic Acid
- Injected Mesotherapy with TA
- IV Infusions with Glutathione and Vitamin C
- Injected Mesotherapy with Biopuncture Skin Cocktail
- Transdermal Mesotherapy with TA
- Microdermabrasion with TA application