Lasers fight sun damage; injectables reduce under eye circles
September 13, 2011

If your quest for the perfect blemish concealer has taken you from CVS to Bergdorf’s makeup counter, read on. Concealers that are heavy enough to mask brown spots, acne blemishes and under eye circles will also make you look like “Dawn of the Dead.”
Brown splotches, also known as liver spots, are unappetizing clusters of melanin produced by too much sun exposure. You can counteract these with retinoids, but you will not see results for at least six weeks. Ladies Home Journal, September 2011, advises, “If you’re ready to get out the big guns, try lasers.”
The number of treatments, starting at $450 each, depends on the darkness of your spots. Expect a light scab that will peel in about seven days. For sun damage that is spread over a large area, try Intense Pulsed Light, which emits multiple wavelengths that target many shades of red and brown. Sunscreen containing zinc oxide, used year round indoors and out, is your best protection.
Melasma patches, which are much larger than liver spots, result from sun exposure along with hormonal changes. Prescription strength hydroquinone is your most potent weapon. A newer option is the Lumixyl Brightening System – a four-part, doctor-dispensed topical regimen used twice daily that claims to fade melasma in as little as eight weeks. Remember, melasma can return with sun exposure, so slather on sunscreen with at least a 30 SPF.
Acne pimples can leave scars, but squeezing will make matters worse, resulting in post pimple hyperpigmentation, also known as spots. While blemishes are healing, avoid the sun; it will trigger pigment production. It can take up to two years for these spots to fade. To nudge healing along, try the same over the counter lighteners that are used to treat melasma, but limit application to the spots themselves or you may lighten surrounding skin areas. Again, the big guns are lasers. The same lasers used to treat sunspots can help fade discoloration from blemishes.
Starting in your 30s the skin under your eyes thins, making blood vessels visible. But if your circles are more brown than blue, blame excess under eye pigment on your genes. Allergies can also be a factor. Eye cream can temporarily plump skin, obscuring vessels; try one containing vessel-constricting vitamin K or caffeine.
The mission of the Aesthetic Society includes medical education, public education and patient advocacy. Plastic Surgery News Briefs are summaries of current stories found through various news and magazine outlets that relate to or mention plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. The views expressed in these news articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Aesthetic Society, but are merely published as an educational service to our members and the general public. For additional information on these subjects and other plastic surgery related topics, please go to www.surgery.org
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The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, is recognized as the world's leading organization devoted entirely to aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine of the face and body. The Aesthetic Society is comprised of over 2,600 Plastic Surgeons; Active Members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (USA) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and have extensive training in the complete spectrum of surgical and nonsurgical aesthetic procedures. International Active Members are certified by equivalent boards of their respective countries. All members worldwide adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and must meet stringent membership requirements.
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