Cambridge PICO Laser Treatment

Types of Pigmentations

From freckles to the much-dreaded melasma, a majority of women will begin to find areas where the skin begins to darken on the face as a result of the sun, chemicals and other hormonal changes. This causes the increased production of melanin at certain parts of the face leading to those unflattering dark spots.

Most commonly, it is hyperpigmentation that plagues the majority of the population. This broad category can be further divided into 3 subgroups:

Melasma: It causes dark discoloured patches on the skin and is common among women ages 20-40. Also known as the 'mask of pregnancy', it is believed that hormonal changes during the childbearing period, as a result of taking birth control or stress can lead to the flair up of melasma.

Sun Spots: They go by many names, including liver spots, solar lentigos, and age spots. Sun spots cause the formation of light to dark brown spots on the skin. The culprit is mainly ultraviolet rays from the sun. Due to sun damage, it speeds up the production of melanin in the skin at an uneven pace. This means that certain parts of the skin darken while the rest remain light, marring our perfect complexion. This is more common among individuals who have fairer skin.

Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH): This is a pigmentation that results after an episode of inflammation to the skin such as acne, chemical peels or eczema. This condition is more common in people of darker skin tones and can appear as small to large patches of pink, light or dark brown coloured skin.

With so many of us being prone to such issues, more and more people are looking into ways of removing pigmentation. One area that has seen success in the fight against hyperpigmentation is in the field of laser treatments.

How to Remove Pigmentation with Laser

As mentioned above, hyperpigmentation or PIH manifests on the skin and surrounding tissues in many ways. Methods to treat pigmentation can work for one person but worsen symptoms in another and even cause side effects. Types of pigmentation are further complicated when layered on top of fine lines, sun exposure damage, pigment tattoos and adverse reactions to sun protection. The challenge practitioners face is in finding the best solution that works for each individual.

How Does PICO Laser Treatment Remove Pigmentation?

Laser treatments employ a whole host of different lasers for hyperpigmentation treatment. Among the types of lasers, ablative lasers and laser beams, the Q switch laser has long been considered the standard of care for pigmentation removal and treatment of hyperpigmentation. Today, nanosecond pulse lasers have in turn given way to picosecond pulse lasers and have been integral in pigmentation treatments.

This works by directing laser energy into the skin which is absorbed by the pigments. It shatters the pigments into smaller and more manageable fragments. This damage to the pigmentation triggers the body's immune response and begins the removal of these broken pigments.

Pico Laser Pigmentation Removal

Cambridge PICO Laser Treatment uses the Pico laser which emits the shots of lasers operating on 350ps on 785nm wavelength. It generates a photoacoustic shock wave that shatters pigments into minute fragments with expert precision. The shock wave is delivered in a trillionth of a second and it is this speed that allows for the minimal generation of heat. It is able to reach the target area and dissipate so fast that the skin would not be able to absorb the heat generated.