Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of an area of the skin caused by the overproduction of melanin, a pigment that gives color to human hair, skin and eyes. Because melanin lives in the outermost layer of the skin, by nature, dark-skinned people have more melanin and pigment than those of light skin tone.
Melanin also serves as the body’s natural sun protectant. When skin is exposed to long-term UV rays, melanocytes are triggered to produce more melanin. Essentially, a “tan” is the skin working to protect itself, yet often causing hidden damages that can surface years later, in the form of splotchy patches of hyper pigmentation, ones we often refer to as age spots, sun spots or freckles.
The most common disorders of increased pigmentation are melasma (chloasma), solar lentigos (sun spots) and freckles. Solar Lentigos, the brown spots that appear in sun exposed areas like the tops of the hands and face, are the most common pigmentation problem that we treat. All the other disorders can also be treated very successfully with laser our therapy.