HYPERPIGMENTATION TREATMENT LIVERPOOL
Dramatically reduce your sun spots and patches with our skincare experts in the heart of Liverpool.
what is hyerpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is an increase in skin pigment and can occur anywhere on your body. It’s typically caused by sun exposure, hormonal changes, or trauma. This could be from acne or wounds such as surgical scars, cuts, and grazes. Depending on your skin tone, these patches can appear in a variety of colours, from red hyperpigmentation to grey hyperpigmentation.
Your ‘normal’ skin colour is determined by melanin and is usually a single tone. More melanin means darker skin and less melanin means lighter skin. Hyperpigmentation is an exaggerated amount of pigmentation that can appear patchy and uneven. It is sometimes colloquially known as ‘sun spots’ or ‘age spots'.
Hyperpigmentation is extremely common and one of the things almost all patients complain of. The good news is it’s treatable with excellent results. Depending on the type, there are many options to significantly fade or even completely remove your discolouration.
how do I get rid of hyperpigmentation?
We are proud to offer a comprehensive set of treatment options for all patients and all skin types. The best treatment depends entirely on the type of pigmentation you have. Below is a list of treatments offered at Smileworks. If you are unsure what treatment type is best for you, we recommend booking a consultation with one of our incredible skincare specialists, and they can help you choose the right treatment for your needs.
prescription skincare
Some types of hyperpigmentation only need a topical cream. At Smileworks, we have a team of wonderful aesthetic practitioners who can prescribe a number of medical-grade topical creams like hydroquinone, tretinoin cream, and trichloroacetic acid.
microneedling
Microneedling is another amazing and effective option. This treatment uses tiny needles to encourage collagen growth and remove the outer layers of your skin. Sun spots, age spots, and post-inflammatory pigmentation can fade in just one session. Starting at £100.
laser treatment
Laser treatment is one of the best and most effective ways to remove hyperpigmentation. Here at Smileworks, we use the Aerolase laser system which consists of two lasers: Neo and Era. The Neo is a non-ablative laser that promotes collagen production and targets hyperpigmentation.
Want to make sure your hyperpigmentation stays gone? Combine the Neo with the Era, an ablative laser that removes the outer layer of your skin to reveal a refreshed glow. These two lasers are the perfect treatment combination. Starting at £200.
chemical peels
Chemical skin peels are another great option for treating hyperpigmentation. We are fortunate to have four different chemical peels for our patients to choose from, each with varying depths of skin penetration.
Since most chemical peels work to remove the outer layer of the skin, they are best for surface-level sun and age spots and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Our more intense peels like the Obagi Blue Peel and PRX-T peel penetrate deeper into the skin, making them the better choice for chronic skin conditions like eczema or melasma. Starting at £50.
profacial
The ProFacial not only gives your skin a beautiful and refreshed glow, but it can also help reduce and remove your spots and patches. ProFacial is a microdermabrasion tool that works by removing dead skin skills from the outer layer of your skin to reveal cleaner and more even looking skin. ProFacial is typically best for surface-level hyperpigmentation. Starting at £110.
hyperpigmentation on black skin
Those with black or brown skin (Fitzpatrick types 5 and 6) are typically more prone to longer-lasting and more intense hyperpigmentation. With darker skin tones, hyperpigmentation spots and patches can look black or grey in colour.
We understand firsthand the negative psychological effects hyperpigmentation can cause. For a long time, there were few suitable treatments, especially for darker skin types. Fortunately, Smileworks has implemented safe and effective treatment options for those with darker skin tones so no one is forced to suffer with hyperpigmentation.
types of hyperpigmentation
There are many things that cause hyperpigmentation. Because of this, it can appear in various shapes and colours. Different types need to be treated differently. Some hyperpigmentation lives deep in the dermis of the skin, while others are more surface-level.
Identifying the cause of your hyperpigmentation can help you better understand which treatment option is best for you. If you’re unsure what type you have, it’s always best to consult a skincare specialist or aesthetic practitioner.
post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation happens when your skin produces more collagen as a result of an injury or a trauma. The most common cause is acne, but any injury can cause this type. Depending on your skin colour, it can show up as red, brown, or even grey patches.
periorbital hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation around the eyes is incredibly common and many patients struggle with it. This type is often genetic and occurs due to an overproduction of melanin. This appears as darkness on the eyelids or under eyes and is most common in darker skin tones.
eczema hyperpigmentation
Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that can make your skin itchy and dry. Itching can cause inflammation, which may lead to both hypopigmentation (a loss of skin colour) and hyperpigmentation (a darkening of skin colour).
On lighter skin tones, eczema typically has a pink or red colour, but the hyperpigmentation is usually more difficult to spot in black and brown skin. Darker skin types with eczema are more prone to hypopigmentation than hyperpigmentation.
melasma hyperpigmentation
Melasma appears as blotchy patches and spots on the skin. The two most common causes of melasma are sun exposure and sudden hormonal changes, usually from pregnancy or birth control. Melasma can occur in many different colours: tan, brown, and grey. This skin condition most commonly appears on the face but can show on other parts of the body as well.
hyperpigmentation on face
The area we hear patients complain the most about is the face. Spots or patches can appear on your cheeks, forehead, and even around your mouth and lips. Facial hyperpigmentation can have many causes but the most common are sun damage and post-inflammatory trauma.
body hyperpigmentation
Patches on your legs, arms, back and neck can all be classified as body hyperpigmentation. These spots are usually caused by prolonged sun exposure, eczema and post-inflammatory trauma. Other areas of the body where hyperpigmentation is common is the bikini line (caused by razor burn), the inner thighs (caused by chafing), and hands.
hyperpigmentation treatment before and after
benefits of hyperpigmentation treatment
REMOVE HYPERPIGMENTATION
The biggest benefit of treatment is your hyperpigmentation marks will fade or even go away altogether! No more dealing with bothersome spots and marks. All you’re left with is smooth skin.
COMPLETELY REJUVENATE THE SKIN
Another benefit of most of our treatments is you’ll not only remove your hyperpigmentation but you’ll also get a refreshing skin rejuvenation. Your skin will be glowier than ever before.
WORKS FOR ALL SKIN TYPES AND TONES
We offer hyperpigmentation treatments that work on ALL skin types. Whether you have fair skin or dark skin, we have a suitable treatment for you and your needs.
how to prevent hyperpigmentation
It’s important to take the necessary steps to prevent further hyperpigmentation from forming, especially if you’ve already gone through treatment. While it’s not possible to prevent all hyperpigmentation, sun and age related spots can be avoided by doing one simple thing: protecting your skin from the sun.
Here are the steps you can take to protect your skin:
Apply (and re-apply) broad spectrum sunscreen everyday with an SPF of at least 30
Avoid sun exposure, especially when the UV index is 3 or more
Wear protective clothing and hats to shield yourself from the sun
If you don’t protect yourself from the sun, hyperpigmentation is inevitable. Don’t let your treatment go to waste; wear SPF. If you have post-inflammatory pigmentation from acne or injury, the most important thing is to not pick at it. Picking your acne or injury will increase your risk for hyperpigmentation formation.
why choose smileworks?
Choosing where to get treatment can be a big decision, but luckily Smileworks makes it easy. We are proud to be Liverpool’s leading hyperpigmentation clinic, and we treat dozens of cases every week. With the rapid rise of aesthetic complications, it’s never been more important to choose a reputable clinic that’s run by medical professionals.
At Smileworks, all of our clinicians and technicians are highly trained and experienced in what they do, so you can rest assured in their hands. We strive to offer safe yet effective treatment plans that will leave you with results to rave about.
FAQ
Sometimes it will. For example, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation will fade with time, though it can take months to disappear. If the pigment lies deep in your skin or you have darker skin, it can take years. With the correct treatment it can be removed entirely.
Hyperpigmentation can take on many shapes and colours. It can appear as spots or patches. It can also be a variety of different colours depending on your skin tone. These spots can show up anywhere on the body.
Over-the-counter creams and serums like retinol, azelaic acid, and glycolic acid may help with hyperpigmentation, but it is always best to consult a skincare professional before starting a new product. They can help determine if it will be effective and suitable for your skin.
It’s important to remember that over-the-counter products can only do so much, and it may be necessary to incorporate prescription products or other forms of treatment like chemical peels and laser treatment.
Freckles are a form of hyperpigmentation! Some people genetically have freckles, and not everyone wants to get rid of them. ‘Freckles’ appearing after sun exposure are not freckles but sun damage. While many people with ‘natural’ freckles prefer to keep them, most patients are eager to get rid of their sun or age spots.
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation. All melasma is hyperpigmentation, but not all hyperpigmentation is melasma. Often melasma is caused by hormones from pregnancy or a new form of birth control. It is always best to protect yourself from the sun as UV radiation exaggerates this type of hyperpigmentation.
Hyperpigmentation caused by acne are known as acne marks. These marks are flat and usually red or brown in colour. Acne marks are often mistakenly called acne scars, which are not flat and involve a change in skin texture. Some acne scars are raised, while others are indented. It is possible to have hyperpigmentation and acne scarring, but they are two separate skin conditions.
Most hyperpigmentation is not permanent. Typically, it will go away on its own, but it can take months and sometimes years to completely fade.
Laser is typically considered the best and most effective treatment option for hyperpigmentation. This is because most pigmentation lives deep in the dermis, and this layer of the skin is too deep for most over-the-counter skincare to treat. Most skincare options are time-intensive, irritating, and costly.
Lasers can target pigmentation quickly and effectively as it penetrates deep into the skin to target the pigmentation at its root. If you want to get rid of your hyperpigmentation fast, laser treatment is typically the best choice.
This depends on the treatment you choose to pursue. However, with laser, results can be seen as early as after the first session.
The results from your treatment are permanent, but you must protect yourself from the sun. If you go back in the sun unprotected, you will repigment. It is three times as costly and time-intensive to fix hyperpigmentation than to prevent it. If you don’t want to spend your money on more hyperpigmentation treatments, it is crucial for you to wear sunscreen and protective clothing in the sun.
To start your hyperpigmentation treatment, you can fill out our online booking form and book straight away. Alternatively, you can call our lovely Front of House Team at 0151 236 5166.
If you have any more questions about hyperpigmentation treatment, please send us an email at reception@sexydentistry.com.
To find us, click on the map above or Google 'hyperpigmentation treatment near me'.