Pigmentation Treatment
What Is It?
Now, the marks on our skin are not all the same kind. Some build up with the sun over the years, some are hormonally driven melasma, and some are the darkening left behind after an injury or a spot. Each forms by a different mechanism, and they aren’t managed with the same method.
So the mark has to be classified first. Sun-related marks sit mostly in the upper layers of the skin; at the first stage of treatment, gently taking off that surface layer gives good results. With hormonal pigmentation the same aggressive approach can make things worse, and a more cautious, longer route is needed there. The mark shows on the surface, but what drives it is often somewhere else. Smoking, stress, pregnancy or low antioxidant capacity can all trigger pigmentation.
How Is It Done?
At the examination I look at the type of mark, its borders, its depth and how long you’ve had it. If I suspect a hormonal component, I ask whether you take any medication regularly and what contraception you use. We also note your skin type; in darker skin the risk of darkening after treatment is higher, so we keep the settings cautious.
We build the protocol around the type of mark, and it usually has more than one component; chemical treatments, laser and mesotherapy are among them. A session takes about 30 minutes on average. A plan of around 3 sessions is common, though the number changes with the type of mark. Home care, sun protection above all, matters as much as the sessions. Starting pigmentation treatment at the beginning of summer is like trying to empty a pool through three drains while two taps keep filling it; a great deal of effort goes in, and the patient ends up unhappy. So we build the plan around the months when the sun is weak.
Who Is It For?
It suits people with sun spots, age spots, hormonal darkening or marks left by acne on the face. We get the clearest response with marks that have defined borders and sit close to the surface.
With hormonal pigmentation we set expectations differently; the aim is to lighten it and slow down its return. Pregnancy and breastfeeding, tanned skin, active skin infection, recent isotretinoin use and medication that makes the skin sensitive to light change the plan; we discuss each of these separately at the examination. If a mark has newly appeared, has irregular borders or is changing colour, I ask for a dermatology assessment first.
Process & Recovery
Mark type analysis
We look at the type of mark, its borders, its depth and how long it has been there; if we suspect a hormonal component, we ask whether you take any medication. We note your skin type and take photographs.
Session day
We apply the method we planned; a topical anaesthetic cream can be used beforehand. The session takes about 30 minutes on average, followed by repair care.
First week
Depending on the method there may be redness, darkening and fine flaking. Temporary darkening of the mark is a stage we expect. You keep up your sun protection without missing a day.
Between sessions
We give the skin time to recover. Meanwhile, how closely you follow your home care matters as much as the session itself.
End of protocol and protection
When the protocol ends we compare photographs and assess the result. Keeping it depends on your continuing sun protection.
Results & Duration
Lightening comes as the sessions add up; don’t expect a marked change after the first one. After some methods the mark darkens for a while, which is a normal stage and no reason to panic.
The response varies a great deal with the type of mark. With superficial sun-related marks the difference is clearer. With hormonal pigmentation the process is long and the marks tend to come back. If treatment is aggressive before the skin has got through its sensitive phase, the body may react as if “something has happened here” and make more pigment; the mark then comes back larger and darker. Keeping the result also depends directly on sun protection. If you stop protecting your skin, the pigmentation returns.
What Is Not Promised
Pigmentation treatment doesn’t promise to wipe marks out completely. Our aim is to make them less visible and even out the skin tone. Hormonal pigmentation tends to come back; that is in the nature of the condition.
No one can promise a particular percentage of lightening, number of sessions or duration. Treatment can’t replace sun protection; if you don’t keep it up, the marks we have lightened come back. If a mark has newly appeared or is changing, a dermatology assessment is needed first.
Key Benefits
- Balanced skin tone
- Brighter appearance
- Individual protocol
“Pigmentation is not an easy thing to treat. One treatment and everything spotless? That doesn’t happen. Part of the work is mine, and part of it is your homework.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my pigmentation disappear completely?
We don’t promise that. The aim is to make it less visible and even out the tone. With superficial sun-related marks the difference is clearer; with hormonal pigmentation the process is long and the marks tend to come back.
Why is the type identified first?
Because the same method doesn’t suit every mark. An aggressive approach that works on a sun spot can make hormonal pigmentation worse.
How many sessions are needed?
A plan of around 3 sessions is common. The number changes with the type and depth of the mark.
My mark darkened after treatment — is that normal?
Yes, it’s normal. After some methods temporary darkening is a stage we expect. During this time you keep up your sun protection without missing a day.
Is sunscreen essential?
Yes. It is an inseparable part of the protocol; if you stop protecting your skin, the marks we have lightened come back.
Can it be done in summer?
We’d rather not. The months when the sun is weak are better for planning. I decide the right time for you from your skin type and your relationship with the sun.
Can it be done during pregnancy?
The approach changes in that period. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are among the situations that change the plan, and we discuss it separately at the examination.
I have a new mark — can it be treated directly?
Dermatology first. With a mark that is new, has irregular borders or is changing colour, I ask for a dermatology assessment first; any aesthetic treatment is planned after that.