Admitting our imperfections can be difficult. On the internet, we all appear beautiful, successful, and always in a good mood. But when we look in the mirror at home while removing makeup, we realize our wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and blemishes.
For me, the most frustrating issue is pigmentation on my skin. As I age, it becomes more aggressive. I can only thank my mother for such skin. Today, I want to share the principles that work (or don’t) in combating pigmentation on my skin and the solution I’ve found this season.
A brief background: I’m 38, with thin, combination skin that’s very sensitive and prone to dryness. I’ve had pigmentation issues for 15 years and cannot live without SPF.
Small pigmentation spots have come and gone, but never been too prominent. Home treatments, mainly with acids, have been somewhat helpful. However, a few years ago, pigmentation spots appeared around my eyes. They would darken and lighten, but never fully disappear.
The worst happened this spring when I spent 40 minutes in bright sunlight without SPF. As a result, I developed a massive pigmentation spot across my forehead, which later split into two large spots.
As you can see, the situation wasn’t pleasant. Throughout the summer, I continued my skincare routine, which included:
Light acids in the form of toners and facial masks that gently exfoliate and even out skin tone.
A standard basic care routine for 30+ that, in the long run, lightens minor pigmentation and post-acne.
Daily serums and boosters: niacinamide for an even skin tone and reduced blemishes, and a vitamin C serum for a fresh complexion.
Periodic complex peelings of various acids 1-2 times a week and mono-acids like lactic acid for improved skin tone and gentle polishing are essential in fighting facial pigmentation. More potent treatments, like retinol and tretinoin, once showed good results (doctor’s consultation needed!) but severely dried out my skin. I now avoid tretinoin.
By September, I realized that home treatments and salon peelings wouldn’t help, so my cosmetologist and I decided to use the IPL Lumecca laser.
I will not delve deeply into the details of the creation of this system and its manufacturer. This laser system is based on high-intensity light pulses aimed at improving skin quality — removing pigmentation, vascular networks, increasing skin density, and combating breakouts. The skin is exposed to a high level of impact during a very short pulse.
There are several contraindications to using this procedure, and a doctor’s consultation is mandatory. I didn’t particularly prepare for the procedure; there are restrictions on taking medications, but they didn’t apply to me since I don’t take any. The only thing I did was undergo a home acid peel course twice a week for a month before the procedure. I used Geltek peeling, which I recently wrote a post about. I took a one-week break before the procedure.
For my type of brown pigmentation, I was assigned two treatments with a 14-day interval between them.
Before the procedure, a gel is applied to the skin, presumably to prevent burns, and protective glasses are worn over the eyes. The light flashes are very bright, lasting about a second, but still uncomfortable for the eyes even with glasses on.
The Lumecca attachment has a large enough action radius, so there aren’t too many touches on the face. The procedure is painful in the sense that during the flash, it feels like a tiny needle has just pricked your face. It’s bearable, but I have a high pain threshold and am generally tolerant of pain.
The thinner the skin in the area, the more painful it is, and I felt it most on the wings of my nose. The procedure itself lasts a maximum of 5 minutes.
Upon completion of the procedure, a soothing serum is applied to the skin. The skin doesn’t require any special recovery after the laser. After the first procedure, I had slight redness on my forehead and cheekbones, which disappeared within a couple of hours.
Some spots start to darken immediately, while others do so within the first day after the procedure.
The morning after the first laser treatment, pigmented spots begin to darken, and the skin prepares for peeling. There’s no need to peel anything off intentionally. The skin becomes more sensitive, so I only used La Mer concentrate to moisturize my skin.
After about three days, it gets better, but the skin fully renews itself in about a week. If there were any inflammations on the skin before the procedure, they instantly dry up and disappear, without further traumatizing the skin in that area.
A week after undergoing the first procedure, I even managed to dye my hair as well!
For my second treatment, I arrived without the dreadful pigmented spots, and the second laser session cleared the remaining minor pigmentation, especially around the delicate skin near the eyes. It’s essential not to touch this area since the skin is too thin.
It’s worth noting that the second procedure was more sensitive due to my skin’s heightened sensitivity, but it was still tolerable for me.
After the second procedure, my skin didn’t turn red.
There was minimal peeling.
In theory, one treatment might have been enough for me since the primary pigmentation disappeared after the first session.
Now, of course, my skin looks much better.
If you look very closely, there is a faint hint of spots on my forehead, but not as noticeable as before. I will need to see how my skin reacts to direct sunlight in the spring and then decide what to do next. But for now, I am delighted with the result.
This procedure is also known as photo-rejuvenation for the skin. Indeed, it’s not just about removing pigmentation; the skin itself becomes better quality, denser, with reduced pores and fewer breakouts. My cosmetologist immediately said that I would like the effect. It’s like getting Botox for the first time 🙂
Yes, the effect is not long-lasting, but for me, it’s more of a pleasant bonus in my fight against pigmentation. The maximum effect for the skin is achieved after two treatments, and more than three sessions in a course are not recommended. Breaks are necessary.
Of course, don’t forget to use sunscreens with a high protection factor, especially after IPL Lumecca treatments. It’s extremely crucial, even in winter and even underground 🙂
All the products in the post photo are approximate; you can choose the ones suitable for your skin, as it’s just a concept of products and ingredients.
And always consult with a specialist!
Good luck 🙂