/assets/production/practices/a1ef6ca9a6e795ee9db26a82b38d1eece378f983/images/2778335.jpg)
Hyperpigmentation, Melasma, Sun spots services offered in Fountain Valley, CA
Hyperpigmentation, melasma, and sun spots are dark areas of skin that develop after prolonged exposure to ultraviolet emissions from the sun or tanning devices. If you want to improve your skin’s appearance, Dr. Lanny Dinh at DC Dermatology in Fountain Valley, California, can help. Dr. Dinh offers safe, effective treatments that lighten and remove the discoloration. To learn more about eliminating melasma, sun spots, and other areas of hyperpigmentation, call DC Dermatology and schedule a consultation or book one online today.
Melasma and sun spots are common types of hyperpigmentation. Your skin’s color comes from melanin, a substance made in the skin cells. Damaged or unhealthy skin cells sometimes produce excess melanin that forms clumps, making the affected skin darker.
Depending on the skin’s location and natural color, hyperpigmentation spots or patches might be brown, black, red, gray, or pink.
What’s the difference between melasma and sun spots?
Melasma usually appears as brown patches but may occasionally cause blue-gray or freckled spots. You might hear people call it the mask of pregnancy because it’s common in pregnant women. Melasma is harmless and often fades over a few months. Sometimes there is a hormonal component causing the brown patches to form.
Sun spots (which are the same as age spots and liver spots) are flat, discolored places most likely to appear on areas receiving the most sun exposure, such as your face, arms, hands, and shoulders. The medical name for sun spots is solar lentigines.
Your risk of sun spots increases significantly after 50, but younger people can get them if they repeatedly spend long periods out in the sun. Sun spots aren’t harmful and don’t require treatment, but they show that your skin has absorbed high levels of ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun.
Because UV light can cause skin cancer, it’s vital to check your sun spots and consult Dr. Dinh if you notice any changes. She can perform a skin biopsy for lab analysis to detect lentigo maligna — skin cancer that looks like a sun spot.
You can prevent sun spots by avoiding the sun when it’s at its hottest (from 10 am to 2 pm), covering your skin, and always wearing a high-factor sun cream.
Can melasma and sun spots be treated?
Both prescription and over-the-counter topical treatments can be effective in lightening dark spots on the skin. Based on your diagnosis, Dr. Dinh will recommend specific products for daily use. Consistent sun protection is essential for managing these conditions.
Certain chemical peels can also help lighten brown spots on the skin.
Laser treatments are highly effective in reducing hyperpigmentation by targeting and destroying melanocytes (the cells that produce melanin) responsible for skin darkening, all without harming the skin’s surface. Typically, several sessions are required for optimal results.
For expert treatment of hyperpigmentation, melasma, and sun spots, contact DC Dermatology or book an appointment online today.