Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a skin disease that causes the skin to lose color. Patches of lighter skin appear. People  of all races and ethnicities can get vitiligo. Vitiligo is not contagious. It is not life-threatening but it can affect self-esteem. There are different types of vitiligo, and some may be difficult to treat. Treatments may include topical corticosteroids, topical immunomodulators and UV light treatments.

Sun exposure leads to increased pigment and causes hyperpigmentation, or “sun spots.”  Sun spots are flat, discrete brown areas called lentigines that usually appear on the face, chest and back, as well as the back of the hands and the top of the feet. These spots range from light to dark brown and contribute to an aged appearance.

Melasma, which is most common in women and affects about 45 million people worldwide, appears as irregular patches of brown skin on the forehead, cheeks, upper lip and nose. Like most other pigmented lesions, Melasma is not dangerous, but it can affect self-esteem, prompting many women to hide behind a mask of make-up. Melasma is common during hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy, oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy.

Melasma is a chronic problem, which requires both treatment and maintenance plans that specifically target melasma.

Pigmentation treatments we offer include topical prescription or over-the-counter creams which contain retinols, hydroquinone or a combination of the two, chemical peels and Fraxel laser, an FDA-approved treatment for melasma.