Pigmentation Treatment in Ludhiana

Pigmentation is described as the unique colouring of the skin of an individual as a result of melanin deposition. Melanin is a coloured pigment produced by the specialised cells called melanocytes, located at the base of the epidermis.

Normally, skin pigmentation varies according to the race or ethnicity of an individual and the extent of exposure of the skin to the sun’s UV radiations. Dark-skinned people have extra melanin content in the skin while fair-complexioned people have little melanin content. Pigmentation irregularities may occur when the melanocytes are not properly functioning or are irrationally dispersed on the skin.

When there is a pigmentation glitch, the skin appears dark or light in spots/patches. Such unusual darkening or lightening of the skin can affect the aesthetics of an individual, thereby lowering his/her confidence or esteem. This is when pigmentation becomes an aesthetic concern.

Dr. Roopi Khera, Pigmentation treatment doctor in Ludhiana at The Glo Medispa Clinic, first checks the skin and conducts further tests to diagnose the root cause of pigmentation. Then based on the assessment she provides patients with best treatments that help them to manage pigmentation concerns and achieve a smoother skin tone.

Pigmentation irregularities impact one’s aesthetics and make them more conscious of their looks. Now, many advanced, highly effective, safe, and minimally-invasive pigmentation treatments can help someone regain confidence by normalising his/her skin tone. The in-office pigmentation treatments work not only to fade out dark spots or get light spots to match with the surrounding natural skin tone but also provide additional aesthetic skin improvements. These treatments are quick, painless, have minimal side effects, and have no extensive downtime.

Skin pigmentation disorder is the result of an imbalance in the production of eumelanin and pheomelanin in the skin and the varied amount, size, and functioning of melanosomes- the melanin pigment production factories. Too much melanin production results in skin darkening while little melanin production makes the skin paler. Depigmentation leads to total loss of melanin in the skin. These pigmentation issues can be caused by a variety of factors including:

• Genetics- Some genes are responsible for melanin regulation in the skin. Therefore, individuals may show a genetic predisposition to hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation.
• Sun exposure- When skin is exposed to the sun’s harmful UV rays, it produces more eumelanin to shield itself from the sunlight. This makes the skin turn darker than usual.
• Side effects of particular medications- Medications like certain antibiotics and oral contraceptives as well as photosensitive drugs can result in hyperpigmentation.
• Others- Skin pigmentation can also be a result of Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency; injury/trauma to the skin like cuts, burns, or acne, and certain illnesses such as Addison’s disease and thyroid disease.

Hyperpigmentation (dark spots/patches):

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation- This pigmentation disorder occurs as irregular, darkly pigmented macules or patches in the previous sites of inflammation or injury/trauma. It is usually an outcome of burns, friction, acne breakouts, or aggressive treatments like lasers, chemical peels, and dermabrasion. Over time, darkening of the affected skin often lightens, but the pigmentation can show up again.
• Solar lentigines- Also referred to as liver spots or sun spots, this type of pigmentation appears as 1 to 3 cm well-circumscribed, variegated macules of light yellow to dark brown colour. They are found on the sun-exposed areas of the skin including the face, chest, shins, hands, forearms, and back. These are an outcome of acute or chronic exposure of the skin to the sun’s harmful UV radiations.
• Melasma- This pigmentation disorder presents on the sun-exposed facial or forearm skin as light brown, brown, or grey, well-defined macules. It is commonly seen in pregnant women or those taking oral contraceptives as a result of hormonal fluctuations. Thyroid disorders, stress, and hereditary factors can also contribute to its occurrence.
• Freckles (or ephelides)- This pigmentation disorder is characterised by 1 to 2 mm sharply defined macules of colour ranging from red or tan to light brown. It is often noticed on the face, neck, chest, arms, and legs of people with Fitzpatrick skin types I and II, in summers after repeated sun exposure. The onset of freckles is in childhood after sun exposure and they fade out during winters.
• Café au lait macules- These are 1-20 cm tan to brown macules that appear on the individual skin’s surface at birth or in early childhood. They may appear anywhere on the skin but most commonly they appear on the trunk of the body. The condition is the result of extra melanin content in the melanocytes or basal keratinocytes.’

Hypopigmentation (light spots or patches):

• Vitiligo- It is a chronic hypopigmentation condition characterised by sharply defined, coalescent, 5 to 50 mm pale macules or patches on the skin of the face, hands, neck, forearms, genitalia, periorificial, lips, fingertips, or/and body folds. Possibly, it is an immune-mediated condition wherein healthy skin cells are mistakenly destroyed by the immune cells.
• Pityriasis alba- This hypopigmentation condition appears as irregular, itchy, fine scale, and slightly inflamed patches on the face, forearms, neck, and head. Its occurrence has a possible association with atopic dermatitis or eczema and is aggravated by sunlight exposure.
• Tinea versicolor- It is a fungal (Malassezia sp.) skin infection that may be characterised by pale white plaques on dark-complexioned skin and pale brown, pink, or red plaques on fair-complexioned skin. The skin patches may have fine scales. This skin condition is usually noticed on the chest, neck, back, abdomen, or proximal extremities.
• Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation- These are light macules or patches that appear on the injured/inflamed areas of the skin. They can be caused due to various reasons like atopic dermatitis, tinea versicolor, guttate parapsoriasis, pityriasis alba, atopic dermatitis, or intralesional corticosteroid use.

Depigmentation (white spots/patches):

• Albinism- It is an inherited depigmentation condition caused by changes in the genes playing a role in melanin production. It leaves the skin pale or white because of the loss of melanin.