Find out information about laser pigmentation removal at Cheshire Lasers

At Cheshire Lasers, we use our very effective Lynton Lasers Lunina Machine a for IPL and Laser for pigmentation removal.

Intense Pulsed Light offers a very effective treatment for pigmented marks such as age/liver spots and freckles that appear on the face and hands.

Laser treatment can remove deeper, larger areas of pigmentation such as birthmarks. Both treatments are non-invasive and result in a more even skin tone.

Consultation Procedure

Prior to any treatment our Level 4 IPl and Laser technician will provide a full consultation.

The consultation identifies your expectations and provides a complete explanation of the treatment. A medical history is taken to confirm suitability for treatment and if you wish to proceed a written informed consent is obtained and a test patch is performed to confirm that there are no adverse skin reactions to the light.

How do Intense Pulsed Light and Lasers work?

Intense Pulsed Light systems release precisely controlled very short pulses of filtered light that are absorbed by the melanin in freckles, sun spots or liver spots. The pigmented area absorbs the light and is heated, and is removed by skin renewal. Following treatment, the pigmented area turns darker and may crust. Over the following weeks, the pigmented area will gradually flake away from the skin leaving little trace of the original mark.

How is the Pigmentation Removal treatment carried out?

You will be asked to put on goggles to protect your eyes. In Intense Pulsed Light treatments, a layer of chilled gel is applied to the area to guide light into the skin. The area may also be cooled to increase comfort during treatment. The light applicator is placed on the skin and a short pulse of light is released. The applicator is then moved to the neighbouring area and the process is repeated until the entire area is treated. The chilled gel is removed and the area cooled.

Am I suitable for treatment?

We can treat most pigmentation marks such as age/liver spots and freckles that appear on the face and hands.

However due to the way IPL and Lasers work we cannot treat you if you have:

Dark skin ( type 4-6)
Tanned skin (even if it is a few weeks old)
Skin with fake tan remaining

We can only treat skin types 1-3 for pigmentation removal.

We can not treat all pigmentation, large, dark moles can not be treated, nor can we treat large areas of pigment of the body. The pigmented marks that respond the best are superficial lesions such as those caused by sun damage (sun spots) and freckles.

If you are not suitable for treatment, we have a range of highly effective alternative treatments, such as Cysteamine Cream, we can advise you about.

How does the treatment feel?

Most patients describe the discomfort as moderate and acceptable. No anaesthesia is required. Sensations vary but most describe it as a very short hot pinprick.

What should I expect after the IPL / Laser Pigmentation Removal treatment?

The area will be tender for several days after treatment. After Intense Pulsed Light treatment, the lesion will darken and may appear more obvious, but will gradually fade and ‘flake’ off over the following weeks. After laser treatment, an initial whitening of the area is seen which quickly fades and the pigmentation will fade over the following few weeks. It is important that any crusts are not picked so the skin can heal naturally.

What are the side effects of an IPL / Laser Pigmentation Removal treatment?

Provided you do not have dark skin or tanned skin, patients experience very few side effects.

You may experience redness, which can be quite obvious immediately afterwards. This usually reduces quickly in a few hours and disappears within a few days.

The skin of some patients becomes darker where the pigment was treated but this usually flakes off after a few days but can take up to a week. Sometimes the skin becomes lighter and sometimes small blisters may form in the treated area.

How long does each treatment take?

The length of each treatment will depend on the type and size of lesion present, but a typical session will take 15 to 30 minutes.

How many treatments are necessary?

The number of treatments will depend on the type and size of the pigmented mark present, but typically 1 – 3 treatments will be needed. Treatments should take place approximately every 4 to 6 weeks.

Pigmentation Removal with IPL / Laser