QuestionDear Griffin,
A year ago I underwent a laser treatment to improve pitting along one cheek, which has since been left hypopigmented. Post procedure I was diligent with about avoiding the sun and later used SPF 50 to protect the area. Nevertheless, it's been well over a year, and colour doesn't appear to be returning, despite assurance from the derm that it should. My question would be, what are my options now? I've attempted to spot colour the area with a tanner, however, the damaged skin doesn't absorb the colour well. The use of 0.1% Retin on the area can improve the colour if layered on thick (essentially aggrivating the skin causing colour to appear) but one dermatologist suggested not to use anything while the skin heals that might disrupt melanites (sp) from becoming properly active again. What would you suggest?
Appreciatively,
David
Answer Wow this is a tough one. I would have to say out of all the tings we treat at our clinic acne scarring can be one of the toughest. I'm sorry there's not much I can tell you to help, I did a little research and found two ways other Dr.s have been successful returning pigment after resurfacing, one was using V-tar (a prescription used to treat vitiligo, a pigmentation disorder, it works by stimulating melanocytes) and another was Laser-assisted Chemabrasion (LACA). You can read more about that here
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14692936 (sorry you'll have to cut and paste). I'm sorry I can't tell you more to help, I haven't seen a lot of hypopigmentation following resurfacing, at my clinic I've seen more hyperpigmentation after those kinds of procedures.
Griffin
