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Melanin gives skin its color, with the amount in the skin determining if someone has a light or dark complexion: the more melanin present, the darker the skin color. Pigmented lesions are darker than the surrounding natural skin color mainly because there are higher concentrations of melanin in that one area of the skin.
Benign Pigmented Lesions refer to a wide range of abnormalities that can be found on the skin. These lesions can be caused by sun exposure, hormones, a post-inflammatory reaction or may be present from birth. Many of these can be eliminated or significantly improved using the Medlite C-6 laser. The Medlite C-6 laser removes these pigments with the power of light. The light produced by the laser is absorbed by the pigmented lesion and the unwanted pigment is then destroyed, thus removing or lightening the lesion. Common pigmented lesions that can be treated include:
Café-Au-Lait Macules
one of the several skin lesions commonly called "birthmarks"; brown patches, present at birth or developed in early childhood, with discrete, well-defined borders which can be smooth or irregular; their size can range from 0.2 cm to 30 cm; these are present in approximately 20% of the population; "café-au-lait" is French for "coffee with cream" and refers to the coloration of these spots
Solar Lentigines
commonly called "age spots", "sun spots" and "liver spots"; flat tan, reddish or light-brown spots, commonly seen on the face, hands, forearms, chest and upper back arising in middle age caused by damage from sun exposure; they can range in size from 0.2 to 2 cm, but can merge together forming larger spots
Ephelides
commonly called "freckles"; multiple reddish, brown or tan flat spots usually 1 - 3 mm in size, occurring in areas exposed to the sun; these often fade or completely disappear during the winter or when not exposed to the sun, and darken or increase in number during the summer or when area gets sun exposure; more common during childhood they can also occur through adulthood
a skin condition causing irregular tan, brown, or even blue/black patches on parts of the face including cheeks, forehead, nose, chin, jaw line, and upper lip. It is usually symmetrical (matching on both sides of the face). 90% of melasma occurs in women, only 10% of those affected are men. People with dark skin, particularly Hispanics, Asians, Indians, people from the Middle East and Northern Africa, are more prone to developing melasma than others. Its cause is unknown, but it is thought to be due to an increase in the production of melanin (the substance which causes the color in the skin). Some triggers for this include heredity, hormone fluctuation, such as due to pregnancy and use of birth control pills, prolonged sun exposure and certain medications.
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