The pigment spots called lentigines have a very typical appearance: they are flat with irregular edges and uniform in color, reminiscent of an ink stain. They usually appear in the most sun exposed areas such as face, neckline and hands. Lentigines are more frequent in women but also appear in men although at later ages. It is necessary to differentiate a solar lentigo (or also called senile léntigo, age spot, sun spots) from a malignant lentigo melanoma type.
Solar lentigines appear on the face or other sun exposed areas because the sun’s ultraviolet rays have stimulated the cells that make the pigment called melanin. Thus, these pigment spots come out by the sun and can be removed.
Once the lentigines have appeared, if we do not treat them they will not disappear. Laser technology is the most effective way to eliminate this type of pigment spot from the face in a permanent way, since it manages to act on the cells that accumulate this melanin in the skin in a specific way without damaging the surrounding cells. It is advisable to treat the lentigo type spots or age spot as soon as possible, after their appearance, to prevent them from darkening further.
To remove the pigment spots of the solar lentigo type on the face or any other area, the most specific laser is the Q-switched Alex laser or, more recently, the picosecond laser. With the laser treatment, this type of facial pigment spots or other sun exposed areas is eliminated in a single session since the laser light destroys the cells with excess pigment, without affecting the surrounding tissue.
After the laser session to remove pigment spots lentigo type, which lasts only about 5 minutes, is a scab of the same size of the treated spot that disappears in about 5-10 days. During the crusting process it is recommended to use a healing cream and protect from the sun. If desired, the scab can be covered with makeup. And even better if it is a makeup with 50+ protection factor.
