Hi,
I was wondering if those who have had hyper-pigmentation due to LHR in legs, bikini, etc, should NEVER AGAIN suntan and/or stay away from the sun?
Will those hyper-pigmentated areas get worse if I wear shorts and don’t use sunblock ? (I never used sunblock on legs or bikini).
PIH (post-inflamatory-hyperpigmentation) is a result of melanocytes (pigment cells) getting over-stimulated by the natural inflammation process. Important to understand is that with ALL healing, this inflammatory process is going to last a long time (even if you don’t see it).
Melanocytes (being stimulated) don’t just product “one set” of pigment bundles, they keep on producing “melanin” for months and months as long as the skin is “actively healing.” (That’s why fade creams only work when you use them. Stop using the creams, and the PIH returns.)
Now to answer your question? Basically, don’t worry about any long-term effects; you will be just fine. Don’t get “burned” by the sun (or try to get a tan) just yet. Give this time to normalize. However, eventually your skin will be fully normal and you will see no difference in the way your skin responds to the sun.
The skin is WAY more dynamic than any of us understand … so is the entire body. For example, guess how many cells in the body “replicate” in ONE second!
If you guessed 10 million per second, you would be correct!
Thank you Michael for your reply.
(My skin is as white as Nicole Kidman´s and my hair is brown)
I have seen 3 dermatologists. The last one was a family friend (so I believe his opinion was the most honest) and the only one who based on the questions he asked me have made me realise that I should never have had laser. That explains all the problems I have been having.
In addition to the hyper-pigmentation, I still have, 4 months after LHR, a burning, stinging sensation similar to the one you could feel after shaving. It´s constant.
The embarrassing part is that when doing the bikini line part of the laser reached the base of my gluteal area and as a result I have two very visible big roundish marks on each cheek. Curiously, they have also been hurting ever since LHR.
Question:
2Does the burning, stinging sensation mean that my skin is “healing” or is it an indication that I got burned in deeper layers of tissue?
After how much time can hyper-pigmentation be deemed permanent? 1 year perhaps?