Actually, this isn’t true. This isn’t a permanent injury. In fact, technically speaking the injury has healed (or at least appears to from the photos). What we have now is a lack of pigmentation. The reason there is a lack of pigmentation is that the melanin in the skin absorbed the energy and were damaged and this depigmented the areas. Now what has to happen is that the melanocytes have to reactivate and produce melanin. This melanin has to move through the skin and blend in with the other areas. Unless the melanocytes are permanently damaged, which I can not imagine to have happened in this case, they will begin to produce melanin. How long that takes is an open question.
One way to stimulate melanocytes is to expose them to UV radiation. But this has to be done cautiously and carefully because you do not want to damage unprotected skin and is not useful if the melanocytes are not ready.
When we have had reactions like this, I have told clients to tan in an effort to stimulate the melanocytes. If done carefully it works well. I don’t like doing it but it is a reasonable treatment.
No, sslhr, you’re incorrect. Any physician in the United States will tell you that surface cells have been injured and basal cells temporarily form a barrier. If you tan, you will allow spottines to form because the uninjured cells will tan faster and deeper than the basal cells. The injured cells will only suffer premature aging/ sun damage because they are not cells that typically form natures barrier against the sun.
I find your posts actually quite funny. You make these grandiose proclamations such as “any physician in the United States” without any clue what you are talking about. What bothers me is that others reading these posts may actually believe. Ultimately, what is important is the truth.
As a physician in the United States (licensed by the Texas Medical Board) I don’t have a clue what you are talking about when you state that surface cells have been injured and basal cells temporarily form a barrier. Are you talking about normal re-epithelialization that occurs after an injury? Are you suggesting that UV light penetrates farther into the dermis because there is less tissue above due to loss of tissue and that will not change until re-epithelization is done? BTW, those are both true statements.
Basically in this case, the tissue is healed. Re-epithelization is done and all that is left is to wait for the melanocytes to generate melanin to repigment the skin. Now in the winter, there may not be enough stimulation to get the melanocytes to start up. So careful exposure to UV (tanning) can work quite well. The point is careful.
To answer Dee’s question as to how do we do it carefully? With care and caution. I don’t promote tanning or sun exposure, but there is a time and place for it.
Wait until the skin is fully healed. This requires an examination of the skin.
Expose the areas to the sun (without sunscreens) or in a tanning booth for about 5 to 10 minutes about twice a week. Do this a couple of weeks. Say four exposures.
I’m not sure that ModelLilia could have recieved that specific type of instruction from her physicians, so thanks for outlining that so well. So, she should have the areas assessed by her physician to determine when she should start the tanning process.
To add further credibility to your answers sslhr, if I remember correctly, you are a board certified dermatologist, right?
Thanks for the input. I can see how one would caution someone like the poster to avoid tanning when the skin was traumatized with second degree blistering by an IPL. It would seem that exposing the skin to another spectrum of light, ultaviolet light specifically, would raise eyebrows. The “Do No Harm” words come to mind, so I hope you understand the words of caution from other posters, including myself.
The gradual stimulating of melanocytes makes sense to me.
ModelLilia, please help us out here. Will you give us updates, with pictures, so we can see how you heal in the end? Mark your calendar so you don’t forget to come back. There have been many posters that come here with worry and despair asking if they will heal back to normal. Professionals can talk a good talk and I’m sure they are being honest, but the consumer who has been through hell and back has more weight to reassure the next victim that comes knocking on hairtell’s door.
I’ve worked in multiple dermatologists’ offices and they almost always prescribed tanning for hypopigmentation. Before tanning beds were popular, they would come into the office and spend just a few minutes under a UV lamp (called “sun lamps” back in the day) for several different conditions, psoriasis, vitiligo, acne, and hypopigmentation after burns healed.
You never want to overdo tanning, because a tan is your body shouting…“You’re damaging my skin,” but it may be necessary to get your pigment even.
I would consult with a dermatologist, maybe you can find one who specializes in wound care, and get complete directions and guidance to give you peace of mind while you’re going through this.
As it is, tanning isn’t exactly favored by dermatologists as it is.
[personal attack removed]
…you need to take a step back and ponder some of this advice you’re handing out, like putting vasaline over wounds.
And by the way, since when could you give a full medical assesment by looking at a photo? You’re putting yourself in a liable position. -And that’s a true statement.
Guys, please, this should not be a Forum where one Moderator bashes another one, for the sake of proving a point. All of you are give good advise however, some of you should be careful what you say, both from a liability point of view, particularly when giving advise about settings without ACTUALLY SEEING THE PERSON.
Regarding this case, my advise, SUBJECT TO SEEING THE PERSON “would have been” to put SILVERDENE ( Burn cream ) immediately after treatment on the areas, apply it generously, while keeping the area cool ( Cold compresses ) for about 45 minutes. Repeat same treatment in the evening, as well as the next morning again and within 24 hours, apply any type of soothing cream ( Vitamin E, Vitamin K, etc ) 2-3 times a day.
Usually 30 days after this occurrance, the person would be able to tan, SELECTIVELY, under PROPER GUIDANCE and with 3-4 months, most of the pigment would come back.
I am not a Doctor but I train Doctors. This is anecdotal information that should be treated as such. Any person who goes through such an ordeal should see a Dermatologist for proper protocols.
Personal attacks are NOT allowed on this forum. SSLHR expressed his opinion on Mantaray’s post in an intelligent civilized response. Mantaray responded with a personal attack. NOT acceptable here. I’ve reported this to Andrea.
Everyone knows who SSHLR is. He owns specific clinics and his identity is documented for everyone to verify, including his status as a physician. However, Mantaray specifically never disclosed his association with any type of medicine whatsoever, no matter how many times he was asked. Yet, he continues to argue with a documented physician’s advice.
SSLHR was ASKED for his medical opinion on the situation. There is no liability attached. The OP posted knowing that she is free to decide for herself whether she takes any of the advice here under consideration.