What are the differences between laser treatments for hyperpigmentation and mole removal?

Doctor's Answers 2

For hyperpigmentation of the facial skin, common causes would be due to freckles, sunspots and melasma.

  1. Laser treatment of freckles and sunspots is usually by using pigment lasers such as Q-switched, long-pulsed or picosecond laser using the 532nm or 755nm wavelength. This is usually fairly effective after 1-3 treatments.

    In Asian patients, as there is more melanin in our skin, there is an increased risk of post laser pigmentation that can occur in almost 20% of patients when treated with the Q-switched or picosecond lasers.

    My favourite laser is using the long-pulsed Alexandrite laser for treating such pigmentation as it gives good results with a lower risk of post laser pigmentation.

  2. Laser treatment for melasma is tricky and can sometimes lead to darkening of the melasma especially when aggressive settings are used.

    Oral medicines such as tranexamic acid are very effective in such patients and this can be combined with gentle laser treatments using either Q-switched, long-pulsed or picosecond laser.

    An experienced physician is very important when treating melasma in order to avoid inadvertent darkening of the melasma.

  3. Laser treatment for mole removal depends on the type of mole we are treating.

  4. For small flat moles, pigment laser such as the long-pulsed Alexandrite laser can usually remove these moles effectively after 1-2 sessions, with very good cosmetic results.

  5. For raised brown moles, a combined approach using a CO2 laser followed by a pigment laser is used. This will allow flattening of the mole and removal of the brown colour in the same session. 1-3 sessions may be required for effective removal.

  6. For raised skin coloured moles, a CO2 laser is a good treatment option, usually giving excellent results after just 1 session.

  7. For laser treatment of moles, recurrence is possible after months or years.

  8. For raised moles (brown or skin-coloured), surgical removal is an excellent treatment modality as this removes the mole completely with very little chance of recurrence. There will be a small scar but this will usually fade to give excellent cosmetic results after 6-12 months.

For hyperpigmentation of the facial skin, common causes would be due to freckles, sunspots and melasma.

  1. Laser treatment of freckles and sunspots is usually by using pigment lasers such as Q-switched, long-pulsed or picosecond laser using the 532nm or 755nm wavelength. This is usually fairly effective after 1-3 treatments.

    In Asian patients, as there is more melanin in our skin, there is an increased risk of post laser pigmentation that can occur in almost 20% of patients when treated with the Q-switched or picosecond lasers.

    My favourite laser is using the long-pulsed Alexandrite laser for treating such pigmentation as it gives good results with a lower risk of post laser pigmentation.

  2. Laser treatment for melasma is tricky and can sometimes lead to darkening of the melasma especially when aggressive settings are used.

    Oral medicines such as tranexamic acid are very effective in such patients and this can be combined with gentle laser treatments using either Q-switched, long-pulsed or picosecond laser.

    An experienced physician is very important when treating melasma in order to avoid inadvertent darkening of the melasma.

  3. Laser treatment for mole removal depends on the type of mole we are treating.

  4. For small flat moles, pigment laser such as the long-pulsed Alexandrite laser can usually remove these moles effectively after 1-2 sessions, with very good cosmetic results.

  5. For raised brown moles, a combined approach using a CO2 laser followed by a pigment laser is used. This will allow flattening of the mole and removal of the brown colour in the same session. 1-3 sessions may be required for effective removal.

  6. For raised skin coloured moles, a CO2 laser is a good treatment option, usually giving excellent results after just 1 session.

  7. For laser treatment of moles, recurrence is possible after months or years.

  8. For raised moles (brown or skin-coloured), surgical removal is an excellent treatment modality as this removes the mole completely with very little chance of recurrence. There will be a small scar but this will usually fade to give excellent cosmetic results after 6-12 months.

Similar Questions

Is mole removal at NSC cheaper than at a private clinic in Singapore?

I think the charges for mole removal in Singapore at private clinics or NSC are pretty comparable. The cost at NSC depends primarily on factors like: Size and location of mole Method of removal (excision vs lasers) The cost for excision removal at NSC starts from $300 – $400 and up, and only requires 1 session. The cost for laser removal at NSC starts from $300 and up, and typically requires a few sessions. Not all moles can be lasered off. As NSC rates are standardised, you may be able to find some private clinics that do it for cheaper.

Where is the best place for mole removal in Singapore?

There are many clinics in Singapore that do mole removal. Private clinics are usually a little more pricey than government hospitals such as National Skin Center. However, National Skin Center’s waiting list is usually very long, can be up to 3-6 months. The more important factor to consider is to get your mole assessed properly before getting it removed. Laser removal over many sessions may not be a good way to remove a mole because the risk of mole recurrence can be high, and the mole cannot be assessed in the lab for any signs of skin cancer.

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