August is National Psoriasis Awareness Month and the perfect time to talk about psoriasis and other skin conditions which cause discoloration and textural changes. Texture changes in the skin can often cause itchiness and irritation, as well as obvious changes in the color of the skin, such as red patches or brown spots. If you notice these changes or conditions forming, it’s best to see a dermatologist for a recommended course of treatment.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a condition where the cells of the skin build up, forming itchy, dry patches on the skin. This condition appears as your immune system’s reaction to infections, stress, or the cold, and flare-ups of rashes can appear anywhere on the skin. Because the appearance of psoriasis is cyclical, flare-ups can last for weeks or months at a time, causing frustration due to the persisting skin irritation and obvious appearance on the skin.
The best treatments help manage and mitigate the symptoms of the rash, and your dermatologist will recommend ointments, lotions, and even light therapy if needed to reduce the size of the rash and lessen the irritations.
Melasma
Melasma is a condition that causes brown or gray spots and patches to appear on the face, usually on the nose, cheeks, upper lip, chin, or forehead. In some cases, these patches can also appear on the elbows and forearms.
Melasma can be caused by pregnancy, sun exposure, hormone changes, and genetic makeup. Although melasma most often occurs in women, men can also develop patches on the skin.
Photodamage
Photodamage on the skin is caused by sun exposure on unprotected skin and appears as a scattering of brown spots on the skin. This often appears on the face but any skin which is exposed to the sun without protection can develop these spots. To prevent this discoloration, it’s always best to wear sunscreen and protective clothing when outside, but if you have already developed the spots, some treatments can remove this discoloration as well as texture changes in the skin.
Treatments!
LaseMD™
LaseMD™ is a treatment that’s perfect for sun-damaged skin or patients living with photodamage. This treatment is perfect for every type of skin and because it takes such a short time with minimal downtime for healing, it has become known as a “Lunchtime Laser” treatment!
With LaseMD™, the dermatologist will create microchannels in the skin in which a drug is administered to enter deep within the dermis and heal patches of discoloration to give you back your healthy, glowing skin! LaseMD™ is also highly versatile and can treat the face, chest, neck, hands, and other areas of the body.
VBeam®
The VBeam® treatment is perfect for treating texture changes on the skin as well as to treat photodamage. This treatment uses gentle bursts of light which are absorbed by blood vessels or melanin pigmented areas in the dermis to remove discoloration and smooth different textures on the skin. This safe and effective treatment can also be used on every area of the body!
Other skin texture conditions that the VBeam® can treat include moles, stretch marks, acne, scars, warts, and more!
When you schedule a consultation, our laser skin expert, Dr. Walia, will help you determine the best laser skin solution for you!
To schedule a consultation to treat photodamage, textural changes to your skin, or treat psoriasis, call (301) 610-0663 today!
You can also see the effectiveness of our treatments on Instagram!