The most commonly treated conditions are solar lentigines, also known as age spots, liver spots or sunspots; café au lait birthmarks; and freckles. These benign pigmented lesions are due to an excess of pigment in the skin, usually due to sunlight exposure and inherited factors. Age spots may appear as enlarged light freckles on the face and hands. Café au lait birthmarks may appear as light brown markings anywhere on the body and can be quite large.

Treatment varies from patient to patient depending on the type of lesion, the size of the affected area, the color of the patient’s skin, and the depth to which the abnormal pigment extends beneath the surface of the skin. Some lesions, such as “age spots,” will require only a few pulses, while others, such as café au lait birthmarks, will require more. Retreatment of some lesions may be necessary, which requires multiple patient visits.
The treated area is then sloughed away, clearing the spot within two to three weeks.  The laser beam selectively effects the pigment in the age spot and does not harm the surrounding skin. Laser therapy is a safe and effective treatment for sun damage or wrinkles.

The laser emits light in very short flashes called pulses. The impact of the energy from the powerful pulse of light is similar to the snap of a thin rubber band. After the treatment, the area will feel like a slight sunburn. Typically, any redness disappears on the same day. After the redness clears, the skin returns to its natural smooth color and texture.