Question

Does Cosmelan work better than IPL for sun damage?

The medical director of the medspa I frequent recommended IPL for the hyperpigmentation and sun damage on my decollette.  But I have also heard good things about Cosmelan for this type of problem and I'm wondering if I should try it instead.  My medspa doesn't offer this treatment, so I couldn't really get any information about it from them.

Can someone tell me if Cosmelan is good for treating sun damage on the decollette?  Is it better than IPL?  Is there some other option that would work better with minimal downtime?

Thanks!

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Asked by: Chrissy

Answers (2)

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1
July 12, 2008

Cosmelan and Lasers for Sun Damage

Lori Haney, RN
Lori Haney, RN

Hi Chrissy,

I'm surprised we don't receive more questions about sun damage to the chest, which is a common problem for many women especially here in Southern California.

This condition is called poikiloderma and usually presents as red/brown pigment to the chest and sometimes has textural changes. I noticed that Dr. Shah stated that he discovered that Cosmelan has unacceptable levels of hydroquinone. This is not our understanding. Mesoestetic, the manufacturer of Cosmelan has emphatically denied this, and there is no independent research to support claims that the product has hydroquinone.

With regards to your question as to which modality would be most appropriate for you - that is difficult to state. There is no one perfect treatment plan that fits all. Some of our patients are considered non-responders to Cosmelan but receive nice outcomes with Class IV medical lasers for sun damage. We currently use Q-Switched Nd: YAG lasers for pigmentation removal. We have tried Cosmelan on the chest with poor to fair results. I would not recommend it for this area nor does the manufacturer. We prefer lasers to treat the red/brown pigmentation of the chest.

For sun damage to the face, we currently use Cosmelan, non-ablative (no downtime) lasers, and the Erbium MicroLaserPeel which is ablative. There are pros and cons of each modality as well as different expectations. Make certain that the practitioner knows what your goals are and is knowledgeable with any possible risks/contraindications.

Lori Haney, RN

Web reference: http://www.celibre.com/PhotoGallery.aspx
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2
July 12, 2008

Be careful about using Cosmelan

Sachit Shah
Sachit Shah

Be careful about using Cosmelan. I am not using it here in Canada, as the distributor stopped carrying it once he found that it carried an unacceptable level of hydroquinone.

I think IPL can work for sun damage as well as various Q Switch lasers, which I use for sun damage and the hyperpigmentation. They give good results with little or no downtime and also good results much more quickly.

My recommendation would be to see a physician who has a choice of lasers available so they can pick the best one for your skin type and the type of hyperpigmentation.

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