This section will focus on physical therapies and lasers, concentrating on the most common hyperpigmenting disorders seen in our daily dermatology practice: lentigines, melasma, pigmentation of aging, and PIH. We will also discuss the use of combination therapies in managing these disorders.
Most authors believe that physical therapies have a place in the treatment of pigmentary disorders. This is also our personal experience. Medium and deep chemical peels with trichloroacetic acid, dermabrasion, and laser therapy may be used in the treatment of hyperpigmentation. However, their success and clinical efficacy are limited.
Medium-depth peels and dermabrasion are rarely used when treating types IV-VI skin phototypes, as these approaches often result in hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation in this population (31).