Dermamelan Peel At A Glance
- Best Results1 treatment
- Treatment Recovery4-7+ days
- Procedure Time20 minutes
- Skin SpecialistDermatologist, nurse
- Duration of Results7-16 months
- AnaestheticNil, painless
- Back to WorkNext day- 5+ Days
- Cost$$
Dermamelan Peel
Dermamelan Peel is a unique chemical peel that is used for the treatment of persistent & resistant melasma/chloasma. This peel, sometimes referred to as a mask is the fastest method to reset melasma pigmentation. I am extremely selective as to who is suitable for this type of melasma peel as pre-selection is critical to achieving good results. This peel includes a home kit containing pigment inhibitors, moisturizers & sunscreen.
FactsFacts on Dermamelan Peel
- Dermamelan is used to treat melasma, pigment from acne, freckles & age spots
- This two-step peel is suitable for all skin types
- Application of the peel is conducted in the clinic
- The second step is an at home maintenance program
- Dermamelan/Cosmelan is the fastest way to reset melasma
- This preparation does not contain Hydroquinone
- Dermamelan selection is important to achieving good results
What is Dermamelan Peel?
Dermamelan is an effective treatment that is used to treat skin blemishes that are caused by melanin including Melasma/Chloasma. Its aim is to improve the overall texture & luminosity of the skin. It involves a combination of professional treatment conducted in the clinic followed by a home maintenance cream.
The home kit contains pigment correctors, washes, moisturiser & sunscreen.
Will all types of melasma respond to Dermamelan peels?
Peels are best for epidermal forms of melasma. Technically melasma is both epidermal (involving the upper part of the skin known as the epidermis) as well as dermal (deeper layer of skin). The relative proportions of where pigmentation lies gives rise to the primarily depth of melasma.
The depth of melasma can be gauged with clinical examination, dermatoscopy, Wood’s light or in extreme cases a skin biopsy (useful to differentiate other forms of pigmentation including ochronosis, PIH & other causes of skin pigmentation). My team & I will guide you accordingly.
If you have dermal melasma, peels have limited efficacy.
How long will it take to recover from this chemical peel?
4 to 7 days. The majority of patients will start to peel 48 to 72 hours after the application of the cream. Depending on your skin type, peeling typically lasts one week. In 20% of patients, peeling can last up to 8 to 10 days.
What should I expect my melasma to be like after Dermamelan mask peeling?
A realistic expectation is improvement of between 50-80% after one application of Cosmelan – Dermamelan peel. Patients who have primarily epidermal – mixed melasma will have better initial and long-term results compared to primarily dermal pigmentation.
With correct application of post peel products and sun protection, we can expect a good outcome. Peels, lasers & creams do not cure melasma, they merely treat it. You can have this peel repeated every 6-18 months as indicated.
*Dermamelan – Cosmelan does NOT cure melasma, it merely treats this pigment & ‘resets’ the pigment clock.
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What is included in this unique peel program?
A professional peel is conducted within the Specialist suites. Additionally, an at home kit consisting of face washes, nightly anti-pigment creams & sunscreen are included. This home package is part of the ‘peel series.’
How do I know if Dermamelan is suitable for my pigmentation?
The MOST IMPORTANT aspect of pigmentation treatment is a diagnosis. Novel chemical peels for melasma require careful patient selection as not everyone is suitable for this treatment. This peel is suitable for –
- Patients with primarily superficial melasma (epidermal > dermal)
- People who have a strict timeline for melasma treatment, namely greatest improvement in the shortest time
- Patients who are strict with their sun protection
- Patients who have less than 90 min of recreational sun a week (incidental UV such as running, hiking, swimming)
- Those with no medical contraindications to vascular modulators
A consultation is required for every patient. This consultation enables you to express your concerns freely and confidentially. Following an assessment and examination, a tailored treatment plan will be provided and the most appropriate treatment for you will be discussed. As a guide, 80+ % of patients have a good to excellent outcome following novel peels for melasma.
The challenging aspect of this patient is the skin type (5)
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👉👍🏻Pros of this acne scar pattern: relatively superficial mix of broad boxcar, boxcar, pick & the odd ice pick. The biggest advantage of this patient is the absence of active acne, hence we can concentrate on revision & not chase our tail
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🔫Treatment: erbium fully ablative + fractional CO2, recovery 6 days
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🖐🏽Pigment or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is expected, as noted in this picture. PIH can resolve with usual pigment faders, we can expedite the process with pico lasers
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🎥B+A: after photo taken in march, she will finish the cse of pico in a few weeks, final results next month💯
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😎Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane, 🇦🇺
#acnescars #acnescartips #acnescarremedy #acnescarcure #scars #drdavinlim #darkskin #scarremovaltips #scarremoval #cutisdermatology #laserresurfacing
I prefer older Q switch lasers over pico lasers for the management of melasma. It is not that we can not get an improvement with pico, the argument is that we achieve more predictable results with QSL. Additionally the patient saves💲as we are using a more cost effective laser👍🏻
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🔬Skin Science: We know so much more about melasma now than ever before. It is a complex play of UV, HEV & IR radiation with just about every cell in the skin, not just melanocytes. Our odds of treating melasma has risen dramatically over the past 6 years with the understanding of how melanosomes are transferred to cells & the role of plasminogen & VEGF
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1️⃣💊Medical therapy remains first line
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2️⃣🔫Lasers can help, QSL> Pico> Fractional Non-Ablative
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3️⃣🍌Peels: Novel peels like Dermamelan and Cosmelan for epidermal > dermal. V. low concentration AHA, Jessner & super low TCA can help maintain
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4️⃣👎🏼Microneedling: Got lost in translation, from a method to increase transepidermal delivery of ‘actives’ such as hydroquinone, ascorbic acid, antioxidants it became the PRIMARY modality for most. Not a good idea
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😎Davin Lim
Dermatologist
Brisbane 🇦🇺
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#microneedling #melasma #melasmatreatment #dermatologist #drdavinlim #skinlightening #pigmentationtreatment #cosmelan #dermamelan #melasmacure #ethnicskin #dermatologyclinic #skinclinic
Melasma and dark circles. B and A by Lisa and Alison @cliniccutis
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🔬Skin Science: 3 main factors contributing to #melasma, genetics, hormones & radiation. We can’t control the first two, but with adequate protection radiation (incl. IR and HEV - high energy visible) can be reduced. HEV/ blue- especially important in this skin type as melanocytes have blue light receptors, Opsin 3. Pigmentary sunscreens useful
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👉Treatment options-
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👉SPF must be absolute
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👉Pigment inhibitors: the usual HQ, #arbutin, ascorbic acid, licorice root extracts, #cysteamine, kojic acid, bearberry and botanicals
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👉VEGF and fibrinogen modulators
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👉Lasers: nano over pico for melasma
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🍌Peels: Usual low concentration AHAs, TCA. When do I use novel Dermamelan or Cosmelan peels? Only when pigment is epidermal / mixed AND with t.acid cover po.
I prefer lasers over peels as the former is more cost effective with no downtime
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👀Dark circles: many causes, this improved due to increase collagen production from dermal toning- more side effect than actual aim, no vascular lasers used (in this case)
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😎Dr Davin Lim
@drdavinlim
Dermatologist
Brisbane🇦🇺
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#melsamatreatment #melasma #pigmentationtreatment #dermatologist #drdavinlim #davinlim #skinbrightening #skinlightening #tranexamicacid #skinscience #dermalscience #instaskincare #pigmentationcure #melasmaskincare
Melasma is a form of facial pigmentation. Share if you find this useful
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🔬Skin Science of #melasma is extremely complex. The main cause is an interaction of genetics, UV & in some cases hormones. Excessive pigment is produced by melanocytes
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How is melasma different from other pigment? Unlike #freckles #sunspots & age warts, melasma requires gentle & precise treatment. #IPL, aggressive lasers & #microneedling commonly flare up melasma
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How I treat melasma: The very first step is diagnosis as there are many forms of pigmentation. I then formulate a plan based upon careful clinical examination
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🌞Sunscreen is the foundation of treatment. #invisiblezinc #sunsense #neutogena make
great formulations. Ensure at least twice a day application. .
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👀Pigment inhibitors include #hydroquinone #kojicacid #ascorbicacid #arbutin #azelaicacid & #retinoids. The concentration & formulation combination varies according to skin sensitivity, depth of pigment, & previous treatments
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🔫Lasers; used appropriately can help lighten skin. Nano or Pico lasers, followed by either very, very low power 1927 #fraxel or #clearandbrilliant. .
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🍊Chemical peels can reduce melasma. My top peels are #retinoicacid peels, Dermamelan & Cosmelan peels, followed by #lacticacidpeels, #glycolicacidpeels & #TCApeels. Careful selection of suitable patients is paramount
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💉Vascular Modulation can be achieved with tablets, creams & copper bromide lasers. Tranexamic acid topically from the #inkeylist can be useful in some cases
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😎Davin’s Protip: Individualise melasma management. The answer is NOT a peel, nor a laser, nor creams/tablets. Melasma can be improved in the majority of cases, recurrence is the rule & rotational treatment is indicated. Dermamelan peel has pros & cons; this treatment may be suitable for some, but not all patients. .
Dr Davin Lim @cliniccutis
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BrisVegas
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#cosmelan #skinhealth #beautytips #healthskin #skincarecommunity #brisbanedermatologist #dermatology
What are the potential side effects & risks of this peel?
This novel peel is a graduated ‘soft’ peel that is very different from TCA – TCA/ Jessner or phenol croton oil peels. Side effects are rare. The major things to note include –
- Prolonged redness & skin irritation (maybe prolonged> 10 days)
- Prolonged peeling – skin flaking (seen in some patients to last up to 12 days)
- Rebound pigmentation (melasma can rebound in some patients)
- Tightness and swelling (this may last 5-7 days)
- True allergies (rare, about 2-3% of patients)
Skin irritation & peeling is proportional to the depth & intensity of the peel. Expect more downtime with Dermamelan compared to the weaker Cosmelan peel.
What other options are available to treat pigmentation?
There are many other options available to treat pigmentation, depending on the type and the depth of pigmentation, as well as patient factors (such as skin type and downtime). Some of the other ways I manage pigment include-
- Fraxel lasers: For sun damage & age spots
- Clear & Brilliant laser: This is a gentle form of Fraxel
- LaseMD Ultra: is a better Fraxel in every way
- BBL – IPL: For freckles and sun damage, not good for melasma
- CO2 fractional lasers: For sun damage pigment & wrinkles
- Erbium laser: For Asian & ethnic skin
- Pico & nano lasers for melasma & post acne marks including ethnic skin types
- Tixel for some cases of pigment
Davin’s opinion on Dermamelan - Cosmelan peels for melasma
Even with the event of lasers including Fraxel, Spectra & Picosure/Picoway, I find chemical peels useful in the management of resistant melasma. The Cosmelan/Dermamelan peel is one of the fastest ways to clear melasma– typically 70-80% of melasma will fade within 10 days of starting the peel. This is my preferred method of treating skin pigmentation for patients who see me from the Interstate or overseas. Unfortunately, patients who suffer from dermal melasma will have marginal benefits from lasers and-or peels.
It is important to ascertain the level of melasma prior to peeling, as this will determine the success of this treatment. My clinical team & I use special instruments such as polarised dermatoscopes or skin microscopes to visually confirm the depth of pigmentation.
In some cases, I combine Cosmelan or Dermamelan with t.acid to further improve outcomes from novel peels. Once melasma is treated, we transition patients to a maintenance program that comprise of super gentle lasers or more cost-effective & less powerful chemical peels. The ideal treatment depends on your goals, skin type, downtime, & skin sensitivity.
