You’ll usually apply the topical steroid once a day for at least 2 weeks, and probably longer before seeing results. Side effects from steroid creams are uncommon, but can include redness, thinning of the skin, or even permanent pigmentation changes. If you have IGH on your face or other areas where your skin is thinner, you’ll need to use a lower concentration of topical steroid to reduce the risk of skin inflammation.
Retinoids are applied once daily, usually at night. It will take several weeks or possibly months to achieve noticeable results. If you experience any side effects, they will usually be limited to itching, redness, or dryness at the application site. Retinoids are chemically derived from Vitamin A and are useful for a range of skin conditions.
Pimecrolimus 1% cream may cause localized burning or stinging, but these issues typically vanish after a few applications. It can also cause acne flares in the application area in some cases, but this side effect usually goes away fairly quickly with regular use. You’ll often apply this medication twice per day for at least 2 weeks, and probably longer, in order to achieve results.
Like cryotherapy, dermabrasion, and chemical peels, laser treatments intentionally cause minor damage to the skin. As the skin repairs and regenerates, the IGH spots should be minimized or disappear completely. All of these therapeutic skin damage options seem to produce roughly the same rate of success, although there isn’t much detailed research on them when it comes to treating IGH. Your doctor will probably first recommend topical creams (like steroids or retinoids), then if necessary move on to trying one therapeutic skin damage method at a time until you see the desired results.
One study showed cryotherapy is effective at removing IGH spots (within a month or so) in roughly 80% of all cases, which is in the same range as other therapeutic skin damage methods.
You may also experience hyperpigmentation in rare cases, which means the IGH spots will go from being much lighter than your surrounding skin to noticeably darker.
IPL treatments take about 20 to 30 minutes per session, and you will need 3 to 6 treatments performed 1 month apart. You may experience some redness and peeling of your skin after treatment.
IGH spots nearly always occur in areas that are regularly exposed to the sun’s UV rays, such as the lower legs and arms, the face, and the back of the neck.
Look for hats and clothing made of fabrics that provide UVA/UVB protection by checking the labels. Don’t go out in the sun between 10 am and 4 pm because this is when the sun is the most powerful.
People who start using tanning beds regularly before the age of 35 increase their risk of developing melanoma (skin cancer) by 75 percent. [8] X Research source
IGH spots are more common on people with fair skin, but are more noticeable on people with darker skin.
