Melanage for Melasma

If you have dark patches on your skin from Melasma, we actually have good news for you! Our new Melanage Skin Lightening System is specifically designed to treat Melasma, which is much different than other types of hyperpigmentation.

What is melasma?
It is a darkening of the skin caused by excessive production of melanin—the pigment that causes skin to tan. It mostly effects women. Unlike most other forms of hyperpigmentation, Melasma occurs almost instantly on areas of skin that are exposed to the sun. It ranges from mild to severe.

What are the signs?
Brown patches on your cheeks, forehead, or chin are typical signs of melasma. This discoloration frequently occurs on both sides of the face. Experts believe melasma can be triggered by a number of different things, including hormonal changes that occur when a woman begins taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy. It can also occur during the second or third trimester of pregnancy, which is why it is sometimes called the “mask of pregnancy.” The sun, which increases melanin production, makes melasma worse.

Before and After Melanage Peel- Here is a 59 year old mother of three who loves to garden and spend time outdoors. Licensed Aesthetician Heather McNeal did a Melanage Peel with the at-home skin care regimen. Here she is before and two months after her procedure.

The Solution: Our Melanage Lightening System

We call the Melanage Peel and Products a "Lightening System" because it includes both an in- office treatment and prescription-strength skin care products you take with you to use at home.

If you just have Melasma, you will see better results with this peel than with laser or Limelight IPL treatments. Although the Limelight is the go-to treatment for hyperpigmentation from sun damage, it is not as effective on the hormonal pigmentation. 

If you have both Melasma and Hyperpigmentation, the Melanage System can certainly be combined with Limelight IPL for dramatic results unless you have a darker skin type or tanned skin. Unfortunately the Limelight cannot be used on dark skin types.

First the Peel

The Melanage Peel itself is a prescription-strength Hydroquinone and Retinoid masque (the first ever for pigment-reduction). Our Licensed Aesthetician Heather McNeal compounds it the day of your procedure to ensure it is fresh and ready-to-go.

Good to know: You will leave our office with the Melanage masque on your face, and will wear it for eight to ten hours depending on your skin type. It's bright white so you'll want to schedule your peel a time when you won't have to be out in public afterwards!

Then the Products

You will be given an at-home regimen of five Melanage skin care products, some of which you use in the morning and some at night. It is important to use these as instructed if you want to get a result like the our patient has in the pictures.

You will want to have your peel done when you can take some time to recover and most importantly when you will not be outside in the sun. You will have redness and some peeling that may last a couple of weeks but it can be covered by makeup. (We have Colorescience Mineral Makeup in our store that is perfect for this.) Heather says that having a peel on a Thursday, for example, and taking Friday and the weekend to recover works for most patients. It's also possible that you won't have actual peeling, but you will still get the full benefits of the Melanage's powerful skin lightening properties.

Melanage Peel  Lightening System $750 (includes all at-home skin care products)

Baby Steps: The Melanage Mini-Peel- The Melanage Mini-Peel is an option if you want a skin lightening peel without the downtime of the full-strength Melanage Peel. It is a great introduction to chemical peels because it is a Hydroquinone-free and brightens your skin with less redness and peeling. Like the Melanage Peel, it also comes with an after-care Take Home Kit included. If you are looking for powerful results, the Melanage Mini-Peel can be performed in a series of 4-6 treatments to achieve comparable results to our full strength Melanage Peel.
$250

Introducing Heather McNeal:

If you haven't met Heather yet, you are in for a real treat. She has a unique ability to make everyone around her smile. With over eleven years experience in aesthetic care, Heather brings a wealth of knowledge to our office. She is an active member of the Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists.

She came to our office a couple of years ago from Nashville where she was one of a selected few aestheticians chosen to pamper the elite guests of the Opryland Hotel. Her soothing, relaxing touch combined with medical-grade products and procedures is a winning combination for our patients.

Warm, welcoming and fun, Heather has special strengths in working with aging and hyper-pigmented skin. She is legendary for her waxing and has quite a following for brow design and shaping, which provides an added convenience to our patients.

Heather gets many letters from her happy patients after their skin care procedures. Click here to see some of the actual letters she has received.

Call 865-450-9417 to schedule your appointment with Licensed Aesthetician Heather McNeal or e-mail her directly at HeatherM@dbreath.com.

Actual Patient Letters