Hyperpigmentation, including melasma, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and dyschromia, is the leading skin concern among all patient populations. Melasma is a commonly acquired hyperpigmentation disorder frequently occurring in women, most commonly in Fitzpatrick skin types III-VI, which includes Hispanic, Asian, and patients of African descent. While many treatment options are available for melasma, none have effectively addressed the condition’s symptoms and causative factors.
Melasma typically presents as hyperpigmented patches on the forehead, cheeks, upper lip, and nose. It is a multifactorial condition with a genetic component. While the pathogenesis is not fully understood, it involves UV radiation exposure and inflammatory processes signaling multiple pathways to stimulate melanogenesis. The histological features of melasma include epidermal and dermal melanin with an increase in the number of melanosomes and dermal blood vessels with increased vascularity in melasma patches.
Photos Courtesy of Brian Johnson, MD and Tiffany Crews, LE
It is essential to understand that a comprehensive treatment plan is required for clearing melasma. Topicals, chemical peels, and lasers in the microsecond, nanosecond, and picosecond domains can address epidermal melanin. It is vital that when using light-based devices, no excess heat or inflammation occurs, as this can exacerbate the condition and cause further melanogenesis, which has been well-documented in picosecond and nanosecond lasers.
Photos Courtesy of Avanti Aesthetics
The Neo Elite by Aerolase®, uses a novel, short 650-microsecond pulse with high energy to address melasma. Since the Neo’s high energy coagulates melasma’s excess melanin and vasculature without creating heat in the surrounding tissue, it addresses the symptoms of melasma and causative factors leading to melasma for a comprehensive treatment.
Neo Elite is the first device to address melasma effectively, comprehensively, and safely. The Neo Elite is the first 1064nm laser to deliver energy into the skin using 650 Microsecond Technology®. For melasma, it creates a unique treatment.
“This laser penetrates deeper than the Q-switched Nd:YAG and has a much shorter pulse duration, adding a greater margin of safety, reducing the risks of burns, hyper and hypopigmentation.”
—Cheryl Burgess, MD
Neo Elite is a new laser treatment that has proven effective in treating melasma, and it’s the first and only device to combine the benefits of comprehensively addressing melasma.
Photos Courtesy of Jason Emer, MD
1) Pigment:
Neo Elite targets melanin in the dermis by safely bypassing epidermal melanin. By bypassing the epidermal pigment, it enables the laser energy to penetrate to greater depths, increasing efficacy and safety for all Fitzpatrick skin types.
2) Vascular Components:
Neo Elite targets hemoglobin to break down hyper-vasculature in melasma. Measurements using optical coherence tomography revealed a 52% reduction in vessel diameter and a 22% reduction in vessel density after a single Neo Elite treatment.
3) Skin Tone & Texture:
Neo Elite targets water to superheat the dermal tissue and stimulate neocollagenesis, enhancing overall skin tone & texture.
Traditional Treatments:
• Increased risk of pigmentary changes induced by inflammation
• Commonly limited to Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV
• Depth of penetration limited due to heat transfer into the epidermis
Aerolase Neo Elite
- High energy with deep dermal penetration
- Uniquely gentle treatment avoids adverse effects
- Increased safety profile for Fitzpatrick skin types IV-VI and tanned skin
- Absorption in all skin chromophores for comprehensive therapy
- No skin cooling or anesthetics needed
- No skin contact by the handpiece
