Pigmentation Treatment Malaysia

Pigmentation Treatment in Malaysia:

Malaysians are highly susceptible to skin pigmentation problems due to excessive sun exposure from the year-long sun in our tropical climate. No surprise that, pigmentation treatment in Malaysia is one of the most sought after medical aesthetic treatment in Malaysia. Many dermatology and medical aesthetic clinics in Malaysia offer a variety of treatment to deal with this problem. Pigmentation treatment in Malaysia range from topical prescription creams and skincare to a variety of pigmentation laser treatments.

A common misconception in Malaysia about pigmentation treatment is that, many seem to think that a simple laser session will solve everything. The truth is, pigmentation treatment is more complex and a combination of treatments are often needed. Treatments must be carefully planned out in accordance to your pigmentation problem and skin type.

This post explains in detail the various type of pigmentations treatments in Malaysia available in Malaysia.

Pigmentation Treatment Malaysia | Know your pigments.

Before we initiate pigmentation treatment in Malaysia, we should have an accurate diagnosis. Know your enemy before entering into a battle. This is particularly true when we choose to do pigmentation treatment in Malaysia.

Malaysian seem to think that all pigmentations are the same and that zapping them with laser is the best and only option. Many Malaysian make the mistake of going straight for laser treatments without first knowing the DIAGNOSIS. Different conditions require a different approach. Hence, getting the right diagnosis from the doctor is crucial before attempting on any treatment approach.

The table above gives a brief overview of the common benign skin pigmentation problems faced by many Malaysian. Although uncommon, we have to be vigilents not to miss certain malignant (dangerous) pigmented skin condition such as melanoma and pigmented basal cell carcinoma.

Often time, Malaysian have a mixture of skin pigmentation condition on their face (example: Melasma with Freckles), which makes the diagnosis and treatment more challenging. If ignored or managed wrongly, pigmentation can become very complicated and difficult to treat. Hence, it is advisable to seek advice from trained medical aesthetic physician or dermatologist as early as possible.

Pigmentation Treatment Malaysia | Treatment option available in Malaysia.

When it comes to treating benign skin pigmentations, we need to understand that no one treatment is best and combination of treatments is usually better. Common pigmentation treatments modality offered in Malaysia are topical creams and skincare products (prescription or non-prescription), chemical peels, microdermabrasion, mesotherapy, pigmentation lasers , and intense pulse light therapy (IPL).

Topical creams / skincare products:

Majority of Malaysian often use over-the-counter (OTC) creams or cosmetic range skin care as their first option. Although some of these are useful for preventing and controlling pigmentation, it shoud not be confused with medical-grade, prescription-only creams for example, hydroquinone. Medical-grade creams often work more effectively as they are specially formulated to treat pigmentation. These creams undergone rigorous studies to prove their safety and efficacy. In Malaysia, medical-grade creams should only be initiated by a registered doctor.

Common Ingredients found in pigmentation skincare in Malaysia are:

Licorice extract
N-acetylglucosamine
Niacinamide
L-ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
Tranexamic acids
alpha hydroxy acids (eg: Glycolic acid, Lactic acid, Malix acid or Tartarix acid)
Azelaic acid
kojic acid
salicylic acid

Common ingredients found in prescription only pigment creams in Malaysia are:

Hydroquinone
Retinoids
Steroids

Chemical Peels:

Chemical peels treatment is another common pigmentation treatment in Malaysia. It uses stronger concentration of acids to peel off the very top layer of the skin (epidermis), hence “removing” the pigments. Chemical peel treatment is a good choice to treat superficial pigmentations. Deeper version of chemical peels can penetrate down to the middle layer of the skin (dermis) to produce more dramatic result. However, the opularity of deeper chemical peels in Malaysia have plummet due to the higher occurance of adverse effects and longer recovery time.

Although many chemical peels agents and certain controlled concentration are available over-the-counter, we strongly recommend you consult with your aesthetic physician or dermatologist before venturing into it. Complications from self-perform chemical peel treatment is commonly seen in dermatology clinics in Malaysia and some can be severe and disfiguring.

Read more about chemical peels in Malaysia.

Microdermabrasion:

Microdermabrasion is a common pigmentation treatment in Malaysia. It Is often descript as “sanding” the topmost layer of the skin. It is administered in dermatologist and medical aesthetic clinic in Malaysia as a procedure for treating uneven skin pigmentation, acne scars, dull skin tone and improving skin texture. The removal of the topmost skin layer makes way for new and smoother skin cells.

This treatment is safe, comfortable and have minimal downtime. It is crucial to allow a well trained and certified medical practitioner to undertake proper skin assessment before going for this treatment to avoid unwanted complication.

Read more about Microdermabrasion in Malaysia.

Mesotherapy:

Mesotherapy for pigmentation in Malaysia is a treatment that uses a series of injections into the skin to deliver various substance into the skin to lighten pigmentation. Mesotherapy is developed by a french doctor, Michel Pistor back in 1952. It was originally used to relieve pain. Today, mesotherapy is used to treat various skin conditions, for example; skin pigmentation, hair loss, and skin wrinkles.

There isn’t a standard formula for the substances injected in mesotherapy. Dermatologist and medical aesthetic doctor in Malaysia often uses a cocktail of different solutions in their treatment. Substances commonly used in mesotherapy in Malaysia are, vitamins and minerals, herbal extracts, enzymes and certain medication like tranexamic acids.

Pigmentation Lasers:

The popularity of using lasers as a pigmentation treatment in Malaysia as risen significantly. Pigmentation Laser treatment in Malaysia is so popular that it has created a misconception that a pigments can be easily treated with a simple “laser zapping” session. Although Lasers are often useful to treat most benign pigmentations conditions, it is not as magical. Pigmentation laser treatment in Malaysia are often performed in combination topical cream and skincare. For best result, treatments should be tailored to individual skin condition. Multiple sessions of laser treatment is often required, performed at forthnightly or monthly interval. Learn more about Best Pico Laser in Malaysia commonly used to treat pigmentation problem of the skin.

In general, there are two type of pigmentation lasers in Malaysia; ablative and non-ablative.

Ablative lasers are more intense and they involve vaporising layers of skin. These lasers are stronger but may cause more side effects and require more intense pre and post-laser care. This result in limited interest toward these lasers in Malaysia.
Non-ablative lasers, on the other hand, are more popular and well accepted in Malaysia. Non-ablative laser uses specific laser wavelength to target and break down pigmentation within the skin without causing extensive collateral skin damage. This result in fewer side effects and lessen the recovery time as compared to ablative lasers.

Learn more about Skin Laser Treatment in Malaysia

Intense pulse light therapy (IPL):

Intense pulse light (IPL) therapy is somewhat similar to non-ablative laser treatment with the exception that IPL uses filtered light instead of specific laser wavelength. The popularity of IPL treatment in Malaysia is not as high if compared to pigment laser treatment in Malaysia. Nonetheless, if used correctly on carefully selected person, IPL can produce good results for various pigmentation problems.

Learn more about Intense Pulse Light (IPL) in Malaysia

Pigmentation Treatment Malaysia | How much does it cost for pigmentation treatment in Malaysia:

The price for pigmentation treatment in Malaysia varies greatly depending on your skin condition and the pigmentation treatments needed. Price may range from a few hundreds of ringgit for creams and skincare to a couple thousands ringgit for lasers treatment in Malaysia. We at MalaysiaAesthetic.com would suggest the following 3 tips to help you save on the cost for your pigmentation treatment in Malaysia.

Tip #1: Ask your doctor if laser treatment is needed.

Many benign pigmentation problems in its early stages usually respond without the need for pigmentation lasers. If the pigmentation is not too bad, topical creams alone can often delivers good result. You end up saving thousands of ringgit.

Tip #2: Buy during promotional season / packages.

Unlike traditional medical services, many medical aesthetic clinics in Malaysia often run seasonal promotion for their services. Once you are comfortable with certain aesthetic clinic in Malaysia, it often pays to be loyal. Most aesthetic clinic in Malaysia offers a good discount when you buy treatment packages.

Purchasing pigmentation treatment packages is great when you have those stubborn condition that require multiple treatment sessions and maintainance treatments. Many aesthetic clinic in Malaysia are partnering with various banks to offers zero-interest payment plan. This can be a great way to save.

Tip #3: Discuss with your doctor about your budget and work within your budget if posible.

Lastly, if you have limited budget to spend on your treatment. It is always good to be frank with your doctor. Simply by telling the doctor and letting him know about your budget in advance, the doctor can tailor a treatment plan for your pigmentation condition according to the budget you have set.

Pigmentation Treatment Malaysia | In summary:

There are a variety of pigmentation treatments offered in Malaysia. Most medical aesthetic clinics in Malaysia offers a these treatments at a competitive price. It is important to consult with a certified doctor if you are having skin pigmentation issues before making any decision on treatment. Although lasers are great, it is not always necessary.

Disclosure of off labelled use:

This documents contains discussion of agents that are not indicated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. MalaysiaAesthetic.com. Limited, do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labelled indication. The opinion expressed in this document are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the general consensus of Medical aesthetic society. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications and warnings.

The information presented in this document is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. This document is written based on personal experience and anecdotal evidence. The Author(s) and MalaysiaAesthetic.com assume no responsibility for errors or omissions in this text. Prior to deciding on any treatment, discuss with your certified doctor about the indication, potential risk and contraindication of the treatment. MalaysiaAesthetic.com shall not be liable to anyone for any loss or injury caused in whole or in part by your use of this information, or for any decision you make or action you take in reliance on the information you received from this writing.