Cosmetic Services - Pigment, Brown Spots, and Birthmarks

We are the leading center in Lone Tree, Denver, and Colorado for treatment of pigment and brown lesions of the skin, including sun damage, lentigines (liver spots), birthmarks, and melasma. Many pigmented lesions respond well to laser treatment whereas other pigment conditions such as melasma respond better to other treatments such as chemical peels. Dr. Ort has the training and experience to evaluate a pigmented lesion to determine how best to treat it.

Sun Protection

Given Denver's high altitude, it is critical to protect the skin from the sun's damaging UVA and UVB rays, which are a common cause of skin pigmentation. We recommend wearing protective clothing and a hat, sunglasses, and a daily broad-spectrum sunscreen. Our favorite sunscreen ingredient is zinc oxide, which is a physical blocker for both UVA and UVB. For sunscreen, we recommend nV Sun Shade or nV Clear Zinc Defense, both of which are available in our office for your convenience.

BBL™ and Lasers

"Forever young" photofacials with our advanced BBL technology are an effective and gentle way to lighten brown spots and sun damage. BBL treatment can be a great option if you would like to improve pigmentation globally on the face, neck, chest or arms. Most people get best results with five treatment sessions; package pricing is available. Forever young BBL treatment in Lone Tree and Denver is one of our most popular treatments.

For individual brown spots, our Q-switched lasers can target and eliminate pigment without injuring the surrounding skin. For those with more severe sun damage, fractional CO2 laser resurfacing with the SmartSkin™ laser can provide dramatic improvement in skin pigmentation and wrinkles. Please note: If you are planning to schedule any laser treatment, we strongly recommend that you avoid getting a tan prior to treatment. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen and protect your skin from the sun. We reserve the right to cancel any scheduled laser treatment due to excessive sun exposure and the presence of a tan.

Pigmented Birthmarks

Many birthmarks such as café au lait macules and nevus of Ota can be successfully treated with laser. Typically we will utilize a Q-switched alexandrite or YAG laser. Multiple treatment sessions are usually necessary for best results. However, not all birthmarks respond well to laser treatment. As a dermatologist, Dr. Ort can evaluate a pigmented birthmark and determine whether laser treatment would be appropriate.

Melasma

Melasma is a frequent skin condition in Lone Tree and Denver, seen mostly in women, and causing blotchy brown pigmentation on the central face. Melasma is worsened by sun exposure as well as taking estrogen. Melasma can be frustrating to treat and does not respond predictably to laser treatment. A cornerstone treatment for melasma is topical bleaching cream. We recommend starting with nV Bright Now Cream (with 4% hydroquinone) or nV Brightening Complex (with arbutin, kojic acid, and Vitamin C). Diligent use of these bleaching creams combined with an excellent daily sunscreen provides effective treatment for many melasma patients.

As the next step, we offer a variety of chemical peels in Lone Tree and Denver such as Jessner's peels or the Melanage® peel. A series of gentle Jessner's peels is commonly performed to exfoliate the skin and lighten pigment. For those patients with stubborn pigment or who want to see the fastest results, we recommend the Melanage® Peel or the Melanage® MiniPeel. This is a chemical peel which actually makes you "peel". In our experience, the Melanage® Peel provides excellent and consistent results in the treatment of pigmentation and melasma. These peels are performed by our expert licensed aesthetician Sheila Marquardt, who has worked closely with Dr. Ort for over 15 years!