Hyperpigmentation after Laser / IPL

Hi!
I had a series of IPL treatments a couple years ago with great results. I did it primarily for general redness. I also had two very small, light (smaller than a pencil eraser) sun spots completely vanish. It was great. I'm pretty fair skinned and didn't have a lot of pigmentation issues, but was happy to see those two spots on the side of my face disappear. My skin is a bit sensitive, so I was scared going in, but it was better than I'd hoped.

The IPL didn't alleviate one stubborn blood vessel, so a friend suggested I go see the plastic surgeon she and her mother had gone to for some laser treatments. I went in for a consultation, and he noticed a scar on my forehead from a childhood injury. He said he wanted to treat the scar with the Pixel laser, then go over the rest of my face with the pixel to help with "residual redness." He then wanted to do one IPL treatment (at the same visit).

I saw some before and afters, and my friend and her mom had gone to him, so I agreed to the treatment.

He did the pixel, and it hurt so bad I tried to get up and leave. It was 2-3 times more painful than the IPLs I had had. The nurses were literally holding me down; they kept telling me it was "almost over." When he finished, I tried to get up, and they said I needed to let him complete the treatment with the IPL or it would all have been for nothing. He did the IPL on half my face. He stopped when I started shaking.

I swelled up like a balloon, got red, oozy and scabby and looked like I had been hit by a truck. My eyes were swollen shut. It was two weeks before I could leave the house.

When my face finally healed, I had a large area of hyperpigmentation on my left cheek. The scar on my forehead is a big, blotchy mess as well. The doctor told me it must be because I am "prone to hyperpigmentation" and that the "IPL might have caused it." When I reminded him that I had had IPL in the past with no problems, he blamed the pixel.

The past is gone, and now I want to try hydroquinone to fade the darkness, but I'm not sure it will work on this type of pigmentation. I also keep reading that it's dangerous and can make things worse. Will it? What's the best approach?

I'm sorry this is so long; thank you in advance for any help you can offer.


hi
oh man!
what an experience. i'm sorry you had to go through that!
i do not think that hydroquinone is dangerous at all.
i would try that first at an 8% strength. we have that kind of cream compounded for us and it quite inexpensive. if you want it shipped out, i'll be happy to do so.
if that doesn't work, you can try Vi peel - we have had good results with that as well for hyperpigmentation. the other thing to remember is to not let sun get on your face - it can make the pigmentation worse. be sure to use a 30 or higher spf with zinc or titanium.
hope that helps