Sorry to hear that you had sustained a burn on your thigh. Looking from the picture, there may not be any bad scarring from the burn (should be examined closely in the clinic).
It is likely that you have been left with post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). As it is on the lower legs, the PIH is usually more stubborn and may not heal as well as the other parts of the body. The PIH may take several months and sometimes a few years to resolve spontaneously.
In my opinion, you have the options of
1. leave them alone and allow it to heal naturally;
2. use lightening cream like hydroquinone or the triple combination (hydroquinone, tretinoin and mild steroid) which can be irritating to the skin or more gentle option with peptide based topical. It does take at least 6 months to see results with these lightening creams and if you have not used the hydroquinone for more than 6 months, I would advise to stay patient with this treatment option for now;
3. Pigment laser (start of with a lower setting as there is also a risk of burning);
4. Pigment laser and lightening cream.
I will not recommend a chemical peel for now as it will likely irritate the skin and cause further inflammation and worsen the PIH.
Sunscreen of at least Spf 50 is very important to prevent further darkening of the skin.
If you need further assistance on this skin issue, please approach a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist. All the best and hope you will recover soon.
Regards,
Dr Liew Hui Min
Dermatologist
