Why is my pigmentation becoming more noticeable after 1 to 3 sessions of Pico laser treatment? Is it normal?

Thank you for your question. It is unfortunate that you have more pigmented spots after the laser treatment. Based on your description, you might have had a Fractional Resurfacing laser like a Fractional CO2. There is a small risk of Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) from these procedures. However, most PIH is temporary and would fade in 4-6 weeks. I suggest that you schedule an early appointment for review by your doctor so that he can institute early treatments. There are treatments such as pigmentation creams that should be started earlier rather than later to ensure good outcomes.

As with all forms of acne scar treatment, one treatment modality may be used to treat a variety of acne scars. The key differences are: 1. Choice of parameters. More severe scars needing more intense treatment. 2. Response. Deeper scars respond less compared to shallower scars. Deep ice-pick scars remain most challenging to treat and often require punch excision to convert them to shallower linear scars before additional resurfacing procedures are carried out to even out the appearance. Pico-lasers tend to work reasonably well with shallower acne scars e. g. superficial boxcar scars.