As you probably know, birthmarks are usually brown, flat marks that you’re born with. Most of us have one! What you probably didn’t know though, is that these ‘usual’ types of birthmarks aren’t the only type. The brown, flat mark that you probably have is called ‘cafe au lait’ spots. However there are many others that usually differ in colours, depth, and when they appear. That’s right, not all birthmarks sprout at birth! Go figure!
Birthmark Treatment Results
At City Laser Clinic, we have treated many birthmarks and have achieved significant fading and even complete removal of birthmarks.
Unfortunately we cannot treat all types of birthmarks, particularly if they are red or raised. However there are three in particular that we can treat:
Cafe au Lait
your ‘usual’ brown, flat marks that you’re born with.
Mongolian spots
are usually dark blue, green, and/or black in colour. These are more common in those with African or Asian ethnicities.
Nevus of Ota
is usually brown, blue, or grey in colouring. It resembles a bruise and is usually found on the face, particularly around the eye area.
Birthmark Removal Treatment
Birthmark removal treatments vary depending on which type of birthmark you have. This is mainly due to the colouring of the birthmarks and the depth of the skin that they reside. All birthmarks are treated using our medical grade Medlite Q-Switched laser.
Cafe au Lait
If you have a Cafe au Lait birthmark, you are in luck. Cafe au Lait birthmarks are usually quite superficial (i.e. close to the surface of the skin). This means that you will only require 2-4 monthly treatments, with 2 weeks of downtime. Depending on your skin type, we can usually provide complete removal for these birthmarks. You will also only need to maintain the treatment once a year if necessary.
Nevus of Ota & Mongolian Spots
Unfortunately if you have a Nevus of Ota or Mongolian birthmark, these are a little more stubborn to treat. The treatments are quite fast (15min duration), however it will take at least 10-12 fortnightly treatments for an end result. The results should be maintained with a maintenance treatment every 6-8 weeks.
Please note that we only completely remove Cafe au Lait on the right skin type. However the majority of the time, we can only significantly fade the remaining birthmarks. During your initial consultation, our pigmentation specialist will let you know how much of a result that we can achieve on your birthmark. She will also provide an exact quote and answer any relevant questions that you may have.
Technology
We only use medical grade laser technology for our birthmark removal procedures. We have found that our Medlite Q-Switched works best for these procedures. As the Q-Switched laser uses two wavelengths (532nm and 1064nm), we are able to treat both surface and deeper birthmarks. Our experienced and highly trained Pigmentation Specialist will safely carry out your treatments after your initial consultation.