Ask the Doctor: What is hypopigmentation?

Sometimes when we remove a tattoo, the underlying skin lightens in a phenomenon called post-inflammatory hypopigmentation. More common in people with darker complexions, the skin can react to even the mildest inflammation with a temporary dormancy of the cellular machinery responsible for production of melanin, the skin's natural pigment.

The photograph above is a textbook example of the hypopigmentation sometimes seen in laser tattoo removal. The process is completely unrelated to that of scarring, which is extremely rare with the PicoSure laser in experienced hands. The affected skin is supple and smooth--only lighter in color. This can actually be beneficial in laser tattoo removal, which works even better when there is less melanin in the treatment area.

Hypopigmentation of this kind does resolve on its own once treatments are completed, but the restoration of natural skin color can take an average of one year. During the wait, a touch-up with the right foundation can make it nearly unnoticeable. For military qualification hypopigmentation is a non-issue: The only thing that matters to recruiters is that all tattoo pigment be gone.

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