PCI Correcting Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

Abstract

Lightening and depigmentation actives applied to the skin at home can be effective when associated with regular use of sunscreen, but they cannot offer good results in all cases. Complementary treatments performed in the office, such as peelings and lasers, have their responses linked to the experience of each dermatologist: some patients have good responses; others may even worsen their lesions. The experience of the authors treating scars and individuals with recalcitrant melasma with microneedles, with whitening in 100% of the cases and without the addition of any asset, led him to believe in the potential of needles as a whitening agent. This hypothesis was also validated by histopathological evaluations that present significant reduction of melanin granules in specimens stained by the Masson-Fontana method after which it was recommended as the Lima Protocol. PCI has been proposed as an effective treatment for IPH. In the author’s experience, when the methodology with all the recommended criteria is followed, the procedure always offers whitening. The number of sessions with an interval of 30 days depends on the intensity of BIPH, and there is no limit to the number of interventions. Moreover, according to the author’s experience, each intervention offers a gain in pigment reduction and improvement in skin quality.