Years of sun exposure leave their mark. Dark spots, uneven tone, and discoloration that no concealer can truly fix. Our Colorado Springs team offers targeted treatments that break down pigmentation and restore a clearer, more radiant complexion.
Understanding Your Concern
Sun damage and hyperpigmentation come down to one thing: melanin. It’s the pigment that gives skin its colour, and it’s also what the skin produces in excess when it perceives a threat from UV radiation.
When UV light hits the skin, melanocytes — the cells responsible for producing melanin — respond by ramping up production. In small, even amounts, that’s a tan. In larger or uneven amounts, it shows up as dark spots, freckles, and patches of uneven tone. Over years of cumulative sun exposure, those deposits multiply, deepen, and become harder for the skin to self-correct, as its ability to regulate melanin production gradually becomes less precise.
Hormonal shifts add another layer to the picture. In women particularly, fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone levels can trigger melanocytes to overproduce in larger, more diffuse areas across the face. This is the mechanism behind melasma, a form of hyperpigmentation that tends to be more resistant to standard treatments and requires a more targeted approach.
Surface skincare can fade mild pigmentation and help maintain results, but it can’t effectively reach the deeper melanin deposits that have built up over years. Treatments that use targeted light or laser energy to break down melanin at the source tend to produce the most meaningful improvement in significant or persistent sun damage.
Sun exposure signals melanocytes to produce excess melanin, creating concentrated dark deposits that accumulate over years of exposure.
Hormonal changes, particularly estrogen fluctuations, amplify melanin production and can contribute to conditions like melasma and pregnancy-related pigmentation.
Older or more significant pigmentation settles into deeper layers of the skin where surface skincare products cannot effectively reach.
Clearer More Even Skin.
Treatment Results Last Long-Term
* Individual results may vary. Real patients, shown with consent.
The right approach depends on the type of pigmentation, how deep it sits, and your skin tone. Dr. Dunham and his team will assess the full picture and recommend a treatment plan built around what will actually move the needle for your skin.
Targeted light therapy for sun damage and pigmentation.
Comprehensive resurfacing for sun damage and deep pigmentation.
Ablates damaged surface skin and stimulates deep collagen renewal, addressing both surface pigmentation and skin quality in a single treatment.
Medical-grade peel for tone correction and skin renewal.
Clinical-grade protocols for ongoing tone correction.
Why Patients Choose Us
Recognized by InMode for clinical excellence in skin treatments statewide.
Dr. Dunham personally evaluates every patient and oversees every pigmentation treatment plan at our Colorado Springs med spa.
We recommend the treatment that fits your skin type and pigmentation depth—not the most aggressive option available.
Most pigmentation can be significantly improved, but results are not always permanent—particularly for hormonally driven pigmentation like melasma, which can recur with sun exposure or hormonal changes. Maintaining results typically requires consistent sun protection and periodic maintenance treatments.
Lumecca IPL is often one of the most efficient treatments for sun spots and age spots, targeting melanin deposits with minimal downtime. Pixel CO2 Laser provides more comprehensive improvement including texture and skin quality.
Lumecca IPL typically produces meaningful improvement in 1–3 sessions. Pixel CO2 Laser can produce significant improvement in 1–2 sessions. Peels and corrective facials generally work best as an ongoing series.
Lumecca IPL usually has minimal downtime with temporary darkening of treated spots. Pixel CO2 Laser requires 5–10 days of recovery. ZO 3-Step Peels involve several days of peeling. Corrective facials typically have little to no downtime.
Pricing depends on treatment selection and pigmentation severity. Financing is available through our partners. The most accurate pricing comes from an in-person consultation.
Dr. Dunham and his team will evaluate your skin and build a pigmentation treatment plan designed around the tone, clarity, and evenness you are working toward. Real results rarely come from a single treatment. Dr. Dunham and his team often combine and stack multiple treatments into one strategic plan built around your goals — because we’re focused on your results, not a sales pitch.
