Does it hurt?
Since the laser selectively targets the undesired pigment the rest of the area remains largely unaffected. Therefore patients typically report little if any discomfort for both types of procedures. Topical anesthesia is available if necessary but most patients do not require it.

What will happen after the treatment?
For the Q:YAG treatment, the skin with turn white where the brown spots are treated. After roughly 30 minutes the white will be replaced by a red and raw looking area that will form a scab over the next few days. Once the scab falls off the skin underneath will be the same color as the rest of normal healthy skin.

For the Syneron treatment, the skin will be red and slightly swollen at first. This will subside in a few hours but can last up to a day. The brown spots treated will darken over the next week and slowly fall off in the shower or during normal activity.