Published on 19 April, 2020Have you ever wondered what the ‘V’ of pigment is on your neck and chest that seems to have strangely ignored the skin directly under your chin? A common condition that no one wants but many of us have, actually has a name.‘Poikiloderma’ is a term used to describe the stubborn but thankfully benign skin disorder affecting the neck, upper chest, and sometimes lateral cheeks. Recognisable due to the distinctive ‘V’ like pattern -almost always completely ignoring the skin directly under the chin- with reddish-brown pigmentation and thinning of the skin, producing an undesirable plucked-chicken effect.The exact cause of this condition is unknown, but has been attributed to a combination of extensive sun exposure of the area, hormonal changes, a genetic pre-disposition to the condition, and photosensitizing components in some perfumes and lotions we have used over the years.If recognized early the condition is mild and can be regulated with diligent sun protection combined with quality skin care treatments and products. If the conditions has been allowed to progress into a more advanced stage, further treatment is required to reduce the visible and underlying affects. Poikiloderma maybe stubborn, and unfortunately not entirely curable, but there is help at hand for those of us who suffer with the condition and would like to improve upon its appearance. A combination of prescription-strength creams and Fraxel fractionated laser has shown promising outcomes to address the superficial vascular network.These modalities work by reducing pigmentation, and smoothing the textural irregularities of the skin condition, producing an overall rejuvenated appearance for the neck, décolletage and chest.Once the poikiloderma is under control, maintenance skincare products, sun protection and light therapy can help maintain ongoing skin quality.Ready to experience the gold standard in surgical care? Contact us belowName*Email* Phone*Message*CommentsThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
