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Does Microdermabrasion Remove Pigmentation Marks on Black Skin?
Microdermabrasion can work for faint, superficial pigmentation but it typically takes multiple treatments. True dermabrasion is more effective (like any ablative therapy) but can cause hypo or hyper pigmentation post-operatively for people with darker skin types and must be used with caution. This is true of other ablative therapies including some laser modalities.
Clinical Context
Microdermabrasion only removes the outer layer of dead skin cells, so it works gently but slowly on pigment that sits deeper. Dermabrasion and ablative lasers reach further into the skin and cause more inflammation. In darker skin, that extra inflammation can trigger the skin's pigment cells to make too much or too little pigment, leading to new dark or light patches. This is why deeper resurfacing treatments require more caution and experience in people with brown or black skin.
