What is ADM? Detailed explanation of how to distinguish it from blemishes.

Please use the contents of this column as a source of information about ADM treatment, although our clinic does not currently handle lasers for ADM treatment.

Hello, I am a doctor at Smart Skin Clinic.

Do you have any of these problems?

There are many different types of spots, whether they are melasma or ADM? It is hard to tell, isn't it?

Therefore, a cosmetic dermatologist will explain ADM from a professional standpoint in an easy-to-understand manner.

Supervisor Information

Group Chief Director, Smart Skin Clinic Group

IshiiIshii KotaKota

Career

Graduated from Juntendo University School of Medicine

Worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital and affiliated facilities

Worked at a major aesthetic clinic in Tokyo

Affiliations / Qualifications

Board-certified specialist, Japan Surgical Society

Board-certified specialist, Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine

What is ADM?

In a word, ADM is one of the "spots".

A blemish is "an increase in melanin in the skin.

This may sound a little difficult, but while other spots have increased melanin in the "epidermis", ADM has increased melanin in the "dermis".

Cause
Although not fully understood, the mechanism seems to be that some stimulus activates previously dormant dermal melanocytes, resulting in an excessive increase in melanin in the dermis.

Features of ADM

Prevalence of 20 years of age or older

Bilateral symmetrical spots

The following 6 sites are frequently affected

How to distinguish ADM from other spots

Particular attention should be paid to distinguishing it from melasma.

This is because there is a very high risk of exacerbating melasma because it is treated with high-energy irradiation, as will be discussed later. Basically, conservative treatment, not laser treatment, should be pursued for melasma.

Treatment of ADM

Since ADM is an increase in melanin in the dermis (dermal melanocytosis), a laser that can reach the dermis is the treatment of choice.

Specifically,

Q-switched laser

High fluence pico laser irradiation (10 J/㎠～) (low fluence is difficult to treat)

Either of these treatments can cure the disease completely. Conversely, there is no need to take other treatment options because these treatments will cure the disease.

As a precaution, it should be noted that melanin is stored in the dermis, not the epidermis, so it takes time for it to be expelled after treatment. Specifically, it takes about 6 months.