Trish, I recommend you consult a board certified dermamatologist with special expertise in treating skin of color. If you let me know where in the country you live, I may be able to assist you in finding an appropriately qualified doctor. Though lasers are sometimes used for pigmentation problems, they are often not a good first option for skin of color because of the risk that they can cause additional hyperpigmentation. If you are planning to have laser treatment, a test spot should be treated first to determine how your skin responds to the laser. Specially controlled chemical peels such as the Vitalize peel are frequently a better option. I have addressed this issue in recent interviews for USA Today and for msnbc.com and SELF magazine.

Hope this helps!

Dr. Hema Sundaram