Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra Treatment Vancouver

Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra (DPN) is a harmless skin condition that causes small, dark bumps on the face, neck, and upper body. It’s most common in people with darker skin tones, like those of African, Asian, or Hispanic backgrounds. While DPN is not dangerous, many people choose to remove the bumps for cosmetic reasons.

At Shine MD, we offer safe and effective treatments for DPN in Vancouver. Our skin experts use the latest methods to remove these bumps with minimal discomfort and great results.

What Causes Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra?

The exact cause of DPN is unknown, but it tends to run in families. The bumps are caused by extra cells growing in the top layer of the skin. They often appear as you get older.

What Does DPN Look Like

Small, dark brown, or black bumps on the face, neck, chest, or back.
The bumps are usually 1–5 mm in size.
They don’t hurt or itch.
The number of bumps may increase over time.

Access to DPN Treatment at Shine MD

If you have DPN and would like the lesions removed, you can contact our clinic and request a physician appointment for either consultation or removal. DPN treatment is a cosmetic treatment and is not a benefit under the Medical Services Plan. Pricing starts at $500 and depends on the extent of DPN and the amount of time that will be required for the treatment.

If you choose to do a consultation first, you will be assessed by a physician and the procedure will be reviewed with you in person. Consultation fee applies. If you prefer to forego consultation and book in for treatment directly, our patient care coordinators will review your photos with the physician and book you for treatment accordingly. On treatment day, you will have the opportunity to review the procedure with your physician prior to undergoing treatment.

What Happens During Treatment?

Pre-Treatment Assessment

Your seborrheic keratosis removal at Shine MD begins with a physician assessment to confirm the diagnosis and review your goals.

Injectable Anaesthetic

Your skin will be cleaned and prepped. The treatment area will be treated with an injectable anesthetic. After this step, you will not feel the procedure. If you are very nervous about your treatment, Ativan and gas are available to help calm your nerves. If you plan to take Ativan on treatment day, please arrange for transportation home.

Recovery & Aftercare

Recovery following DPN removal is typically quick and straightforward. Most patients experience initial healing within 5–7 days, during which mild redness, slight swelling, or light scabbing at the treated areas is completely normal.

Your skin’s response during recovery will vary depending on your skin type, as well as the size, depth, and location of the treated lesion. It’s important to understand that temporary skin changes—such as redness or pigmentation—are expected side effects of the treatment, not complications.

If multiple or larger areas are treated, you may prefer to plan your schedule accordingly, as visible healing may impact social or professional activities for a short period.

Activity & Aftercare Guidelines

To support optimal healing:

Avoid swimming, hot tubs, and saunas for several days following treatment
Minimize prolonged moisture, sweating, and friction—especially in areas where skin folds are present
Keep treated areas clean and dry
Protect the skin with daily sunscreen and sun avoidance

What to Expect Based on Skin Type

Darker skin tones: Temporary post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (darkening of the treated area) may occur. This can be minimized with diligent sun protection, including sunscreen and sun avoidance. Targeted skincare and advanced laser treatments can help accelerate fading.
Lighter skin tones: You may notice temporary redness or pink discoloration (post-inflammatory erythema) at the treatment site. This is a normal part of healing and gradually resolves over time. The improvement can be accelerated with Broad Band Light (BBL) laser or Aerolase treatments.

Supporting Optimal Healing

To enhance your recovery and achieve the best possible results, the team at Shine MD will recommend:

Medical-grade skincare tailored to your skin type, specifically targeting pigmentation pathways
Laser treatments such as BroadBand Light (BBL) or Aerolase to reduce redness or pigmentation
Sun Protection. Applying sunscreen and minimizing sun exposure after the healing process is complete is a key step to protecting your skin and preventing pigmentation changes during the healing process

Long-Term Healing

While the surface of the skin heals quickly, deeper healing and collagen remodeling continue for up to one year after treatment. During this time, you’ll notice ongoing improvements in skin texture, tone, and overall appearance.

Our team is here to support you every step of the way. If you have any questions during your recovery, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Choosing Shine MD for Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra Treatment

When it comes to treating Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra (DPN), Shine MD in Vancouver stands out as a trusted choice for safe, effective, and personalized care.

Discover Our
Before & After Gallery

Want to see real patient results from our innovative skin treatments? View our impressive before and after images in our photo gallery.

*Individual results may vary.

Karen T

06:53 28 Feb 26

If you’re unsure about getting treated at Shine MD with Dr. Mona, my advice is simple: just do it. You won’t regret it.

I’m a 46-year-old woman with skin of color who has struggled for years with acne scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, oily skin, large pores, and hyperpigmentation. Finding treatments that are both safe and effective for my skin type has always been challenging.

To treat my sebaceous hyperplasia, Dr. Mona prescribed a very low dose of Accutane (20 mg). It has only been 24 days, and I started seeing improvements within the first two weeks. The sebaceous hyperplasia has noticeably flattened, and the overall texture of my skin is already improving. The difference is very visible in my photos.

What I appreciate most is Dr. Mona’s modern and thoughtful approach to combining treatments. Instead of a one-size-fits-all plan, she carefully tailored a treatment strategy that works for my skin concerns.

It has only been six weeks since I started my first treatment, and I’m already seeing significant improvement. I chose the Gold Standard package, Sculptra and Accutane, and I’m genuinely excited to see how much more my skin will improve in the coming months.

Dr. Mona truly cares about her patients. Her calm demeanor immediately put me at ease, and she is incredibly knowledgeable, down-to-earth, and easy to talk to. She takes the time to listen and explain things clearly.

Her entire team at Shine MD has been amazing from day one. Bri, you are awesome, thank you so much for doing my potenza and halo. Everyone is welcoming, professional, and supportive. At no point did I ever feel pressured to do treatments or purchase products, which says a lot about their integrity.

Honestly, I’m amazed at the improvement I’ve seen in just six weeks. I’m very grateful to Dr. Mona and her team.

I still have a long way to go with my acne scars, but the improvements so far make me very optimistic about what’s ahead. I’m looking forward to seeing even more progress.

Highly recommend.

20:57 21 Feb 26

Today I visited Shine MD and had such a great experience. From the initial emails coordinating my appointment and getting my estimate and understanding, and to today with my treatment. Dr Mona is so professional, thoughtful and really made me feel comfortable from start to finish. She easily identified what I wanted to remove on my face, and also addressed the root cause, not just the surface layer symptoms. Tia was also with me the whole time and she was fantastic before and after my treatment. She was very knowledgable and eased my anxiety. I will definitely be returning and I highly recommend visiting Shine MD!

Keith Ramzan

01:27 17 Jan 26

Dr. Mona Khurana at Shine MD is truly exceptional. She is extremely passionate about her work and takes the time to genuinely listen, understand concerns, and gets to the root of the issue rather than rushing to a quick fix. My family and I have been under her care for several years, and the consistency, thoughtfulness, and results speak for themselves.
Dr. Khurana stands out as a premier medical professional in dermatology, particularly for people of color. Her expertise, and personalized approach make a huge difference in both care and outcomes. You never feel rushed, or treated like a number—she is thorough, compassionate, and deeply knowledgeable.
The entire team at Shine MD reflects the same high standard. They are attentive, welcoming, and incredibly professional, creating an environment where you feel comfortable and well cared for from start to finish. I cannot recommend Dr. Khurana and the Shine MD team highly enough. They truly set the gold standard in dermatologic care.

k woodland

03:57 14 Jan 26

Had a great experience here & very happy with the results of the procedure. Dr. Mona is lovely.

Mochibochi

19:33 30 Dec 25

Had some skin tags and moles removed here. They are very clean, professional and friendly. Dr Mona is very gentle, patient and caring all the way. Happy with the treatments and results!

yingfei mao

04:34 09 Nov 25

I was recommended by a friend to get Bellafill for my smile lines, and I’m so glad I found Dr. Mona! She’s very professional and skilled — the result is perfect. Only a few doctors in BC are Bellafill-certified, and smile line injections require great technique. Bellafill lasts a long time, truly deserving its nickname “liquid gold.”

Colin Li

23:01 08 Nov 25

I've had 5 treatments done at Shine so far and I'm incredibly satisfied with the standard of care and results. I was suggested to Shine by my family doctor after I expressed I wanted to get my acne scars fixed so I had a consultation with Dr. Mona where I was suggested to their golden standard of which included microneedling, PRP injection, Subcision, and Halo. These treatments were administered by Dr Mona Khurana and Ruby Nagra-smith, who were incredible kind, informative, and clear about expectations for the procedures. The Results so far have been incredible. I started seeing my face become smoother in a little over a week and follow-up laser aftercare treatments reduced the redness significantly.

I've since come back for keloid injections for raised bumps on my nose and so far the results have also been great the bumps on the right side of my nose have been significantly reduced and I'm coming back to get the left side done next week!

Jess P

06:05 16 Oct 25

After years of dealing with an undiagnosed skin condition, I asked my family practitioner to refer me to Shine. Dr. Mona spent a lot of time in determining the likely diagnosis, and recommended mixed pharmaceutical, laser + skin care regime to improve my skin. She’s and her practitioners have made a huge difference in the way my skin looks today and I’m so happy I found Shine.