Hello, I am dermatologist Dr. Lee Ye-eon. Many of you probably think of laser toning as an effective treatment for pigmented skin conditions like melasma and blemishes, or for skin whitening. However, some people worry that the number of treatments is too high, or that it's ineffective, or even that it might cause hyperpigmentation. Today, I will thoroughly address your various questions about laser toning.
Is laser toning okay in summer? Start regardless of the season!
Many people believe they should avoid laser toning due to strong summer UV rays, but this is not actually the case. I recommend getting laser toning as soon as possible, regardless of the season.
- Once pigmented lesions appear, they can become more challenging to treat over time. Melasma, in particular, can spread or darken as time passes.
- Assuming an average of 10 treatments at 1-2 week intervals, laser toning takes at least 2.5 to 6 months. Even if you start in winter, it might conclude around summer.
- In fact, skin can become dry or sensitive in winter, potentially leading to a longer recovery period.
Laser toning is a procedure with almost no downtime, so you don't need to worry much about recovery due to sweat or heat.
Why do I need multiple laser toning sessions?
Laser toning usually recommends at least 10 sessions at 1-2 week intervals. Compared to other laser treatments, the cycle is shorter and the number of sessions is higher, leading many to worry, "Am I delaying treatment because I don't know that it could be removed in just two or three sessions?" or "Won't laser treatment at 1-2 week intervals irritate my skin?"
However, there is a clear reason for this treatment approach.
If a strong laser is applied to melanin pigment, it can stimulate the pigment, making it worse, or destroy skin cells, leading to hypopigmentation, where the skin turns white. Therefore, repeating treatments with a weaker intensity multiple times is much more effective.
To achieve the full effect of laser toning, it is especially important not to delay the treatment cycle beyond two weeks. This is because better results can be obtained by performing another treatment before the fragmented melanin cells from the previous toning session re-clump or re-synthesize into pigmented lesions.
What's special about Pico Laser?
One of the first effects seen with laser toning is a brighter complexion. Evolving from traditional laser toning, which fragmented and removed pigment in nanosecond units, picosecond lasers, 1,000 times faster than nanoseconds, break down pigments even more finely. This allows for noticeable improvement in toning effects within just 1-2 sessions compared to conventional lasers.
For pigmented lesions like melasma and blemishes, an average of 8-10 sessions is generally known to achieve a level of improvement where they are less noticeable.
For stubborn melasma, combining with peeling may help
Occasionally, melasma may not improve even after more than 10 sessions of laser toning. In such cases, carefully combining peeling can be effective. This is because while most melanin cells are distributed in the dermis, they can sometimes be mixed in the epidermis along with blemishes.
When performing laser toning, I sometimes recommend G-Toning (Gold Toning), which combines peeling and toning. G-Toning involves applying an ampoule primarily composed of a special diamond crystal structure and gold particles to the skin, then irradiating it with a specific low-energy laser for toning. During this process, the gold particles heat up due to the laser's thermal effect, creating a photothermal effect that causes the laser to bounce off, providing both toning and a peeling effect by removing old dead skin cells.
However, for some individuals with very sensitive skin, this can be irritating, so it is best to proceed after thorough consultation with a dermatologist.
What if it got darker after laser toning?
Laser toning is considered a procedure with almost no pain and few side effects because it uses low-intensity irradiation. Nevertheless, there are occasional cases where it gets darker or hyperpigmentation occurs after laser toning.
In such cases, it is highly probable that the laser intensity during the procedure was strong enough to stimulate the pigment. In these situations, it is necessary to increase the treatment interval or lower the energy, and pay more attention to care for strengthening the skin barrier. Occasionally, oral melasma medication may be temporarily prescribed.
The effectiveness of laser toning can vary depending on the type of laser, the number of shots, the practitioner's expertise, and the post-care system. While a higher number of laser shots can be more effective, excessive shots can cause other side effects depending on the skin condition, so caution is advised.
Laser toning is consistent 'management'
We have explored various questions about laser toning. You can think of laser toning as a process of gradually cleaning up accumulated pigments within the skin. Over time, pigments in the skin will continuously form, accumulate, and disappear due to active oxygen, UV rays, inflammation, and other factors. Therefore, I recommend consistently receiving toning as a regular management routine.