When Toning Cannot Lift That Spot

If you have blemishes that don't fade no matter how many times you get toning, it might not be melasma but solar lentigo. Foreigners who see Korean dermatology reviews are often surprised that instead of receiving dozens of weak laser treatments for a single blemish, it can be removed like a sticker in one go. However, we need to reflect on whether we, despite having such technology, are still opting for 10 or 20 session toning packages and visiting the clinic all year round.

Some of what we commonly call blemishes are not just simple hyperpigmentation. Medically, they are called solar lentigo. Solar lentigo is tricky because the skin structure itself has changed.

The difference is clear in tissue biopsy images.

• Melasma or hyperpigmentation occurs when the factories that produce melanin create pigment too quickly.
• With solar lentigo, the number of factories, or melanocytes themselves, has increased.
• Furthermore, these increased factories rapidly produce melanin.

Toning breaks down existing pigment into fine particles and expels them. However, it cannot reduce the number of factories that produce pigment. Since melanocytes remain, they continue to produce pigment, which is why solar lentigo can lighten with toning but then return.

The most definitive method is to remove the entire increased melanin factory. A paper published in a dermatological surgery journal in 2024 reported successful removal of pigment lesions in patients who had not responded to conventional laser treatments, with just a single session.

If toning works by pulverizing and destroying pigment, RePott Laser uses exfoliation technology to remove the entire factory that causes the lesion. The fundamental layer of approach is different, leading to a different nature of results.

RePott treatment causes minimal blood vessel damage and minimal skin barrier damage, resulting in almost no oozing. Some people might be tempted to remove the scab because there's no oozing, but you shouldn't.

The solar lentigo lesion treated with the laser will turn into a gray or black scab. This scab should not fall off immediately; it must remain in place as a protective cover until new skin grows underneath. DuoDERM acts as an artificial protective barrier to prevent the scab from drying out or falling off prematurely. Just like putting a cast on a fracture, this protective barrier should be maintained for about two weeks to prevent external irritation and create an environment for the skin to heal well underneath.

Winter, with its weaker UV rays and less sweating, is the golden time for RePott treatment. This is because the tape's adhesion is highest, and there is less disruption to daily life. Here are three things we always emphasize in the consultation room for successful results:

• If you splash water or rub with your hands when washing your face, the tape will come off. Lather up sufficiently and gently wash your face with a no-friction cat wash.
• Even if the edges of the tape are frayed, do not remove it. If you remove it, the skin's protective barrier will also come off, so apply a larger DuoDERM over it for double sealing.
• Be careful not to let cleansing oil, which is often used in winter, touch the treated area, as its ingredients can dissolve adhesives.

There's a saying that your skin becomes as beautiful as you understand it. If you choose based on understanding what's happening inside your skin, rather than just rumors, you can expect different results.

Written by. Dr. Lee Sang-Joo, Chief Director (Yonsei Star Dermatology) · Medical Team Introduction · Last reviewed 2026-06-04