Melasma, freckles or stubborn spots: which laser matches yours
Dark spots are not one condition. The pigment's depth and type decide which laser works — and too much energy can make pigmentation worse rather than better.
At a glance
- Diagnosis comes first — deep pigment is invisible to the naked eye
- Refractory pigment needs shorter pulses, not stronger energy
- Café-au-lait recurs, so it is planned as a long-term program
Which type looks like yours?
Start here. What the pigment is — and how deep it sits — decides the laser.
- Melasma, freckles or acne marks → Laser Toning For those concerned with melasma, blemishes, freckles, dull skin tone, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) after acne.
- Stubborn pigment that barely moved → Pico Toning For those with refractory pigmentation or melasma that responds slowly to conventional toning, skin sensitive to heat stimulation, nevus of Ota, or dark blemishes.
- Milk-coffee colored patches → Hollywood Q For those concerned with café-au-lait macules or milk-coffee-colored nevi (long-term repeated treatment required).
- Redness rather than brown → a different laser entirely Flushing, rosacea and visible vessels are a vascular problem, not a pigment one — see Rosacea & Redness Laser.
How they differ
The practical differences are how many sessions it takes and what it costs. Downtime is similar across all three.
| Laser Toning | Pico Toning | Hollywood Q | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtime | Aside from slight redness, immediate return to daily life. | Aside from slight redness, immediate return to daily life. | Daily life possible after slight redness. |
| Recommended sessions | Usually repeated at 1-2 week intervals (varies by type of pigmentation). | Usually 5 or more sessions at 1-2 week intervals. | Offered as a 30-session long-term program. |
| From | ₩290,000~ | ₩290,000~ | ₩70,000~ |
| Details | See treatment → | See treatment → | See treatment → |
Laser Toning
- Downtime
- Aside from slight redness, immediate return to daily life.
- Recommended sessions
- Usually repeated at 1-2 week intervals (varies by type of pigmentation).
- From
- ₩290,000~
Pico Toning
- Downtime
- Aside from slight redness, immediate return to daily life.
- Recommended sessions
- Usually 5 or more sessions at 1-2 week intervals.
- From
- ₩290,000~
Hollywood Q
- Downtime
- Daily life possible after slight redness.
- Recommended sessions
- Offered as a 30-session long-term program.
- From
- ₩70,000~
All prices are in KRW and exclude 10% VAT. Final cost is confirmed at consultation.
Why energy settings matter more than power
Rebound
Too much energy can darken pigmentation instead of clearing it.
Conventional toning and pico toning are designed in combination according to pigment depth and skin response, with energy settings that prevent rebound (pigmentation worsening).
How we approach it
Laser Toning
Diagnosis first — including pigment you cannot see.
A board-certified dermatologist specializing in pigmentation begins with 2D Mark-Vu skin-condition photography and analysis, then carries out detailed individualized treatment. Deep pigmentation invisible to the naked eye is also identified, and the combination and energy settings of Hollywood Spectra, GV, Clarity II, and PicoPlus are designed individually according to the type and depth of pigmentation - preventing pigmentation worsening caused by excessive energy. Post-treatment soothing and regeneration care included.
See treatment →Pico Toning
Shorter pulses break pigment finer, with less heat to the skin around it.
Toning that breaks pigment particles down more finely using PicoPlus's ultra-short pulses on the picosecond (one trillionth of a second) scale. It minimizes thermal damage to surrounding tissue and is used for refractory pigmentation.
See treatment →Hollywood Q
Priced as a long-term plan, because this type comes back.
A long-term plan and 30-session program pricing designed with the recurring nature of the condition in mind.
See treatment →Individual results vary. This article is general information, not a diagnosis — the right treatment is decided at consultation.
Medical review
Reviewed by Dr. Yong-yon Won, Director, Liftique Dermatology Clinic — board-certified dermatologist since 2018.
Not sure which type you have?
Start with a 2D Mark-Vu diagnosis →