Treating pigment spots, melasma and age spots with laser and light
Not all pigment spots are alike: age spots and sun spots, freckles, melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation develop differently and need different technology. Here you will find out when laser, when light such as BBL and IPL and when a carbon peel makes sense, what helps with redness and couperose and what matters with darker skin types.
The SIACSKIN solutions you will get to know are the non-ablative TULIX with 1927 nm thulium and 1550 nm erbium glass, the DERMAFORCE BBL PRO, the PICOLO XL, PICOLO L and PICOLO S lasers, and the Skin Analyzer Pro for skin analysis. It also covers numbers of sessions, healing and sun protection.
Which laser is best for pigmentation?
That depends on the type of spot: sharply defined age spots and sun spots respond best to short-pulsed lasers or BBL, while diffuse pigmentation such as melasma responds best to gentle, non-ablative fractional lasers. The reason lies in depth and cause. Sun-induced spots sit in the epidermis and can be targeted directly. Melasma and inflammation-related spots react sensitively to heat and need little energy over several sessions.
At SIACSKIN this means: the DERMAFORCE BBL PRO for sun damage and hyperpigmentation in skin types I to IV, the PICOLO XL or the PICOLO L for individual spots and deeper pigment, and the TULIX with 1927 nm thulium for melasma and diffuse pigment in all skin types.
Age spots and sun spots can usually be lightened considerably with light or laser in 1 to 3 sessions. They are benign accumulations of melanin in the epidermis that develop through years of UV exposure. The melanin absorbs the light pulse, the spot initially darkens, forms a fine crust and flakes off. Irregular or changing spots should be assessed by a dermatologist beforehand.
For many spots over a larger area, for instance on the face, décolleté and backs of the hands, the DERMAFORCE BBL PRO is suitable, as it is designed for hyperpigmentation and sun damage. You treat individual stubborn spots with pinpoint accuracy using 532 nm on the PICOLO L or the PICOLO XL, both of which list age spots as an application.
In melasma, the pigment-producing cells are permanently overactive and respond immediately to hormones, UV light, visible light and heat with new pigment. The patch is therefore not damage that is over and done with but an ongoing process. If the pigment is removed aggressively, with high energy or a lot of heat, inflammation develops and the melasma frequently comes back darker. In addition, the pigment lies partly in the epidermis and partly deeper in the dermis.
For this reason, melasma is treated with gentle, non-ablative methods, low energy and several sessions. The TULIX from SIACSKIN is designed for this: a non-ablative fractional laser whose 1927 nm thulium wavelength acts in the epidermis.
Non-ablative lasers with low energy are the most suitable, above all the thulium laser at 1927 nm and very short-pulsed lasers at 1064 nm. The 1927 nm wavelength is absorbed by the water in the epidermis. There the laser creates fine microzones through which the pigment is shed outwards as the skin renews itself, without the skin surface being ablated. Low-dose pulses at 1064 nm, often called laser toning, break melanin down step by step without strongly irritating the pigment cells.
The TULIX combines 1927 nm thulium for the epidermis with 1550 nm erbium glass for the dermis, individually or together, with little downtime. For laser toning at 1064 nm, the PICOLO XL with a pulse duration of 280 ps and the Q-switched laser PICOLO L are options, and both list melasma as an application.
Yes, freckles can be lightened considerably with light or laser, but they often come back with the sun. Freckles are a matter of predisposition: the pigment cells respond to UV light with a particularly large amount of melanin. The treatment removes the existing pigment in the epidermis, but the predisposition remains. How long the result lasts therefore depends above all on sun protection.
Freckles almost always affect fair skin types and whole areas such as the nose, cheeks and shoulders. The DERMAFORCE BBL PRO is the obvious choice here: BroadBand Light with 400 to 800 nm, nine filters and large spots, intended for skin types I to IV. Individual darker freckles can be touched up with 532 nm on the PICOLO XL.
What helps with dark spots after acne (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation)?
Time, consistent sun protection and very gentle, non-ablative laser treatments help with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The spots develop because inflammation stimulates the pigment cells, for example an acne pimple, an injury or an overly aggressive treatment. Any new irritation can intensify them. The rule is therefore: first let the inflammation subside, then work with low energy and longer intervals. Many of these spots fade by themselves over months, and treatment speeds this up.
The TULIX is suitable, as it works non-ablatively and is specified for all skin types. Its 1927 nm wavelength acts in the epidermis, where the excess pigment usually lies. If acne scars have also remained, the 1550 nm erbium glass wavelength for the dermis is added.
Which is better for pigmentation: laser, or BBL and IPL?
BBL and IPL are better for many superficial spots over a large area, lasers for individual, deeper or stubborn pigmentation. A laser emits exactly one wavelength in very short pulses and hits the pigment with pinpoint accuracy. BBL and IPL work with broadband light, which filters narrow down to the desired range. This allows you to reach brown spots and redness at the same time in one session, and the skin looks more even overall. Broadband light is less suitable for darker skin types and for melasma.
The DERMAFORCE BBL PRO is not a laser but BroadBand Light with 400 to 800 nm, nine filters and sapphire contact cooling, intended for skin types I to IV. For targeted pigment removal there are the PICOLO XL and the PICOLO L.
A carbon peel is a laser treatment in which a thin layer of carbon lotion is applied to the skin and removed again with a Q-switched laser. The carbon particles settle in the pores and bind sebum and dead skin flakes. The dark carbon absorbs the laser pulse and is blasted away together with the deposits, while at the same time the upper layers of the skin warm up slightly. This gives finer pores, less shine and a fresher, more even complexion. Afterwards the skin is slightly reddened at most, and a course of 3 to 6 sessions is usual.
The carbon peel is among the applications of the PICOLO S, PICOLO L and PICOLO XL. The PICOLO S is the entry-level device for this treatment.
Can couperose and red thread veins on the face be treated with light?
Yes, couperose, diffuse redness and fine thread veins can be treated well with light because haemoglobin, the red blood pigment, strongly absorbs certain wavelengths. The light heats the blood in the dilated vessel, the vessel wall seals together, and the body breaks the vein down. Usually 3 to 5 sessions at intervals of about four weeks are needed. The tendency towards redness remains, so top-up sessions are common.
The DERMAFORCE BBL PRO is designed for vessels, couperose and redness and uses its filters to treat whole areas on the cheeks and nose, with a session taking 15 to 30 minutes. For vascular lesions and thread veins there is the SIACSKIN x Velaslift, a diode laser with 450, 635, 980 and 1470 nm.
Which treatment refines large pores and gives an even skin tone?
Enlarged pores and an uneven skin tone are most likely to improve with methods that renew the epidermis and stimulate new collagen in the dermis. Pores look large when sebum widens them and the supporting connective tissue slackens. Heat in the dermis firms this tissue, while renewal of the epidermis evens out pigment irregularities and a dull complexion. Pores do not disappear in the process, they look finer.
The TULIX covers both: 1927 nm thulium for the epidermis, 1550 nm erbium glass for the dermis. If you want to tackle brown spots and redness in a single pass, the DERMAFORCE BBL PRO is the right fit. For pores and complexion, the PICOLO L offers Genesis mode and the carbon peel.
Which pigment treatment is suitable for dark skin types?
For dark skin types, non-ablative lasers with low energy and wavelengths that place little stress on the skin's melanin are suitable, above all 1927 nm, 1550 nm and 1064 nm. The darker the skin, the more likely it is to respond to heat and inflammation with new dark spots. Broadband light and short wavelengths such as 532 nm are strongly absorbed by the melanin in the epidermis and are risky here. A test patch, cautious parameters, longer intervals and strict sun protection are advisable.
The TULIX works non-ablatively and is specified for all skin types. Among the PICOLO lasers, 1064 nm is the wavelength of choice, for example on the PICOLO XL. The DERMAFORCE BBL PRO is intended for skin types I to IV.
Why is a skin analysis worthwhile before pigment treatment?
A skin analysis shows before treatment how deep and how extensive the pigment is, and technology, energy and prognosis depend on that. With the naked eye you see only part of it. Under UV light, superficial pigment stands out in high contrast, including sun damage that is not yet visible. Polarised light suppresses shine and makes deeper pigmentation and vessels recognisable. This makes it possible to distinguish a superficial sun spot from melasma with a deep component.
The Skin Analyzer Pro from SIACSKIN captures the skin with white light, UV and polarised light, uses AI to assess pigment, redness and pores among other things, and sets before-and-after images side by side. In this way the baseline condition is documented and the progress is easy for your clients to follow.
How many sessions are needed for pigmentation and at what intervals?
For age spots and sun spots, 1 to 3 sessions are usually enough, for melasma and diffuse pigmentation more like 3 to 6, in each case at intervals of about four weeks. The epidermis renews itself in around four weeks, and only then can the result of a session be assessed. For darker skin types and for melasma, longer breaks and lower energies are advisable. After that, top-up sessions once or twice a year help, because sun and predisposition cause new pigment to form.
With the DERMAFORCE BBL PRO a session takes 15 to 30 minutes. The TULIX is generally planned as a course, while individual spots are often considerably lighter after just a few sessions with the PICOLO XL.
What does the skin look like after pigment treatment and how long does healing take?
The treated spots first become darker and then flake off within about 5 to 10 days, more quickly on the face than on the hands and décolleté. Immediately after the session the skin is red and warm, as after mild sunburn. After a treatment with the DERMAFORCE BBL PRO the redness usually subsides within hours, and for a few days the spots look like fine coffee grounds. After the non-ablative TULIX the skin feels rough and dry for a few days, and downtime remains low.
Cooling, mild cleansing, plenty of moisture, no exfoliation and no scratching at the flakes are the basic rules. The individual steps and suitable skincare are set out in the SIACSKIN aftercare guide.
Can pigmentation come back after laser treatment and how can this be prevented?
Yes, pigment spots can come back because the treatment removes existing pigment but not the cause. UV radiation remains the strongest trigger, and with melasma hormones, heat and visible light are added. Freshly treated skin is also particularly sensitive to light: sun in the first few weeks can trigger new, darker spots. Daily sun protection with sun protection factor 50 is therefore part of the treatment, ideally starting four weeks before the first session and permanently afterwards. Tanned skin is not treated.
In the SIACSKIN skincare range, the Suncream Sensitiv SPF50 is part of aftercare following laser treatments. If pigment returns, the TULIX is well suited to top-up sessions because of its low downtime.
