Dr Karen Soh, medical director of Prive Clinic, tells you about the aesthetic treatments that can help reduce and lighten pigmentation.
Dr Karen Soh, medical director of Prive Clinic, tells you about the aesthetic treatments that can help reduce and lighten pigmentation.
I spent my younger years outdoors, and I now have freckles and brown spots on my nose and cheeks. What’s the most intensive yet gentle anti-pigmentation treatment with quick results?
Pigmentation is a common concern for people exposed to the sun daily. At Prive, we believe every patient is different, so we offer customised combination treatments. For overall brightening or mild pigmentation, there’s Pico laser with a brightening facial.
Pico laser works in pico-seconds – one trillionth of a second. This extreme speed means skin doesn’t heat up as much, which cuts the risk of hyper-pigmentation. When the pigments absorb the laser light, the particles fragment into really thin “dust”.
We combine Pico laser with our Intense Hydro Therapy facial, an advanced hydration treatment that gives you softer, smoother and refreshed skin. It uses Prive-exclusive products to gently exfoliate, and electrophoresis infusion to stimulate skin absorption, enabling nutrients to penetrate up to 2,000 times deeper.
For more severe pigmentation, multiple sessions of Pico laser may be needed. Depending on your skin condition after a professional assessment, we may also pair these two treatments with an in-clinic chemical peel and a home product – both part of the Cosmelan Peel treatment.
The first step: A thick layer of peel is left on skin for six to 10 hours, depending on your doctor’s judgement. Too short a time yields no results, too long might cause chemical burns and skin hypersensitivity. The second step is done at home, with a daily pigmentation cream to prevent new spots from forming and to lighten existing pigmentation.
Laser treatments help zap pigmentation away
I’m confused by the different lasers for pigmentation. What does Pico laser do versus other lasers?
Pico laser works on all skin types and tones, and is used to treat pigmentation, mild acne marks, enlarged pores, fine lines and to remove tattoos. It does this with less side effects and little downtime.
The Discovery Pico treatment is considered a safer laser due to it using unique wavelengths that allow for better customisation for your skin concerns.
By delivering super-short bursts of energy, Pico laser helps to achieve brighter and tighter skin due to collagen stimulation, as well as improve skin texture. It also penetrates better without damaging the skin surface.
At Prive, we offer unlimited rounds of laser per session, and use different settings to target concerns. Of course, it depends on our assessment of your skin. It’s a fine balance as overdoing lasers could cause more harm than good for the skin.
Prevent dark spots
There’s no point in spending time and money on anti-pigmentation treatments only to allow more dark spots to form after. Your skin’s No. 1 everyday defence is a good sunblock. Try Prive Clinic Skinworks Triple Action Skin Defence Sunblock SPF50 ($62.06). Its ultralight formula shields skin from UVA and UVB rays, and counters free radical damage with the antioxidant CoQ10, for all-round skin protection.
Dr Karen Soh is best known as a trainer for Merz Aesthetics and Silhouette Soft threadlifts. She is recognised for her experience and skill across different modalities in aesthetics practice. With passion and a keen eye for detail, she balances the art and science of aesthetic enhancement, achieving natural-looking results safely and effectively.
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