Freckles · Spot Treatment · Pacific Plaza
Pico laser for freckles treats each dot on its own, breaking up the pigment in the upper skin so that it flakes away. At Atelier, Dr Sin Yong first confirms that every mark is a freckle, then keeps the energy conservative for Asian skin.
A freckle is a small, flat deposit of melanin in the epidermis, near the surface, a predictable target. A picosecond pulse fragments it mainly by a pressure effect rather than heat, and the skin then sheds the fragments.
Freckles are treated spot by spot, not across the whole face. The visible sign that the energy is right is an immediate grey or white change in the dot that fades over minutes. A fine crust follows and flakes off. Faint or very numerous freckles may also get gentler passes across the area. The pulse itself is explained on the pico laser page.
At A Glance
Dr Sin Yong holds a Key Opinion Leader appointment with DEKA.
Who It Suits
Freckles, sun spots, melasma and flat moles can look alike, and each needs a different plan; pigmentation types shows how they differ. Dr SY examines the skin in good light, with a dermatoscope where needed.
| What you see | Pico laser for freckles? | What is done instead or first |
|---|---|---|
| Small dots that darken in the sun and lighten without it | Yes, spot by spot | Or sun protection alone |
| Dense freckles in Fitzpatrick IV to V skin | Often, adjusted, after a test area | Gentler passes across the area |
| Freckles on freshly tanned skin | Not yet | Wait for the tan to fade |
| Larger fixed spots that never lighten | No: likely <a href="/sun-spots-solar-lentigines.html">sun spots</a> | <a href="/treatment-t2-frax.html">T2 Frax Radiance</a> where both are present |
| Symmetrical patches that worsen with heat | No: suggests melasma | <a href="/melasma-treatment.html">Melasma treatment</a> |
| A changing, irregular or darker dot | No | Examination, and referral if needed |
The Decision
In Fitzpatrick III to V skin the challenge is to clear the freckle without injuring the skin around it, because the surrounding melanin also absorbs energy. Dr SY uses the lowest energy that gives the grey-white change, a spot size matched to the dot, and no overlapping passes.
A test area may come first if your skin is darker or has reacted to a laser before. A recent tan means waiting: tanned skin absorbs more energy and darkens more readily. A treated area is not done again until its crust has shed and the redness has gone. A spot that has darkened is checked, not treated again.
On The Day
Recovery
Leave crusts to flake and keep out of the sun. Day-by-day care is on pico laser aftercare, and how long spots stay visible is on pico laser downtime. Laser does not change the tendency to freckle; the freckles removal guide explains why they return and what keeps them lighter.
Risks
A brown halo around a treated dot is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, more likely after a picked crust, sun on healing skin or too much energy. A pale dot can follow over-treatment and recovers more slowly. Both are more likely in darker skin; conservative settings reduce, not remove, the risk.
The most serious risk is a wrong diagnosis: a changing mark lasered as a freckle can no longer be examined. Tell the clinic the same day about blistering, pinpoint bleeding or a cold sore flare around the mouth.
Dr Sin Yong holds a Key Opinion Leader appointment with DEKA.
Atelier Aesthetics · Owned by AYA
9 Scotts Road, Pacific Plaza #12-01A, Singapore 228210 · +65 8023 7170
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