Pigmentation Removal Singapore | Melasma, Freckles & Dark Spots Treatment

The Pico Pigmentation Laser uses ultra-short picosecond pulses delivered in trillionths of a second to shatter melanin particles in the skin through a photoacoustic mechanism rather than the photothermal mechanism of older nanosecond lasers. Because energy is delivered so rapidly, the surrounding tissue absorbs minimal heat, significantly reducing the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that can result from thermally-based laser treatments. This makes the Pico laser the preferred option for patients with darker skin tones (Fitzpatrick III–V) who are more reactive to thermal injury.

The Pico laser is effective across multiple pigmentation types, such as solar lentigines, ephelides, Hori’s naevus, post-acne hyperpigmentation, and melasma, when used with appropriate protocols and in combination with topical pigmentation management. Different wavelengths target different chromophores: 532nm for superficial epidermal pigment, 1064nm for deeper dermal pigment. Your doctor will select the appropriate parameters based on your specific pigmentation type and skin tone.

The Cosmelan Peel is one of the most clinically validated depigmentation treatments for melasma specifically. It is a two-phase protocol: an in-clinic application of the Cosmelan 1 mask (worn for a prescribed number of hours based on skin type), followed by a home maintenance phase using Cosmelan 2 cream applied daily for several months. Together, these phases address both existing melanin deposits and the enzymatic pathway responsible for continued melanin overproduction.

The mechanism targets tyrosinase, the key enzyme in melanin synthesis, through multiple inhibitory pathways simultaneously, making it more effective than single-active depigmentation creams. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant components that help manage the inflammatory trigger of melasma. Cosmelan is appropriate for all skin tones but requires careful skin preparation and post-treatment management to minimise irritation. Results are progressive over the maintenance phase, with significant improvement in melasma visible from 4 to 8 weeks.

The C&B Laser (素颜光) uses multiple wavelengths to simultaneously address epidermal pigmentation, skin tone unevenness, and dullness in a single no-downtime session. For pigmentation specifically, it targets melanin deposits in the superficial skin layers, breaking them down and allowing the body’s lymphatic system to clear the fragments. The multi-wavelength approach means it simultaneously addresses the redness and uneven tone that frequently coexist with pigmentation concerns.

The C&B Laser is most effective for mild to moderate epidermal pigmentation, solar lentigines, ephelides, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and is a strong maintenance treatment between deeper interventions. Its no-downtime profile makes it suitable as a regular treatment for patients wanting progressive improvement without recovery time.

The Full Beam Resurfacing Laser is an ablative treatment that removes the outer layers of the skin with precision, eliminating the pigmented epidermal cells along with them and triggering the growth of fresh, more evenly pigmented skin. It delivers more significant improvement per session than non-ablative options for patients with pronounced sun damage, extensive solar lentigines, or uneven skin tone driven by years of UV accumulation.

Full Beam Resurfacing is most appropriate for patients with significant epidermal pigmentation changes and requires careful patient selection based on skin tone — the post-procedure inflammatory period carries a higher PIH risk in darker skin types, and the treatment requires thorough pre and post-treatment protocols to manage this. Downtime is typically 5 to 7 days of redness and peeling.

The Ethosome Gold PTT uses photothermal therapy with gold nanoparticle technology delivered via ethosomes, lipid carriers that facilitate deep penetration into the skin. The gold nanoparticles selectively absorb light energy and convert it to heat, specifically targeting overactive melanocytes and sebaceous glands while leaving surrounding tissue intact. For pigmentation, this selective targeting reduces melanin overproduction at its source, the melanocyte, rather than simply breaking down existing pigment deposits.

This mechanism makes it particularly useful for patients with a strong melanocyte activity component to their pigmentation, including some melasma presentations and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, where the melanocyte itself is overactive rather than merely having deposited excess pigment.

Cysteamine Whitening Cream is a prescribed topical depigmentation agent that inhibits melanin synthesis through multiple mechanisms, including inhibiting tyrosinase activity, scavenging dopaquinone (a melanin synthesis intermediate), and reducing peroxidase activity in melanocytes. This multi-pathway approach gives it an advantage over single-mechanism depigmentation agents such as hydroquinone. It is also better tolerated than hydroquinone for long-term use.

Cysteamine cream is applied once daily, typically in the evening, and washed off after 15 minutes. It is suitable for all pigmentation types and all skin tones, and is a strong option for patients who have not responded well to hydroquinone or who require a long-term maintenance agent after laser treatment. Results are typically visible from 12 to 16 weeks of consistent use.

Depigmentation creams prescribed at SL Aesthetic Clinic are doctor-formulated topical agents designed to suppress melanin production and fade existing pigmentation over a course of daily application. Unlike over-the-counter brightening products, prescription depigmentation formulations contain active concentrations of ingredients that are clinically effective, which also means they require appropriate medical supervision to minimise the risk of irritation or rebound pigmentation.

Depigmentation creams are most commonly used as a standalone treatment for mild pigmentation, as a preparatory treatment before laser or peel procedures to suppress melanocyte reactivity and reduce PIH risk, or as a maintenance treatment after procedures to preserve results and prevent recurrence. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate formulation for your skin type and pigmentation concern.

The Glass Skin Customised Skinbooster (水光针) is a micro-injection formulation compounded by our doctor specifically for your skin on the day of treatment. For patients with pigmentation concerns, the doctor may incorporate brightening actives such as vitamin C, glutathione, tranexamic acid, or antioxidant peptides alongside the base hydrating formulation, delivering them directly into the dermis where topical application cannot reach. This approach supports pigmentation management from within the skin while simultaneously improving overall skin quality.

The Multi Corrective Redness Cream is a clinically formulated topical that addresses skin redness, post-inflammatory discolouration, and reactive skin as part of a broader pigmentation management protocol. It is particularly useful for patients whose pigmentation concerns include a significant redness or erythema component, such as post-acne redness alongside PIH, or whose skin is sensitive and reactive in a way that makes more aggressive pigmentation treatments difficult to use without first stabilising the skin barrier.

Oral pigmentation medication addresses pigmentation systemically through pathways that topical treatments and lasers cannot reach. This is particularly relevant for melasma, which has a significant internal hormonal and melanocyte activation component that surface-level treatments alone cannot fully address. Oral tranexamic acid is the most widely used and evidence-supported oral agent for melasma in Singapore, with published data demonstrating a meaningful reduction in melasma severity with good tolerability.

Oral medication is particularly valuable for patients with moderate to severe melasma that has not responded adequately to topical treatments alone, or as a combination approach alongside laser treatment to suppress melanocyte reactivation and extend the results of procedure-based treatment.

PN Newest (神颜针) is a polynucleotide formulation that supports deep skin renewal and cellular repair. In the context of pigmentation treatment, its anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties help reduce the post-inflammatory pigmentation response, making it a useful adjunct treatment following laser or peel procedures to support healing, reduce the inflammatory stimulus that can trigger PIH, and maintain the skin quality improvements achieved.

PN Restore uses polynucleotide technology to restore compromised or inflammation-stressed skin from within. For pigmentation patients, particularly those with chronic post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or skin that has been sensitised by previous aggressive treatments, PN Restore provides a regenerative foundation that stabilises the skin’s inflammatory response and supports more durable pigmentation treatment outcomes.

RF Gold Microneedling (黄金微针) delivers radiofrequency energy via fine microneedles into the dermis, stimulating collagen remodelling and improving overall skin quality. For pigmentation, it contributes through two mechanisms: the controlled micro-channels created by the needles facilitate better penetration of topical depigmentation agents applied post-treatment, and the RF-driven skin remodelling improves the overall evenness and texture of the skin in ways that complement laser-based pigmentation treatments. It is also one of the safer energy-based treatments for darker skin tones due to its dermal rather than epidermal energy delivery.