Pigmentation and Sun Damage Don’t Fade on Their Own
Brown marks across your cheeks and forehead. Freckles which spread and darken every summer. A patchy tone which never quite evens out. If sun spots, age spots, or uneven pigmentation bother you, you’re dealing with one of the most common skin concerns clinicians see.
Why This Happens
Pigmentation forms when your skin produces excess melanin, the substance which gives skin its colour. Sun exposure drives most cases. UV light triggers melanin production as a defence, and years of exposure build into visible spots and uneven tone. Ageing skin also renews less evenly, so old sun damage grows more visible over time.
Melasma works differently. Hormonal shifts, from pregnancy, contraception, or hormone replacement therapy, drive melasma, and heat plus sun exposure darken the patches further. Melasma often shows as symmetrical brown patches across the cheeks, forehead, or upper lip.
Where This Leads
Two treatments at Kirei Clinic treat pigmentation, chosen by severity and skin tone.
Picosecond Laser uses genuine picosecond technology, delivering short, high-energy pulses which break down pigment with minimal heat damage to surrounding skin. This laser suits darker and Asian skin tones well, since the risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation stays lower than with older laser types. Picosecond Laser runs from our Leeds clinic only.
IPL uses the Lynton Excelight device to treat broader areas of sun damage and redness in one session. IPL suits lighter skin tones with widespread sun damage across the face, chest, or hands, and runs from our Leeds clinic only.
Melasma needs a different approach. The wrong treatment, or the wrong hands, flares melasma and makes pigmentation worse rather than better. Melasma is not a condition to self-select treatment for from a page like this one. Your skin needs assessment by a clinician first, who confirms the diagnosis and recommends a safe path forward.
Dr Mei, Dr Rosie and Louise, our GDC-registered Dental Nurse, all deliver Picosecond Laser and IPL at Kirei Clinic, with who treats you depending on booking availability.
FAQs
Will laser treatment remove age spots completely?
Most sun spots and age spots fade significantly after a course of treatment, and many clear fully. Results depend on how deep the pigment sits and how your skin responds. Your practitioner sets realistic expectations at your consultation, based on the type and depth of pigmentation you have.
Is picosecond laser safe for darker or Asian skin tones?
Yes. Picosecond technology delivers short, high-energy pulses which target pigment while limiting heat damage to surrounding skin. This lowers the risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation, a common concern for darker and Asian skin tones treated with older laser types. Your practitioner assesses your skin tone and pigmentation pattern before recommending a treatment plan.
Are they suitable for everyone?
Yes — most skin types can benefit. Not suitable in pregnancy or breastfeeding.