Melasma and Age Spots: Why They Must Be Distinguished and Treated Differently Beomgye, Pyeongchon, Beomgye Station, Pyeongchon Station, Hogye-dong, Bisan-dong, Gwanyang-dong, Dongan-gu, Indeogwon, Geumjeong, Anyang

"Melasma and age spots" is a term that lumps together the brown patches that appear on the face.

Even though they look similar on the surface, melasma and age spots are separate pigment concerns that form in different layers and respond in different ways.

Different names call for different approaches, and telling them apart is the first step of treatment.

At Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic, we begin in the consultation room by determining which is melasma and which is an age spot.

The same brown patch, a different starting point

Melasma is a pigment disorder that appears when the pigment-producing melanocytes are in a sensitively overactive state.

The visible pigment granules are only the result, so this is a concern where the environment that produces the pigment must be addressed as well.

Age spots, also called lentigines, are pigmented lesions that sit in the epidermis.

Since the layer stays in the epidermis, a method that aims precisely with a wavelength acting on the epidermis is a good fit.

One is a concern about managing the environment that produces pigment, and the other is a concern about targeting a lesion in the epidermis.

If the two are handled in the same way, one will fit and the other will miss.

What you miss by distinguishing with the eyes alone

On the face, melasma, age spots and blemishes sometimes appear to overlap in the same spot.

It is hard to say for certain which is which from the impression given by a mirror or a photo alone.

At Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic, images are taken with a MarkVu diagnostic device and then the director differentiates them personally.

Lentigines, blemishes and age spots are distinguished one by one, and a suitable procedure is chosen for each lesion.

Because this is a procedure that goes through diagnosis, the risk of pigmentation caused by an inappropriate procedure is blocked in advance.

Starting without distinguishing risks heading in the wrong direction, so diagnosis always comes first.

Melasma is addressed with laser toning

Laser toning is a procedure that selectively destroys melanin with a 1064nm wavelength laser.

Its indications are melasma, blemishes, hyperpigmentation and overall skin tone.

Toning is not a procedure finished in a single session; it is usually built up over 10 or more sessions.

Because it is a procedure where sessions accumulate, how thoroughly each session delivers energy becomes an important criterion.

Melasma areas where pigment is spread out are addressed within this cumulative process.

Distinct age spots are addressed separately with blemish removal

Blemish removal, that is, lentigo removal, uses a 532nm wavelength laser.

532nm is the wavelength with the highest melanin absorption, so it is efficient for removing pigmented lesions.

This wavelength acts only on the epidermis, so it matches precisely with lentigines, which are epidermal pigmented lesions.

It is the same 532nm wavelength as high-priced lentigo laser lines such as RePot, so the principle of the procedure is identical.

Aftercare also differs according to the nature of the procedure.

Because it is not a procedure that wounds the surface, Duoderm gel is not used, since applying it may actually cause irritation.

How the two procedures meet on one face

If melasma and age spots are present on the same face, the two procedures are designed separately based on the diagnosis results.

The structure is to approach the areas where melasma has spread with laser toning and the age spots settled in the epidermis with blemish removal.

The combination and order of progress vary with the skin condition.

It is not a method of pushing through all pigment with a single procedure; the answer is the procedure that fits the lesion.

Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic's distinguishing treatment

Laser toning at Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic is performed with 2,000 shots or more as the standard.

After a sufficient number of shots, the shot count is checked together with the director.

Areas of concern are targeted with a little more focus.

Each session is not repeated identically; the energy is raised slightly with each session.

Because it is a procedure repeated over sessions, the design differing at every session is the hallmark of toning at Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic.

Blemish removal is performed after MarkVu diagnosis has accurately distinguished lentigines, blemishes and age spots.

Based on the medical rationale for the 532nm wavelength, we offer a procedure with the same wavelength at a reasonable price range.

Aftercare is also not applied uniformly as the same care for every procedure, but differentiated according to the nature of the procedure.

Things worth checking at a consultation

If you visit a clinic for a pigment concern, it is good to first check whether there is a diagnosis stage.

The criteria are whether there is a process for distinguishing lesions and whether the wavelength and shot count are explained for each procedure.

Looking at whether aftercare is also explained differently for each procedure lets you gauge the depth of the care.

For pigment concerns, the direction of treatment is decided by distinction rather than by name.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can melasma and age spots be treated with the same procedure?

A. Although melasma and age spots are called together, they divide into melasma and age spots, and at Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic, laser toning is applied to melasma and 532nm blemish removal to age spots, which are epidermal pigmented lesions, according to the diagnosis result.

Q. How is the diagnosis of melasma and age spots carried out?

A. Diagnosis of melasma and age spots is done by taking MarkVu images and then having the director differentiate them personally, and the procedure is decided by distinguishing lentigines, blemishes and age spots.

Q. How many sessions of laser toning for the melasma part of melasma and age spots are needed?

A. Laser toning used for melasma is usually a procedure accumulated over 10 or more sessions, and Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic uses 2,000 shots or more as the standard and raises the energy slightly with each session. The specific number of sessions is explained after diagnosis.

Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic's Sincerity

Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic delivers differentiated results by distinguishing melasma and age spots through MarkVu diagnosis and the director's personal differentiation.

Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic raises patient satisfaction through a sufficient shot count of 2,000 or more, energy raised session by session, and focused targeting of areas of concern.

Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic pursues safety and effectiveness at the same time through 532nm blemish removal and aftercare tailored to the nature of the procedure.

A different result by a single Kkeut — experience it at Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic.