Pigmentation
Treatment. Sydney.
Pigmentation concerns — melasma, sun damage, post-inflammatory marks, and uneven tone — are among the most challenging skin conditions to manage. They are also among the most commonly mistreated. At MARA.H, our philosophy is simple: identify the cause first, treat the skin gently with Authorized PICOSURE® PRO, and protect what you’ve gained.
Pigmentation treatment from $568 first visit · $980 full session
Understanding Your Pigmentation
Not all pigmentation is the same. The right treatment depends on correctly identifying the type — something that requires clinical assessment, not a guess.
Sun Spots & Age Spots
Discrete, flat dark spots caused by cumulative UV exposure over years. Very responsive to PICOSURE® PRO — often showing significant clearance in just 1–3 sessions.
PIH — Dark Marks
Brown marks left after skin trauma — acne, cuts, or inflammatory reactions. Particularly prevalent in Asian and darker skin tones. PICOSURE® PRO’s photomechanical approach treats PIH safely without thermal risk.
Uneven Skin Tone
Diffuse, overall unevenness and dullness without discrete spots. Often a combination of mild PIH, sun exposure, and environmental damage. Responds well to PICOSURE® PRO for a comprehensive skin reset.
Hormonally-Driven
A chronic condition (melasma) requiring targeted laser and ongoing management — not a one-treatment fix. We provide an honest assessment of what results are realistic for your specific pattern.
Led by the MARA.H clinical team.
15+ years focused on pigmentation.
Complex pigmentation — especially hormonally-influenced pigment in Asian and multicultural skin — is one of the most demanding areas in aesthetic medicine. Many clinics use the wrong laser and make it worse. Marina Hu has spent 15+ years specializing in pigmentation correction in multicultural skin — understanding the technology, the underlying triggers, and the maintenance strategies that determine whether a result lasts.
All laser treatments are performed by the MARA.H clinical team following Cynosure factory-certified training standards on the authentic PICOSURE® PRO platform, ensuring treatment is safe and appropriate for every individual skin profile.
The Safest Laser
for Pigmentation on Asian Skin.
The laser you choose for pigmentation on darker and Asian skin matters enormously. The wrong choice does not just fail to work — it can actively make pigmentation worse. For how the mechanisms differ, see our PicoSure vs Fraxel comparison.
The Problem with Heat-Based Lasers
Traditional Q-switched lasers and many fractional devices rely on thermal energy — heat — to destroy pigment. In Asian and darker skin tones, heat triggers an inflammatory response that stimulates melanocytes to produce more pigment. The result: post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) that darkens the skin you were trying to treat.
PICOSURE® PRO’s Photomechanical Advantage
PICOSURE® PRO delivers energy in trillionths of a second — too fast for heat to build in the surrounding tissue. The photomechanical shockwave physically shatters melanin pigment into micro-dust particles that the immune system clears naturally. The melanocytes are left undisturbed, dramatically reducing the risk of PIH rebound. Read more about our PICOSURE® PRO device and technology.
A Holistic Management Strategy
For complex pigmentation, laser is one component of a complete strategy. We prescribe a supporting homecare protocol — paramedical sunscreen, topical brightening agents, and lifestyle guidance — to manage the triggers that cause spots to recur. Laser without maintenance is a short-term fix. Laser plus management delivers lasting results.
“Pigmentation is rarely just a surface issue. The laser clears what is visible. Understanding what caused it — and managing recurrence — is what separates a lasting result from a temporary one.”
— Marina Hu, Founder
Complete Your Skin Clarity Journey
Risks, Recovery and Suitability
What most people experience
What you feel and see depends on which part of the plan you are doing. Energy-based and resurfacing steps bring redness, warmth and flaking that settle over hours to two weeks. Prescribed topical steps commonly bring dryness, tightness, stinging and peeling in the first weeks while the skin adjusts. Pigment often looks darker before it looks lighter.
Less common risks you should know about
The main risk when treating pigmentation in melanin-rich and Asian skin is that treatment triggers more pigment rather than less — post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after heat, irritation or picking. Loss of pigment leaving pale patches, blistering, crusting, infection and scarring are uncommon but possible. Prescribed topicals can cause irritant or allergic dermatitis. Doing too much at once, or continuing a step the skin is reacting to, is a more common cause of a worse result than any single treatment is.
Recovery and what it affects
Most steps allow you to return to your usual day, but expect visible redness for several hours and flaking for one to two weeks after resurfacing steps. Sun protection is not optional at any point in a pigmentation plan — it is the part that determines whether the rest holds. Heat, saunas and vigorous exercise are avoided immediately after energy-based steps.
Results and responses vary
Sun spots, post-inflammatory pigment and melasma behave differently and are not treated the same way. Melasma in particular is managed over time rather than removed permanently, and hormones, heat and sun can bring it back. Progress is judged over months, and part of the assessment is deciding what not to do — some skin needs a period of barrier repair before any active treatment is appropriate.
When this isn’t suitable, or needs assessment first
Treatment is not appropriate during pregnancy or breastfeeding for several of these steps, over active infection or inflamed skin, or while taking isotretinoin or medications that increase light sensitivity. Recent sun exposure or tanning, a history of keloid scarring, an acutely compromised skin barrier, and some skin conditions mean we assess before proceeding and may recommend a different sequence.
If something doesn’t seem right
Call the clinic on 0468 358 861. Blistering, spreading redness, increasing pain, discharge, or an irritation that is getting worse rather than settling should be looked at rather than pushed through. If it is severe or you are worried, contact your GP or call 000.
More on treatment risks and recovery across MARA.H
This page covers a plan that can involve several treatments, so day-by-day aftercare lives on each treatment’s own page — see PicoSure Pro, Skin Needling, Chemical Peels and DMK Enzyme Therapy.
Pigmentation Treatment FAQ
Pico laser is a general term for lasers that fire in picosecond pulses. PicoSure Pro is a specific TGA-registered picosecond platform from Cynosure, operating at 755 nm — a wavelength well suited to pigment concerns in Asian and darker skin tones.
Many Sydney clinics advertise a pico laser; if the device matters to you, ask which platform is used and whether the operators are manufacturer-trained. MARA.H Chatswood operates a genuine PicoSure Pro.
Ready to reclaim your skin clarity?
Book Your Skin AssessmentThis page provides general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Individual treatment plans are designed during a clinical consultation. Outcomes vary between patients.