Choosing Pico Toning in Gangnam When Skin Tone Is the Concern

A complexion that looks noticeably darker each time you see yourself in the mirror, or melasma and blemishes settled unevenly across the cheeks and around the eyes — a great many people are troubled by this. Pigment conditions do not clear easily with home care or cosmetics once they have taken hold, and they tend to spread or deepen as time passes.

Many people look into laser treatment to resolve these combined tone concerns. Yet we sometimes hear that repeating pico toning, or whichever laser others recommend, seems to bring little effect. The decisive reason for such a disappointing course is that treatment was carried out in a uniform way without a careful assessment of your own skin. Today we will set out PicoSure PRO, the device used for pico toning in the Gangnam Station area.

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A dull, uneven tone: why is pico needed?

An uneven, dull-looking skin tone is not simply a matter of melanin pigment alone. When freckles and blemishes spread shallowly in the epidermis, chronic melasma deep in the dermis, and red pigmentation increased by UV or ageing are all tangled together, the face comes to look uneven overall.

What happens if pico toning is carried out incorrectly? Using energy that is too strong can damage the skin barrier surrounding the melanin cells, which may instead cause pigmentation as a side effect and leave the complexion darker than before treatment. Conversely, delivering only weak energy where precise targeting is needed means the melanin is not broken down well, and only time and money are spent. In other words, the first step in pigment treatment at a dermatology clinic in the Gangnam Station area should be a tailored assessment that uses a precision skin diagnostic such as Mark-Vu to grasp melanin depth, hydration and vascular distribution three-dimensionally.

What is different about PicoSure PRO?

PicoSure PRO, available at a dermatology clinic in the Gangnam Station area, is the latest device, with output and stability raised a level from the original PicoSure. Delivering energy briefly and rapidly in picoseconds (a trillionth of a second), 1,000 times faster than the earlier nanosecond scale, it reduces concern about damage to the surrounding skin surface and can target pigment particles gently.

The reason effective pico toning can be expected lies in the 755nm wavelength. The 1,064nm wavelength used mainly by common lasers disperses energy into blood vessels and water within the skin as well as melanin pigment, so thermal stimulus is easily left behind. The 755nm wavelength of PicoSure PRO, by contrast, lowers unnecessary absorption into surrounding blood vessels and raises absorption into melanin pigment, targeting only the clumps of pigment selectively. Thanks to this, it breaks the substances behind uneven melasma and blemishes into a fine powder and clears them, without unnecessary thermal damage.

Does the Platinum Focus lens improve skin texture too?

Carrying out pico toning with the Platinum Focus lens of PicoSure PRO allows pigment improvement and barrier remodelling to be expected together. Laser energy is divided finely and stimulates deep into the dermis without wounding the skin surface (the epidermis).

To summarise, in this process melanin pigment breaks down gently, and fibroblasts within the dermis are stimulated and begin synthesising new collagen and elastin. As the dermal environment fills in densely again, fine lines are refined and improvement in skin texture can be expected.

Who does pico toning suit?

PicoSure PRO is generally suggested to those troubled by chronic or stubborn melasma that saw little effect from ordinary toning, as well as to those whose whole face has become dull and uneven from UV and who would like a clearer, more even tone.

Because the Platinum Focus lens in particular induces collagen regeneration without damaging the skin surface, it can help those who would like to manage pigment treatment together with enlarged pores, rough skin texture and fine lines, and those who need to return to a busy routine without crusting or redness after treatment.

What is the response afterwards and how should the skin be looked after?

Pico toning has the advantage of allowing an immediate return to daily life. That said, as melanin cells receive energy and the process of breaking down and regenerating takes place within the skin, it is worth keeping the following points in mind.

Letting fine crusts fall away naturally — For about three to five days after treatment, as melanin pigment breaks down and is pushed up to the epidermis, the pigment may temporarily look darker and fine crusts may form. This is a normal part of regeneration, so please do not pick them off; apply plenty of moisturising cream instead.

Avoiding stimulus for two weeks — For two weeks after treatment, it is best to stay away from high-temperature saunas, steam rooms and hot baths, and to hold off on vigorous exercise for a while.

Sun protection — After pigment laser treatment the skin barrier is sensitised and vulnerable to UV. Please be sure to use sunscreen thoroughly.

A session count matched to the individual — The course of pico toning differs according to individual pigment depth and skin condition. Rather than a one-off, a satisfying improvement is more likely to be experienced with steady, repeated treatment.

If a darkened, uneven tone has been a source of stress for a long time, or you have been hesitating because an earlier toning laser brought little effect, we hope you will consider PicoSure PRO toning. Rather than weighing it up alone, we recommend an accurate in-person assessment and consultation first.

Healthy, resilient skin is completed not by a treatment on its own, but when accurate information is combined with consistent day-to-day care. NUWA Clinic Gangnam, where a one-to-one assessment guides a direction suited to your skin, is located directly in front of Exit 7 of Gangnam Station, on floors 3 and 4 at 385 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

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Frequently asked questions

Q. I have had pico toning several times, so why was the effect slight?

A. It is possible that melasma settled deep in the dermis was treated with uniform energy without a careful assessment. As pigment needs a different approach according to depth, checking melanin depth and distribution first with Mark-Vu or similar, then adjusting the energy, matters.

Q. What is different about pico in the Gangnam Station area?

A. The 1064nm wavelength commonly used disperses energy, whereas the 755nm wavelength lowers absorption into surrounding blood vessels and targets melanin pigment selectively. This helps clear pigment with less unnecessary thermal damage.

Q. Is it all right if pigment looks darker after treatment?

A. For three to five days after treatment, as pigment breaks down and is pushed up to the epidermis, it may temporarily look darker and fine crusts may form. This is a normal part of regeneration, so please do not pick them off; moisturising sufficiently allows them to fall away naturally.

Q. Besides pigment, can pores and skin texture be improved too?

A. Using the Platinum Focus lens alongside induces pigment improvement together with dermal collagen and elastin regeneration, so enlarged pores, rough skin texture and fine lines can be managed at the same time. The degree of improvement differs according to skin condition, however.

Q. How many pico sessions should I have?

A. This differs according to pigment depth and skin condition, so a number cannot be stated with certainty. Rather than a one-off, people more often experience a satisfying improvement when it is carried out steadily over several sessions, so building a plan suited to you through consultation is the most accurate approach.