Pico Toning in Gangnam: Why the Upgraded Version Is Different

A season when UV grows stronger, hormonal changes, or stress that has continued for a long time. After passing through such periods often enough, there comes a day when you notice melasma and blemishes that have settled darkly across the face in the mirror. Pigment does not disappear on its own once it has formed, and it often deepens or spreads to the surrounding area as time passes. Perhaps for that reason, many people look into laser toning, and among those options choose pico toning, said to break down pigment quickly. Yet there are also many who say they “had it several times and nothing much changed”, or that it “seems to have got darker instead”. Why does this difference arise?

Even where the pigment looks the same, the approach differs according to whether it is a blemish lying shallowly on the skin surface (the epidermis) or melasma settled deep in the dermis. Pigment concentrated in the epidermis, such as freckles or lentigines, can be expected to improve relatively quickly, but chronic melasma and nevus of Ota type pigment is entangled down into the dermis, so repeating weak energy alone makes change hard to feel.

At NUWA Clinic Gangnam, the depth and density of the pigment are first analysed with precision diagnostic equipment such as Mark-Vu, and pico toning is then carried out by adjusting energy to the state of the pigment. The device used for this is PicoSure PRO, a step up from the earlier PicoSure.

Is it melasma, or a blemish?

They may look similar from the outside, but pigment sits in different layers. Blemishes such as freckles or lentigines have melanin concentrated mainly in the epidermis, the outer surface of the skin, so improvement can be expected within a relatively short time. Chronic melasma and nevus of Ota type patches, by contrast, often have pigment entangled not only in the epidermis but down into the deep dermis. The problem starts here. If energy that is too weak is repeated on melasma located deep down, the clumps of pigment are not broken up sufficiently, and change becomes hard to feel however much time and money is spent. Conversely, simply applying strong energy is not the answer either. So for a satisfying result, a process of checking the depth and density of the pigment three-dimensionally with precision diagnostic equipment such as Mark-Vu needs to come first. Toning that begins without assessment and toning that has been through assessment inevitably differ from the starting point.

How does PicoSure PRO differ from the earlier PicoSure?

The PicoSure PRO used at NUWA Clinic Gangnam is the latest device, with performance raised a level from the original PicoSure that had been widely used around the world. Laser output (energy efficiency) is more than 50% stronger than the earlier model, and a precision parameter function that finely adjusts energy to the state of the pigment has been added. More important than being strong is being adjustable. Gently for shallow blemishes, with sufficient energy for deep melasma — being able to design the intensity differently according to the state of the pigment is what allows unnecessary irritation to be reduced while the target pigment is properly reached. This is why PicoSure PRO places its strength in this kind of tailored adjustment.

What does it mean for the 755nm wavelength to concentrate on pigment?

What makes PicoSure PRO distinctive is that it uses a 755nm wavelength. The 1064nm wavelength used mainly by common pico toning devices has the characteristic of dispersing energy into blood vessels and water as well as melanin pigment. The 755nm wavelength, by contrast, has low absorption into surrounding tissue and blood vessels but high absorption into melanin pigment. Thanks to this, it helps break the clumps of melanin behind melasma and blemishes into a powder finer than grains of sand and clear them, without disturbing the skin with unnecessary thermal stimulus. Because energy is concentrated on the target pigment rather than scattering, concerns about side effects from damage to surrounding tissue are also comparatively low. Aiming precisely at pigment alone — that is the essence of the 755nm wavelength.

Can pores, scars and skin texture be addressed alongside pigment?

Another strength of PicoSure PRO lies in the way energy is delivered using the advanced Platinum Focus lens. When pico toning is carried out with this lens fitted, melanin pigment is broken down while the skin is at the same time stimulated to induce regeneration of collagen and elastin fibres. Alongside pigment improvement, a brightening synergy can be expected in which pores, scars and skin texture are refined and the overall complexion fills out with clarity. Starting out looking only at pigment and finding skin texture tidied as well is what the Focus mode brings about. That said, the degree and pace of improvement differ according to skin condition and pigment type, so designing which modes to use and how to combine them through assessment is advisable.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Q. I have had pico toning several times, so why was there no change?

A. It is possible that the pigment was melasma settled deep in the dermis, while only weak energy set for epidermal blemishes was repeated. If the clumps of pigment are not broken up sufficiently, change can be slow to feel however many sessions are added. Checking the depth and density of the pigment first with Mark-Vu or similar, then adjusting energy to that state, is important.

Q. Does PicoSure PRO give very different results from the earlier PicoSure?

A. PicoSure PRO is an upgraded device with more than 50% stronger output and the ability to adjust energy more finely. That said, the device alone does not determine the result; how accurately the pigment is assessed and how the energy is designed to match it work together with it.

Q. Which kinds of pigment does the 755nm wavelength help with?

A. As 755nm has high absorption into melanin pigment, it approaches melanin-type pigment such as melasma, freckles and lentigines in a concentrated way. Because energy disperses less into blood vessels and water, it helps target pigment while reducing irritation to surrounding tissue.

Q. Why does pigment look darker after treatment?

A. As pigment is broken down and cleared, it may temporarily look darker or fine crusts may form. This generally fades naturally over time, but the response differs individually, so following the guidance given after treatment is advisable.

Q. Is it also used for tattoo removal, pores and scars?

A. Yes. Besides pigment, PicoSure PRO can be used for tattoo removal, enlarged pores, acne scars, fine lines and other skin texture improvement. Using the Platinum Focus lens alongside allows pigment improvement and skin texture refinement to be approached together.

If melasma and blemishes keep returning and causing you stress, or you have been disappointed by a toning laser before, the cause may have lain in the depth of the pigment. Rather than repeating the laser without a plan, NUWA Clinic Gangnam carries out pico toning by first assessing the depth and density of the pigment and designing the PicoSure PRO energy to match. We will be with you through the process of recovering the clarity your skin already has.