Skin & Medical Treatments
Laser treatment for pigmentation and scarring
Sun damage, age spots and acne scarring all respond to laser, but they respond differently and on different timescales. The single most important thing determining your result is not the device — it is whether you protect your skin from the sun afterwards.
What we need from you
Daily SPF 50 on the treated area, year round, including through a British winter. Without it the pigment returns and the course was money wasted.
We ask patients to commit to this before we start, and we mean it.
What it costs
From £45 per session, depending on area and concern. Courses of three to six are typical, so from £135 for a course.
Common questions
Does laser work on sun damage and age spots?
Both respond to laser, though on different timescales. What decides how long your result lasts is not the device: it is whether you protect your skin from the sun afterwards. Without daily SPF 50, the pigment comes back.
I think I have melasma. Can laser help?
Possibly not. Melasma behaves differently from sun damage, and aggressive laser can make it dramatically worse, with damage that can last. It needs a careful, conservative, long-term approach. If we think you have melasma we will say so, and we may recommend against laser entirely.
Will you laser a mark I am worried about?
No. We do not laser any lesion that could be malignant. If a pigmented mark has changed, has an irregular border or uneven colour, or does not look like straightforward sun damage, we refer you rather than treat it, because destroying a lesion with a laser removes the ability to diagnose it.
How many sessions will I need?
Courses of three to six are typical. Sessions are from £45, depending on the area and the concern, so a course is from £135. You will have a realistic plan after your skin assessment.
Do I really need to wear SPF every day?
Yes. SPF 50 on the treated area every day, all year, including through a British winter. Without it the pigment returns and the course was money wasted, which is why we ask you to commit to it before we start.
Is there a patch test?
Yes. As with every laser treatment here, your skin type is assessed and a patch test is done at least 24 hours before treatment. If your skin type and the device are not a good combination, we will decline.