I am planning to start dermatological treatment for melasma.

After the summer, I just sigh every time I look in the mirror because of the patchy dark spots that have appeared on both my cheeks.

Even if I press down hard with concealer to cover it up, it comes back dull over time, so I think I'll eventually have to go to a dermatologist.

The hospital recommended that since the melasma is deeply embedded in the dermis, rather than regular toning, I should undergo Pico Toning to break down the pigments and combine it with a high-frequency treatment like Sylfirm Gold to normalize dermal blood vessels and the skin's underlying structure. They also mentioned that taking oral medication for melasma (tranexamic acid) along with it would make the skin much clearer.

But I'm scared because I heard that with melasma treatment, if the laser intensity isn't adjusted properly, it can irritate the skin and actually make it appear darker than before.

For those of you who have received Pico Toning and dermal care laser treatments together, at what session did you really need to go through to feel the lightening?

I would also like to know if you experienced severe redness, swelling, or if the color appeared darker for a few days after the procedure.