Pigmentation is the single most common skin complaint we see, and the one where expectations most often go wrong. Melasma in particular is a condition you manage rather than cure — and any clinic that promises to remove it permanently is either misunderstanding it or misleading you.
Melasma is a pigmentation disorder that appears as brown or grey-brown patches, usually on the cheeks, forehead and upper lip. It is more common on brown skin, worsens with sun and heat, and tends to recur. Treatment combines pigment-targeting therapy with daily sun protection. At ASN Aesthetics, pigmentation is treated through skin therapy and laser, from PKR 5,000 per laser session.
Why brown skin is more prone to it
Melanin is protective, but skin with more of it also reacts more readily. Any inflammation — a spot, a scratch, a harsh treatment — can leave a mark that lingers for months. Dermatologists call this post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and it is distinct from melasma though the two often appear together.
Melasma itself is driven by a combination of sun exposure, heat, hormones and genetics. Pregnancy and hormonal contraception are common triggers, which is why it is far more common in women.
Faisalabad's climate works against you here. Both UV and ambient heat can drive melasma, so it often flares in summer and settles in winter, independent of whatever treatment you are having.
Why the wrong treatment makes it worse
This is the part most people are not told. Aggressive laser settings on melasma-prone brown skin can trigger the exact inflammation that causes more pigment. People arrive having had a course of treatment elsewhere with darker skin than they started with.
This is why device choice and settings matter more here than in almost any other treatment, and why skin type must be assessed before anything is switched on. Conservative, gradual treatment beats aggressive treatment on this condition, every time.
It is also why a clinic that quotes you a price for pigmentation removal without looking at your skin is one to walk away from.
What actually helps
A realistic plan usually combines several things rather than relying on one. Pigment-targeting topical treatment forms the base, alongside in-clinic therapy such as mesotherapy or carefully selected laser.
At ASN Aesthetics this falls across skin therapy — PRP, exosomes and mesotherapy — and the laser platforms, with sessions from PKR 5,000. Which combination suits you depends on whether the pigment is epidermal, dermal or mixed, which is a judgement made at assessment.
Consistency matters far more than intensity. Pigmentation responds to sustained, patient treatment, not to a single dramatic session.
Sun protection is not optional advice
This is the least glamorous part of the answer and the one that decides your result. Melasma is driven by UV and heat, so without daily broad-spectrum sun protection, any treatment is working against a tide.
Reapplication through the day matters, as does physical shade. Visible light also contributes to melasma, which is why tinted formulations containing iron oxides are often recommended over clear ones.
Patients who commit to sun protection and patients who do not get visibly different outcomes from the identical treatment plan. It is the highest-leverage thing you control.
Setting realistic expectations
Melasma is managed, not cured. A good outcome is significant lightening and long stretches of stability, with a plan for flare-ups — not a permanent end to the condition.
Post-inflammatory pigmentation from acne or injury has a better outlook and often clears more completely, though it can take months.
Anyone promising permanent removal of melasma in a fixed number of sessions is selling something the condition does not allow.
Related at ASN Aesthetics: skin therapy · laser treatments. Book a consultation or message us on WhatsApp.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Suitability and results vary from person to person — book a consultation so your own skin and history can be assessed.