Laser Treatment for Pigmentation – FAQs and Treatment Reviews
This post was written in accordance with the Medical Service Act and was created by a medical institution operated by a board-certified dermatologist at Hev Clinic, with the consent of the patient who received treatment.
It is not intended to emphasize treatment effects or personal treatment experiences, but rather to provide general information about dermatology and aesthetic procedures.
The photos used in this post meet the following conditions:
- The same individual appears in both the before and after photos.
- The dates when the photos were taken before and after treatment are specified.
- The photos were taken under the same conditions.
This post provides various medical information, including possible side effects that may occur from the procedure. In accordance with Article 56, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 7 of the Medical Service Act, diagnoses and treatment results may vary depending on the individual, and both effects and side effects may differ from person to person.
※ This article was written directly by the director of Hev Clinic for the purpose of providing information about dermatologic and aesthetic procedures.
Today I’m sharing a straightforward guide to one-day freckle-removal laser treatment—including when it can be done in a single visit, and when it can’t.
Freckles (heukja) often become more noticeable with age and sun exposure.
If we break the skin down into the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fat, freckles typically sit in the upper layer (the epidermis). That’s why an epidermis-targeting laser can work well: it treats the pigment, a thin scab forms, and as healing progresses, the scab naturally falls away.
After hearing this, many people ask the same question:
“Can all of my freckles be removed at once?”
This post is here to answer that clearly.
Quick answer: Yes—one-day freckle removal is possible, but only if a couple of conditions are met.
- They have to be true freckles
Many patients come in thinking they have freckles, but the spots may actually be melasma, lentigines, or nevi.
If the diagnosis is melasma or a nevus, it’s not the same as freckles limited to the epidermis, so a “freckle laser” approach isn’t appropriate. - The freckles need to exist on their own
If freckles are mixed with melasma or other pigmentation, freckle removal may still help—but you’ll likely need additional localized treatment afterward for the remaining pigment.
To make this easier to understand, let’s walk through a few real cases with photos.
Case 86: Female, late 30s (Isolated freckles)
She developed freckles on the left cheekbone during pregnancy. She previously had two AcuLase sessions (2 months earlier), but saw no improvement.
Even after two attempts elsewhere, there was essentially no change.
While searching for a freckle-removal laser clinic in Siheung, she found our blog and traveled from Siheung to Incheon for treatment.
2 weeks after the procedure
The freckles were cleanly and completely removed.
She told us, “Why did I do AcuLase twice?”—and honestly, we understood. She was glad she made the trip, and we were happy with the outcome too.
For simple, isolated freckles like this, results are often excellent, and multiple visits usually aren’t necessary.
Case 87: Male, early 50s (A second treatment may be needed)
He has high blood pressure and diabetes. He couldn’t find a local clinic in Ansan offering the type of freckle-removal laser he wanted, so he traveled to Incheon.
His pigmentation looked a bit different than typical freckles, with a light purple/gray tone.
Before starting, I explained that this pattern can behave differently than classic freckles. Along with 532nm one-day freckle removal, he would likely need additional localized treatment to fully clear the pigment.
Because he was traveling about an hour from Ansan, it was especially important to set expectations in advance—so he could decide with confidence before committing to treatment.
As expected, here’s the result 2 weeks after the procedure:
You can see it’s different from the 2-week result in Case 86.
Even with the same procedure, results can vary depending on the type of freckle/pigment and the condition of the skin underneath.
Just as we discussed beforehand, there was only mild fading early on—not a dramatic change after one session.
Some pigmentation simply can’t be fully cleared in one visit. In these cases, a second treatment often helps the color fade significantly more.
4 months after the second treatment
Before vs. After
Comparison: before → 2 weeks after first treatment → 4 months after the second treatment
Overall visual improvement after completing the second treatment:
Before: 2023.03.27 – After: 2023.08.12
This image is shared with consent and is an original photo of the same person, taken in the same location with no edits.
Results vary by individual. Please make sure you have a thorough consultation beforehand regarding possible side effects such as post-inflammatory pigmentation, bruising, and swelling.
Case 88 & 89: Female, 30s–40s (Melasma present — a second treatment is very likely)
When freckles (heukja) appear together with melasma, removing freckles alone usually isn’t enough. You’ll also need ongoing treatment to address pigmentation and the dermal layer.
Some patients feel overwhelmed by melasma treatment and want to remove only the most visible freckles first. That’s understandable—but in many cases, melasma treatment still becomes necessary to achieve an even overall tone.
If you’re considering freckle-removal laser treatment, I hope this helps you plan realistically and avoid surprises.
Summary: Can freckles be treated all at once?
Yes, it’s possible—as long as these conditions are met:
- The spots are truly freckles (not melasma, lentigines, or nevi).
- The freckles are isolated and not mixed with other pigmentation.
If freckles overlap with melasma or are mixed with other pigmentation, you may still benefit from freckle removal—but you should plan on additional localized treatment afterward.
More and more patients come from far away—by plane, train, or bus—so I want to help you avoid making a wasted trip.
Many people find freckle removal through my blog and YouTube, so I wrote this post hoping you’ll understand these key points before you decide on treatment.
Thank you.
