Melasma & Pigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is a description, not a diagnosis. We identify which layers of the skin are affected, then treat each precisely, without side effects.
Sound familiar?
Which of these are you seeing?
Symmetrical patches that flare with sun and hormones point towards melasma, a chronic condition that aggressive lasers make worse, not better.
Likely melasmaPost-inflammatory hyperpigmentation sits where the skin was injured. It responds well to the right energy, and badly to picking and peels.
Likely PIHFreckles and lentigines are epidermal: shallow, well-defined, and among the most satisfying pigment to treat when correctly identified.
Likely lentiginesTopicals only reach the epidermis. If pigment sits deeper, as most melasma does, no cream can reach it. The product wasn't wrong; the diagnosis was missing.
Time for imagingReal results
A typical course, measured.
Clinical photography from actual courses at the clinic. Scroll through the cases.
Individual results vary; a consultation determines what is realistic for your skin.
Why the label matters
Same look. Different treatment.
Chronic and hormonally driven. Sits deep, recurs with sun exposure, rebounds if over-treated.
Low-energy, high-frequency DJY laser toning over a planned course, plus maintenance to prevent recurrence.
Follows inflammation: acne, eczema, injury. Depth varies by skin tone and healing.
Pigment depth mapped first, then energy matched to the layer, protecting darker skin tones.
Shallow, well-defined epidermal pigment that darkens with UV and multiplies over time.
Precise, targeted clearance in fewer sessions, with photoprotection against new spots.
“The most important part of treating pigmentation happens before any laser is switched on: knowing exactly what you are treating, and how deep it sits.”
Where pigment lives
Depth decides the device.
Pigment at the surface responds to one wavelength; pigment at the junction or in the dermis needs another, at a different energy. Treat the wrong layer and nothing changes, or the pigment rebounds darker. Clinical imaging maps which layers are involved before any laser touches your skin.
Our devices
The right energy for every layer.
No single device treats every pigment. The clinic pairs FDA-approved platforms with the DJY protocols. Your course combines them according to where your pigment sits.
Hollywood Spectra
1064 / 532 nm dual-wavelength laserThe first FDA-cleared laser for melasma. Ultra-short nanosecond pulses break pigment apart with pressure rather than heat, the platform behind DJY Laser Toning, safe across all skin tones.
Clarity II
755 nm Alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAG laserA precision dual-wavelength laser for well-defined epidermal pigment: freckles and sun spots cleared in fewer sessions, with energy tuned to your skin type.
BBL
BroadBand LightHigh-speed broadband light that lifts diffuse surface pigment and sun damage across the face, neck, chest and hands, evening overall tone, not just single spots.
Sylfirm X
Pulsed-wave RF microneedlingRadiofrequency microneedling developed for pigmented and vascular skin. It strengthens the layer where melasma forms, treating the cause of recurrence rather than the stain alone.
Excel V+
532 / 1064 nm vascular laserTargets the vascular component that keeps melasma active (background redness and visible vessels), calming the skin so pigment results hold.
Decided at your diagnosis
No device is chosen before your skin is examined and imaged. The right platform, or combination, follows from where your pigment sits, never the other way round.
Your consultant
Diagnosed and treated by Dr Jinah Yoo.
Dr Jinah Yoo
MBChB FRCP · Consultant Dermatologist · FounderDr Yoo is a Korean, UK-trained consultant dermatologist and a leading specialist in pigmentation and melasma. Her programmes pair rigorous medical diagnosis with regenerative protocols developed in Korea, brought to London ahead of the market.
Every consultation at the clinic is led by Dr Yoo herself: your skin is examined, imaged and explained by the physician who treats it.
- GMC-registered consultant dermatologist
- Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP)
- Specialist in pigmentation, melasma and acne across all skin tones
- Developer of the DJY laser toning protocols
Your journey, visit by visit
What actually happens.
Consultation & pigment mapping
Forty-five minutes with Dr Yoo. Your skin is examined, pigment depth mapped with clinical imaging, and your diagnosis explained in plain language. You leave with a written programme and realistic outcomes agreed, or, if treatment isn't right for you, that answer instead.
You commit to nothing at this stageFirst treatment phase
DJY laser toning sessions of around thirty minutes. A warm, prickling sensation most patients find easily tolerable. Skin may be slightly flushed for an hour; makeup can go on the same day.
You can return to work immediatelyProgress review against baseline
Your skin is re-imaged and compared side by side with your first visit. Dosing is adjusted to how your pigment is responding. This is where the course becomes truly personal.
You see the imaging yourselfMaintenance, on your schedule
Melasma is chronic; keeping it clear is a rhythm, not a rescue. Periodic toning and photoprotection keep results stable, intervals agreed together.
Honest expectations
What to expect, and what not to.
A warm, snapping sensation over each area. No anaesthetic needed. Around thirty minutes door to door.
Mild flushing for up to an hour. No peeling, no marks, no downtime. Sun protection is non-negotiable throughout.
Most patients notice brightening from weeks four to six. Deep pigment shifts more slowly. That's normal and expected.
Permanent erasure of melasma. It's a chronic condition: we clear it, then keep it clear. Anyone promising otherwise is selling.
The clinic
45 Albemarle Street, Mayfair.
Suitability
Is this programme for you?
- Brown patches that darken with sun or hormones
- Marks left behind after acne or injury
- Freckles or sun spots multiplying with age
- All skin tones, including Fitzpatrick IV–VI
- Pregnancy or active hormonal treatment
- Recent isotretinoin use
- Active infection or inflammation in the area
- Unexplained or changing lesions: assessed medically first
Patient reviews
In their words.
“We are a year into my treatment and my skin looks radiant… albeit I still have some light hyperpigmentation and minimal Melasma.”
“After struggling with breast acne and stubborn hyperpigmentation since I was a teen… investing in treatment here changed everything.”
“After two visits and now 5 months on, my skin is glowing and looks better than ever.”
“One of the major dark spot on my left cheek was more than 50 percent lighter… I am very pleased with the results.”
“I’m so happy with the result only after two treatments from Dr Yoo and the team.”
Rated 4.6 on Google Review
(250+ reviews)
Questions
Asked before booking.
You don't need to. That's the point of the consultation. Dr Yoo examines your skin, maps pigment depth with clinical imaging, and tells you exactly what you're dealing with before anything else happens.
Yes, when correctly diagnosed and dosed. Melasma is easily worsened by aggressive settings, which is why our protocol uses low-energy, high-frequency sessions tuned by a consultant dermatologist.
Yes. Treating pigment safely across all skin tones is a core specialism: device choice, energy and preparation are adjusted to your skin type at diagnosis.
Melasma is chronic, so recurrence is possible, which is why maintenance is part of the programme from day one, not an afterthought.
Then you'll have saved months of treating the wrong thing. If your concern needs a different programme, or no treatment at all, that's what you'll hear.
Next step
Start with a diagnosis, not a guess.
Forty-five minutes with Dr Yoo: your skin examined, imaged and explained. You commit to nothing beyond the conversation.
