What is Pico-Toning & Pico-Laser?
Pico-Toning: a non-invasive laser that is used all over the face to treat uneven skin tone for a brighter and smoother complexion. There is typically no down-time. Patients are recommended to regularly wear sunscreen and avoid actives (e.g., retinol, AHA, BHA, etc.) in their skincare.
Pico-Laser: a non-ablative laser that targets common skin imperfections (e.g., melasma, sun spots, acne scars, etc.) to break down the pigment and rejuvenate the skin. The lasered area will scab for several days, but once the scab falls off on its own, the area will be free of the imperfection! During this time, a cream is given by the clinic to apply every day for at least a week. Active ingredients in skincare and harsh exfoliants should be avoided. For darker or deeper skin imperfections, several treatments may be required.
*Typically, both the Pico-Toning & Pico-Laser are recommended together and can be completed at the same time in one session
*These treatments will NOT get rid of moles!
Cost
As of December 2024, both the Pico-Toning & Pico-Laser treatment at the VandS – Gangnam Branch was 182,000,000₩ (or about $130 USD).
My Skin Concern
Living in California where the strength of the sun is extremely high, I started to get sun spots in my late 20s. They were especially gathering on my upper cheekbones. More specifically, as you can see from the photos, the majority of the sunspots formed on my LEFT cheekbone. Why? Because the sun glares through the window as I’m driving and hits the left side of my face.This is a true testament to how much the sun damages your skin! Although they weren’t too bad, I wanted to do something about them before they got worse. (All Asians know that sun spots, if not treated, will grow darker and bigger!) Therefore, I wanted to be proactive and take the necessary precautions.
The Process
At VandS Clinic in Gangnam, the staff were very friendly and helpful! The entire process was very thorough starting with a skin-analysis photo. Afterward, a specialist went through each photo describing the strengths and weaknesses of my skin. This conversation was very helpful because it made me realize what I needed to do for my skin to maximize its condition. Some issues could be tackled using their most innovative tools (e.g., lasers, injections, etc.) or it could simply mean I needed to moisturize more in certain areas while exfoliating others parts.
Below shows a chart that depicts my comprehensive skin analysis in a nutshell. I learned that my pore size is a skin concern because having large pores on my cheeks puts me at risk for developing wrinkles faster since there is less elasticity. Therefore, I have to regularly use chemical exfoliants like BHA in this area which should help with the pore size and allow for a brighter, healthier complexion.
The skin analysis not only showed data about my pores, but also showed results for future wrinkles, redness, skin tone type, wrinkles, melanin, acne, pore, pigmentation, sebum, brown pigment, and radiance. Each photo shows whether you’re good, normal, or bad for each item and highlights the results on your photo. For example, for my sebum analysis, all of the white dots show where I tend to release the most amount of sebum (which is seen on my T-zone). Advice is provided in the report as well, detailing the concern of having too much sebum and recommending what to do.
During my consultation, we focused on the sunspots and what we could do to minimize it. The specialist recommended pico-toning and pico-laser, which sounded perfect for me. They numbed my entire face and within 30 minutes, I was in the treatment room. The nurse started with the pico-toning laser all over my face and then moved on to the pico-laser which is more precise and targeted at specific problem areas. For both treatments, I felt absolutely no pain whatsoever! I wondered if I even needed to numb my face at all. Below is a photo of what my skin looked like immediately after the both treatments. From Pico-Toning, my skin was already clearer and brighter. From the Pico-Laser, the areas where it targeted were clearly inflamed.
Within a day or two, scabs started to form. However, the scabs didn’t feel like typical scabs. I was imagining it to be bulky and rough (like the scabs that form when you fall down and scrape your knee). However, they were minimal and could be barely felt even if I brushed my fingers against it. Unfortunately, I don’t have the best photos of it– but this gives you an idea of what it looks like!
Every morning and night, I used the cream they provided at the clinic over the scabs. Within the next several days, I noticed they started slowly falling off. By the end of the week, they were all gone! My right side of the face is nearly flawless; the left side probably could use one more session, but at least the rough texture of the sun spots are gone! The clinic did mention that in Korea, people regularly get this treatment at least once every 6 months to a year. I’m not sure if I’ve seen this exact treatment in the states, but every time I go to Korea, this will be on my to-do list!
