Published 2 June 2026 · Updated 19 August 2026
Not sure which type of pigmentation you have?
A skin analysis at the consultation tells melasma apart from sun damage and post-acne marks — and that answer decides the whole protocol, including whether a laser is safe for your skin type at all.
DHA-licensed doctors · Bluewaters Island 6, Dubai · daily 10:00–22:00
- Session
- 20–40 minutes
- Anaesthetic
- Topical cream if needed
- Back to normal
- Same day to 2 days
- Typical course
- 2–6 sessions
- Price
- from 550 AED
What Is Skin Pigmentation?
Pigmentation — dark spots, patches, an uneven skin tone — shows up when melanin gathers unevenly in one part of the skin. Hyperpigmentation is the medical name for the same thing. In Dubai it is among the most common reasons people come to a clinic, and the sun is only half the story — heat, hormones and inflammation left by old acne all push melanocytes to overproduce.
The word covers several different conditions, and they do not respond to the same treatment. Getting the diagnosis right before choosing a device is what separates skin that clears from skin that darkens further.
Which type you have decides the whole plan
- Melasma — symmetrical brown or grey-brown patches, usually across cheeks, forehead and upper lip. Driven by hormones and light together. The most stubborn of the three and the one that returns.
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation — flat marks left where acne, eczema or a scratch healed. Fades on its own over months; treatment speeds that up.
- Sun-induced dark spots — lentigines and freckles from years of ultraviolet. Pigment sits shallow, which is why these clear fastest.
A skin analysis at the consultation separates them, because melasma treated as a sunspot gets worse, not better.
Common Causes
- Chronic UV exposure — the dominant factor in this climate, and it works year round, not only in summer
- Hormonal change: pregnancy, oral contraceptives, menopause
- Inflammation from acne, eczema, waxing or trauma to the skin
- Heat itself, independent of light — relevant for anyone spending time outdoors here
- Photosensitising medication taken without daily sun protection
- Genetic predisposition, particularly in Fitzpatrick types III to V
Laser treatment and the alternatives: what we use at MED YU MED
- PicoSure Pro picosecond laser — breaks pigment with ultra-short pulses and little heat, which matters on skin that reacts badly to warmth. From 700 AED per zone. The device itself: PicoSure Pro.
- BBL phototherapy — broadband light for surface pigment and the redness that often comes with it. From 800 AED. Runs on the MJoule platform.
- MOXI thulium laser — gentle resurfacing when tone and texture both need work. From 2500 AED.
- Chemical peels — exfoliation that lifts surface pigment; the mildest entry point and the cheapest. From 550 AED.
- Mesotherapy with brightening actives — delivered into the skin rather than applied on top. From 700 AED.
Laser treatment is not automatically the answer — most plans combine two of these methods with home care rather than relying on one. Full price list: treatment prices.
| Method | Works best on | Session | After the session | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical peel | Surface dullness, post-acne marks, uneven skin tone | Short | Superficial peels: almost nothing. Medium depth: a few days of flaking | 550 AED |
| PicoSure Pro laser | Dense dark spots, deeper pigment, tattoo ink | Per zone | Tenderness and flushing for a few hours to a day | 700 AED |
| Mesotherapy with brightening actives | Dull tone, early uneven pigment, prevention | 20–40 min | Redness and small bumps up to a day, normal activity same day | 700 AED |
| BBL phototherapy | Sun spots plus redness and visible vessels together | 20–30 min full face | Warmth and flushing for a few hours | 800 AED |
| MOXI thulium laser | Tone and texture at once, post-acne skin | 20–30 min | Warmth and flushing for a few hours to a day | 2500 AED |
Timings and prices are from the clinic’s own service pages and price list. What suits your skin is decided at the consultation, not from this table.
Darker skin changes the protocol
Melanin-rich skin reacts to injury by making more pigment. The risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after laser and light treatment is higher in Fitzpatrick types IV to VI, and dermatology guidance is explicit that these devices need caution and lower settings on such skin.
In practice that means the doctor may start with a peel rather than a laser, run lower energy across more sessions, or prepare the skin for weeks before the first pass. It also means a clinic that offers you the same protocol as everyone else is not reading your skin. More on this: treatments and care for dark and swarthy skin.
Why this matters in Dubai. A large share of patients here have Fitzpatrick skin types III to V. On that skin an over-powered laser does not just fail — it leaves a darker mark than the one you came to treat. Ask what settings are planned and why.
What results look like, honestly
The American Academy of Dermatology puts melasma at three to twelve months of following a treatment plan before results show, longer for people who have had it for years. Surface sun damage responds sooner. Nobody can promise a percentage: the numbers you see quoted online are averages from studies, not a forecast for your face.
On recurrence the AAD is equally direct — melasma can last for years or a lifetime, and sunlight darkens existing patches while creating new ones. Which is why daily SPF is part of the treatment, not an afterthought.
Sun protection can help fade melasma and prevent it from returning.
American Academy of Dermatology
Side effects, and what this will not do
Every method here has side effects: flushing, warmth, temporary darkening before clearing, and in melanin-rich skin the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation described above. Beyond that, the limits. It will not remove a mole, and it should not be used on one. It will not stop new pigment appearing if sun protection lapses. It will not fix pigmentation caused by medication you are still taking, and it will not clear melasma permanently — the realistic goal is control with maintenance, not a cure.
If the marks concern you medically rather than cosmetically, that is a different appointment.
When to seek medical advice first
Book an assessment before any cosmetic procedure if a pigmented spot changes shape, colour or size, has an uneven border, bleeds, itches or simply looks unlike your other marks. Sudden widespread pigmentation change also warrants examination rather than treatment.
After a procedure, call MED YU MED on +971 52 184 5011 (daily 10:00–22:00) if you develop blistering, an open or weeping area, spreading redness with heat, discharge or fever. Outside opening hours go to the nearest emergency department or call 998 — do not wait for the clinic to reopen.
Who this suits, and who should wait
Treatment usually suits you if
- Dark spots or patches have been stable for months and you know what caused them
- You are ready to use sun protection daily, not only after the session
- You can commit to a course rather than one visit
- Your expectations are about improvement, not erasure
Better to postpone if
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding — many protocols wait
- You have a fresh tan or plan a sun holiday within weeks
- You are taking isotretinoin or photosensitising medication
- There is active inflammation, herpes or infection in the area
- A pigmented spot has changed recently — that needs examining first
Results from our clinic
Photographs of MED YU MED patients, published with consent. These are individual outcomes: your skin type, diagnosis and sun exposure change what is achievable, and no result is guaranteed.
Which one is right for your skin?
Five methods, five different jobs. Fifteen minutes with a doctor answers the question that this page cannot: which of them your pigmentation actually responds to, and at what settings your skin type tolerates.
What patients say
I had a BBL pigmentation session with Dr. Ilyas today. Very happy. The reception staff are polite and caring, the atmosphere is cosy. Dr. Ilyas explained everything in detail and put together an individual protocol. The procedure was comfortable. I recommend it to anyone dealing with pigmentation, the main thing is to go to professionals.
Reviews describe individual experiences; results and the number of sessions vary from patient to patient.
FAQ
Which pigmentation responds fastest to treatment?
Sun-induced spots on the surface — lentigines and freckles — respond soonest, because the pigment sits shallow. Melasma sits deeper and is driven by hormones as well as light, so it needs a longer plan and returns more readily. Post-inflammatory marks left by acne usually fade on their own over months; treatment shortens that, it does not replace it.
Can laser make pigmentation worse?
Yes, and this is the reason a consultation comes first. Laser and light devices can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and that risk is higher in Fitzpatrick skin types IV to VI — a large share of patients in Dubai. The doctor lowers energy, spaces sessions further apart or chooses a peel instead when the skin calls for it.
How long before I see a difference?
The American Academy of Dermatology puts melasma results at three to twelve months of following a plan, longer if you have had it for years. Surface sun damage moves faster. Anyone promising a fixed percentage after a fixed number of sessions is guessing.
Will it come back?
Melasma can last for years or a lifetime, and sun exposure darkens existing patches and creates new ones. Daily sun protection is not aftercare advice here, it is the part of the treatment that decides whether the result holds.
What does it cost at MED YU MED?
Chemical peels start at 550 AED, PicoSure laser at 700 AED per zone, BBL phototherapy at 800 AED, mesotherapy with brightening actives at 700 AED, MOXI resurfacing at 2500 AED. The protocol and its total cost are set after the doctor examines your skin.
When should I see a doctor instead of booking a treatment?
If a pigmented spot changes shape, colour or size, bleeds, itches or looks different from your other marks, book a medical assessment before any cosmetic procedure. Treating a lesion that needed examining is the one mistake that matters here.
What treatment is best for pigmentation?
There is no single best one — the honest answer depends on what your pigment is. Sun-induced dark spots respond to laser and BBL. Melasma often does better starting with peels and topical work, because aggressive light can worsen it. Post-acne marks frequently need nothing but time and sun protection. A clinic that names one method before looking at your skin is selling, not treating.
Can I remove pigmentation permanently?
Sun spots and freckles can be cleared and may not return if you protect the skin. Melasma is a different matter: the American Academy of Dermatology states it can last for years or a lifetime, and sunlight darkens existing patches while creating new ones. The realistic goal there is control with maintenance rather than a permanent cure.
Which facial removes pigmentation?
A facial in the beauty-salon sense does not remove pigment — it cleanses and hydrates. What does work on tone are medical procedures: chemical peels, BBL phototherapy, PicoSure or MOXI laser, mesotherapy with brightening actives. HydraFacial and similar treatments prepare and maintain the skin around those, they do not replace them.
What is the best pigmentation cream in the UAE?
We do not recommend a brand on a web page, because the active ingredient matters more than the label and some of the strongest ones are prescription-only in the UAE. Home care built around daily SPF 50, a tyrosinase-inhibiting active and a retinoid where tolerated does most of the work between sessions — the doctor writes the specific routine after seeing your skin.
Medical disclaimer: this page is for information and does not replace a consultation. Assessment of your skin, diagnosis and any treatment decision belong to a licensed doctor.
License statement: MEDYUMED MEDICAL CLINIC LLC operates under DHA License 6589480, Bluewaters Island 6, Dubai.
Individual results caveat: outcomes vary with diagnosis, skin type, hormonal factors and sun exposure. No result is guaranteed.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology, Melasma: diagnosis and treatment — on recurrence, sun protection and the three-to-twelve-month timeline.
- StatPearls, Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation — on higher risk in Fitzpatrick types IV to VI and the need for lower settings.
- Prices and session times: MED YU MED price list and service pages, checked 16 August 2026.
Bring your skin, not a screenshot
Pigmentation is diagnosed on the skin, under light, with your history in front of the doctor. Fifteen minutes at the clinic saves months of treating the wrong thing — and if a mark needs examining rather than treating, you will hear that first.
MEDYUMED MEDICAL CLINIC LLC · DHA License 6589480 · open daily 10:00–22:00. Outside our hours, urgent problems go to the nearest emergency department or 998.
Medically reviewed by
General Practitioner, Aesthetic Medicine Doctor, Dermatologist
DHA License No. 35044799-002
