Getting Rid of Sun Spots on Asian Skin – My Laser Treatment

Hi friends, so recently I did something new: I got a laser skin treatment for dark spot removal! If you’ve known me for a while, you probably know that I love skincare. My pale, East Asian skin is prone to getting dark spots from sun damage, so I try to take good care of my face. I always wear sunblock and use a variety of skincare products as part of my daily routine. But recently I noticed that the sun spots on my face kept getting darker, bigger, and more seemed to be popping up daily. So I decided that maybe it was time to get a little more intense. I know many friends who have been dealing with similar issues as we all have gotten older, so I thought I’d share my laser dark spot removal experience with you all.

Dark Spots on Asian Skin: Can Skincare Products Work?

When it comes to sun spots or hyperpigmentation on Asian skin, I tried everything I could prior to getting laser treatment. I really did not want to shell out the money, and I was also very intimidated by the idea of lasering my face. But after countless of products, I probably spent way more on ineffective skincare than I did on my laser treatment. I have been using sunblock, niacinamide, dark spot correctors, vitamin C serums, you name it. Although I’m sure they helped prevent worse sun damage, nothing was really making the spots I had get any lighter.

I had seen a dermatologist back when I was a teenager, who had told me that there was really nothing I could do to remove spots that were already there, except for a laser treatment. He told me that I could prevent new spots by making sure I protected my skin from the sun, which I have been doing for years.

At the time, the dark spots weren’t so prominent and didn’t bother me enough to think about getting them lasered. Now, at age 31, I’m hoping to turn back time a little bit. There’s nothing like going through old photos of yourself to motivate you to try a laser treatment.

Finding a Dermatologist for Laser Spot Removal

For my laser skin treatment, I went to Dr. Erica Linnell of Linnell Dermatology and Aesthetics in Seattle, WA. I had previously found Dr. Linnell when I was pregnant and experiencing hormonal acne. During my second pregnancy, I also developed a cherry angioma right on my nose, which, while harmless, was very annoying. So I went back to Dr. Linnell to get it removed by V-beam laser. I had such a great experience with Dr. Linnell, that I knew I could trust her for my dark spot removal.

Something I learned from Dr. Linnell is that it’s really important to see a provider who knows your skin type. Dr. Linnell specializes in skin of color. She educated me on how Asian skin has hyperpigmentation that can sometimes be made WORSE by certain treatments that are commonly used on other skin types. If you are a person of color in the Seattle area and have any skin concerns, I highly recommend seeking out Dr. Linnell!

What Kind of Lasers For Dark Spot Removal?

I initially went in to Dr. Linnell asking about IPL. It’s all I had heard about! It seemed like all the magazine articles and blogs I read talked about IPL for dark spot removal. However, Dr. Linnell told me that for my skin, she recommended a combination of V-beam laser and PICO laser. V-beam targets redness and the vascular system, while PICO targets the brown spots from sun damage. She said she liked it better than IPL or BBL for my skin type. Again, this is why I HIGHLY recommend your provider is knowledgable in skin of different ethnicities.

After that initial discussion, she fired up the lasers for me! No need to make a second appointment to come back, which was nice. She put some protective covering over my eyes, but otherwise that was all the prep that was needed. (I had come to the appointment with no tan and no makeup on.) First up, we did the v-beam.

It felt like tiny pinpricks on my face, less painful than getting my eyebrows threaded, actually.

Then we followed up with the PICO.

This one hurt even less. Honestly, if you’ve ever gotten waxed or threaded, you can totally handle this.

They put some gel on my face afterwards, but that was it! The whole appointment took 30 minutes. Here’s what my face looked like immediately after:

There’s some redness, but it didn’t hurt. Dr. Linnell said to use my usual sunblock, but I didn’t have to avoid the sun or anything. She said the spots may look red and temporarily darker than usual before healing, but no flaking or irritation. I could even put makeup over them if I wanted to, although under a mask there would be no need.

Laser Sun Spot Removal: the Results

Here’s what I looked like immediately after:

One day later, here’s what I looked like:

As expected, the spots were slightly darker than before, but no irritation.

Two weeks later:

I wish I had thought to take a closeup before picture, but I did not, so here’s the best one I got:

Even from here you can see how much darker the brown spots are on the right side of my face prior to the laser treatment.

Overall, I’m super pleased with the lasering treatment. Lately, I haven’t been wearing foundation at all. Now with the lasering treatment, I barely use concealer as well. It’s definitely kind of an extra splurge for me, but if you have the money to get your hair highlighted, you can afford to get your skin lasered. If you’re like me and have been spending your money on skincare serums with no real results, I highly recommend getting a consult for a laser treatment!

If you liked this post (although it’s very different from my usual food and culture posts), you might want to check out my pregnancy-safe skincare routine post and my best J-Beauty and K-Beauty gifts for mom post as well.