Pico Laser for Melasma in Singapore: Cost, Sessions and What to Expect
At RP Clinic in Orchard Road, Singapore, a first pico laser visit for melasma is $88 nett. It includes your doctor's consultation, Visia skin analysis and your first session, with GST included, and the treatment is performed by the doctor. For melasma, picosecond laser is planned as a gentle course with conservative settings, commonly around five sessions about three weeks apart, with further courses planned as needed. Melasma is managed over time rather than cleared in a single run.
The cost of further sessions is set out during your consultation, once the doctor has confirmed that it is melasma and decided on settings and course length. Daily sun protection and, where appropriate, prescribed topical care are part of the plan rather than optional extras.
Why melasma comes back
Melasma appears as brown or grey-brown patches, usually broad and symmetrical, on the cheeks, forehead and upper lip. It is influenced by sunlight, heat and hormones, and in Singapore the first two are present all year. Because the triggers do not go away, pigment that has been cleared can return with sun exposure or hormonal changes. Maintenance is therefore part of the plan rather than a sign that treatment has failed, and sun exposure on treated skin is the most common reason pigmentation returns.
Where pico laser fits in the plan
A picosecond pulse is measured in trillionths of a second. At that speed the energy acts largely as a photomechanical shock, shattering pigment particles into fragments small enough for the body to clear, and far less of the energy turns into heat than with longer pulses. The thermal load that remains is one of the things the doctor weighs against your skin type, because melasma can worsen with aggressive settings.
For melasma, the laser is one of three parts. The others are daily sun protection, which underpins every other treatment, and prescribed topical care where appropriate. Settings are kept conservative and the plan is reviewed as your skin responds; settings are adjusted rather than increased quickly.
How many sessions, and how far apart
Courses are commonly planned in fives, around three weeks apart. Melasma usually falls into the group that needs extended management rather than a short clearing course, so further courses are planned as we go rather than as a single fixed run. That is a starting structure, not a promise. How your skin responds changes the plan, and it is reviewed with you rather than held to a number set on the first day.
What the first visit includes, and how further sessions are priced
The $88 covers your doctor's consultation, Visia skin analysis and your first session, with GST included. During the consultation the doctor confirms whether the pigment is melasma, sun spots or post-acne marks, since these look alike but behave differently under a laser, and decides which setting your plan uses. If further sessions are recommended, how many and what each costs are set out during your consultation, before anything is agreed. You do not need to book a separate consultation first.
What to expect after a session
Pigment often looks darker for several days before it clears, as the fragments work their way to the surface. The standard pigment setting is generally well tolerated; most people describe a rapid flicking sensation, and topical numbing is applied where needed. The fractional setting is a more intensive use of the same laser, with redness of around five to seven days, and it is used for texture rather than for melasma alone. Which setting your plan uses is decided at assessment, and you are told before the day rather than on it. Strict sun protection afterwards is part of the treatment.
When pico laser is not the right choice
- If it is not melasma. Sun spots and post-acne marks are treated differently, and treating melasma as though it were a sun spot is how pigmentation gets worse. Confirming the diagnosis comes first.
- If you want melasma cleared rather than managed over time. Melasma can return with sun exposure or hormonal changes, and a plan that does not include maintenance is unlikely to hold.
- If you cannot commit to daily sun protection afterwards. Without it, the laser is working against the main trigger.
- Your medical history. Skin type, medical history and current medications all affect whether this treatment is appropriate. This is screened during your consultation, and if a treatment is not suitable for you, you will be informed.
Next step
To arrange a first visit, message us via WhatsApp at +65 8014 8552. We are at Level 4, Tang Plaza, 310 Orchard Road, directly above Orchard MRT, open daily 10:00–20:00.
FAQ
How much does pico laser for melasma cost in total?
The first visit is $88 nett, including your doctor's consultation, Visia skin analysis and your first session. The total depends on how many sessions your skin needs and which setting is used, so it is set out during your consultation rather than quoted in advance, before anything is agreed.
Can melasma be cleared completely?
Melasma is managed over time rather than cleared in one course. Pigment can return with sun exposure or hormonal changes, which is why daily sun protection and periodic review are part of the plan.
Can pico laser make melasma worse?
Aggressive settings can. This is why melasma is assessed by the doctor with Visia skin analysis first, planned with conservative settings, and reviewed as your skin responds rather than treated like a sun spot.
How soon will I see a change?
Pigment often looks darker for several days after a session before it clears, and the change is worked through across a course rather than after one visit. We do not set a timeline in advance; the plan is reviewed with you as your skin responds.
