A chronic condition, managed with care. Fotona Angel White and Pink's Signature Melasma Protocol, designed by Porsha, our founding Senior Dermal Clinician, and delivered by the team she trained. Designed for every skin type, with particular attention to Fitzpatrick IV to VI.
Melasma is chronic. It cannot be permanently cured. That is the honest answer most clinics will not give you upfront, and any real conversation about treatment starts there. What can be done is management. At Pink, that work unfolds over months: the pigment fades, the skin stays quieter, and the protocol adjusts to yours. What you need is a plan.
“Melasma is a chronic condition. It can be managed but not permanently cured.”
If you have tried retinol, hydroquinone, chemical peels, and another clinic’s laser, you already know this is not a one-session problem. You may have been told your skin is “too complicated” for laser, or watched a treatment make things worse. That is almost always a device-mismatch issue. Pink runs the Fotona platform, specifically designed for Melasma and for darker skin. At baseline we deliver its branded protocol, Angel White. For harder cases – particularly Fitzpatrick IV–VI, long-standing Melasma, or skin that has reacted badly to previous laser – Pink’s Signature Melasma Protocol is the enhanced version of that baseline.
Melasma is often mistaken for sun damage or post-inflammatory pigmentation. It behaves like neither. The three look similar on the surface and respond to very different treatment. Getting the match right is the difference between a protocol that clears pigment and one that quietly makes it worse.
Driven by hormones and genetics, not sun alone. Shows up as symmetric patches on the cheeks, forehead, or upper lip, with pigment that often sits deeper in the skin. Flares with UV, heat, pregnancy, and the wrong laser. The realistic goal is long-term management, not a permanent cure.
Also called solar lentigines. Cumulative UV exposure laid down over years, seen as discrete brown spots on the face, chest, and hands. The pigment sits closer to the surface and, with a correctly matched laser, can be cosmetically cleared in a small handful of sessions. A different category to Melasma, treated differently.
Pigment left behind after inflammation, most often acne, but also eczema, ingrown hairs, or an aggressive treatment. Flat marks that map exactly to where the skin was inflamed, and more stubborn in deeper skin tones. Treatable with a dedicated, low-fluence protocol that stays barrier-aware and calibrates to each skin tone. The plan starts at a consultation, where the settings are matched to the inflammation state, the skin tone, and whether the trigger is still active.
If you are not sure which one you have, that is the first question the consultation answers. The protocol follows the diagnosis, not the other way around.
A layered, paced approach designed in-clinic for Melasma specifically. Built to soften pigment, calm the inflammatory pattern underneath, and hold the result steady, without forcing the skin past what Melasma will tolerate.
Standard laser toning treats Melasma like any other pigmentation. Our Signature protocol doesn't. Each session layers calibrated steps for darker skin types and inflammatory patterns, then closes with a calming recovery phase to bring the skin down before it leaves the room.
The result is steadier, more predictable lightening over a course, with less of the rebound flare-up that aggressive single-modality treatment can trigger in Melasma-prone skin.
There is no universal session count for Melasma, but there is a shape. Treatment runs as a paced course, spaced to your skin's response rather than to a calendar. Below is what it looks like when it's working.
You arrive clean-skinned, no makeup or SPF. A therapist walks you through what's happening today and checks in on anything still outstanding from last time. The treatment itself is layered: prep, the laser work tailored to your pigment and skin type, and a calming recovery close that brings heat and redness down before you leave. Most sessions run around forty-five minutes. You can return to normal life the same day, though we ask that you stay out of direct sun and wear SPF.
A full course typically runs three to six sessions, spaced three to four weeks apart. The first one or two sessions tell us how your skin is going to respond, and the protocol adjusts from there. By session three, most clients see pigment that has lifted, quieted, and become less reactive to the usual triggers. Deeper, longer-standing Melasma takes longer, and we will tell you that upfront, before it matters.
The work continues at home. SPF every day without exception. Retinol and acids paused for forty-eight hours after treatment, then reintroduced carefully. Where relevant, we provide topical support that keeps the pigment pathway calm while the protocol does the deeper work. Heat (sauna, steam, intense workouts in the face) pauses for two days and returns gradually. Sun is the single biggest reverse gear for Melasma, which is why SPF is the one non-negotiable.
Melasma responds best to a protocol that stays on it over time. That is what this course is built to do.
Melasma treatment only works when the skin in front of us is ready for it. This is an honest read on whether it's the right course for you now, or a different conversation first.
If you are not sure which list you belong in, that is exactly what the consultation is for. No obligation, no pressure to book a course.
Pink operates as a cosmetic clinic, not a medical clinic. Our work lightens and manages the appearance of Melasma over a course of treatment. It does not cure Melasma. No clinic, laser, or topical currently can, which is why we have said so plainly from the top of this page.
The devices we use, including the Fotona platform that anchors this protocol, are TGA-approved for cosmetic dermatological indications, and our protocols sit inside those parameters by design. If your case calls for prescription-strength or specialist medical intervention, we will tell you, and coordinate with a dermatologist rather than push a treatment past what it is built to do.
Honest framing is not a disclaimer. It is the basis on which the clinic is built.
A selection of recent cases, published with signed client consent. Skin type, protocol, and course length sit alongside each image so you can read like-for-like.
Results vary with skin type, pigment depth, and course adherence. No individual result is predictive of another.
Our Melasma protocols were designed by our clinical team, led by Porsha, our founding Senior Dermal Clinician. Angel White sits at baseline; the Signature Melasma Protocol is its enhanced form. Both were built for Fitzpatrick I to III as well as IV to VI skin, where Melasma most often presents stubborn, patterned, and slow to shift.
Stephy, our Dermal Therapist and Multi-Modality Laser Specialist, leads consultations and treatment planning for Melasma at Pink. Her specialty is Fitzpatrick IV to VI, and she plans conservatively, with lower fluences, longer intervals, and patch testing where the skin calls for it. Treatments are delivered by Stephy and our trained clinical team, working to the same framework. Porsha directs how the protocol evolves and steps in on more stubborn cases.
“A protocol that cannot be delivered consistently by a team is not a protocol. It is a preference.”
Both courses share the same clinical foundation. The difference is in how far the protocol extends, and how the session closes. Your consultation confirms which one fits your skin.
The TGA-cleared Fotona Angel White laser toning course. Paced for your skin. Suits most cases of Melasma in lighter-to-mid skin types.
Angel White as its foundation, with extended protocol layering and pacing built for stubborn Melasma and Fitzpatrick IV to VI. Every session closes with a calming recovery step.
Not sure which course fits? Start with a free consultation. Your dermal clinician confirms which protocol suits your skin and case before your first session.
Before any session, your dermal clinician reviews your skin under clinic lighting, confirms whether you're looking at Melasma or another pigmentation type, and agrees the right course with you. No pressure to book on the day.
Consultations are free. Courses are purchased after your consultation once your clinician confirms the right fit.
Same clinical foundation. Three decisions separate them.
Your dermal clinician confirms the right course at your consultation. If you're between the two, we'll tell you.
No. Melasma is a chronic, hormonally driven pigmentation condition. There is no permanent cure anywhere in the world. What we can do is lighten it significantly, hold it steady, and teach you how to manage the triggers that cause it to resurface. Expect a course of sessions, not a one-off.
Most clients complete a course of three to six sessions. Stubborn or deeper-pigment presentations often need more. Your clinician confirms the right course length at your consultation and reviews it again at each session.
Most clients describe it as a warm tingling sensation across the treatment area. It's well tolerated without topical anaesthetic. Let your clinician know if you're particularly sensitive and they'll adjust the pacing.
Very little. You may have mild pinkness or warmth for a few hours after your session, similar to a light sunburn. Most clients return to work and normal activities the same day. Avoid active skincare for the first 24 to 48 hours.
Yes, and the Signature Melasma Protocol was built specifically for Fitzpatrick IV to VI. Pacing, intensity, and session spacing all shift for darker skin to lower the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Your clinician confirms fit at consultation.
Sun damage is cumulative UV-driven pigment that responds well to laser lightening and typically doesn't recur when controlled. PIH is post-inflammatory pigment left behind after acne, injury, or irritation and fades with time and the right skincare. Melasma is a hormonally driven pattern that sits deeper, recurs without trigger management, and needs a dedicated protocol. The three look similar but respond to completely different treatment.
We don't treat Melasma during pregnancy. Hormonal shifts during pregnancy drive Melasma activity, so any lightening is likely to reverse. We're happy to see you during breastfeeding for a consultation and plan the right time to begin.
Daily broad-spectrum SPF 50+ is non-negotiable. Your clinician will also recommend specific topicals based on your skin type and stage of the course. Consistent homecare is the single biggest factor in how well your Melasma responds and how long the results hold.
Direct sun exposure is the fastest way to bring Melasma back. SPF 50+ every day, reapplied, plus a wide-brim hat for prolonged outdoor time. Beach holidays during an active course are not recommended. We'll work around them.
Honestly, it can. Melasma responds to hormones, sun, heat, and friction. With a strong course, consistent homecare, and disciplined sun protection, most clients hold their results well. Occasional maintenance sessions once or twice a year are common.
The most common Melasma presentations sit across the cheeks, upper lip, forehead, and jawline. We treat all of these. We also see Melasma on the neck and chest, which can be included in your course if clinically appropriate.
Most clients notice a softening of tone within the first two to three sessions. The full result of a course is assessed four to six weeks after your final session, once the skin has finished its cycle. We take before and after photos at every visit so you can see the change objectively.
Angel White is the baseline TGA-cleared laser toning course. It suits stable Melasma in lighter-to-mid skin types. Signature Melasma Protocol uses the same foundation and adds extended protocol layering, pacing calibrated for Fitzpatrick IV to VI, and a calming recovery step at session end. It's built for stubborn, recurring, or darker-skin Melasma.
Our clinic sits a few minutes off Doncaster Road, with free parking on site. Melasma consultations and sessions are by appointment only.
Pink Laser Clinics
Shop 3, 642 Doncaster Road
Doncaster VIC 3108
Clinic hours