Provider treating melasma pigmentation on a patient's cheek with protective eyewear at The Spa by Sheena in Lubbock, TX

laser-treatments

Melasma & Hyperpigmentation Treatment in Lubbock, TX

Gentle, low-energy laser treatment to lighten melasma and stubborn hyperpigmentation, done as a series of 2 to 4 sessions at $400 each. Because melasma is chronic and recurring, sun protection and a combination plan are part of the approach, not an afterthought.

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How long a melasma treatment takes

Melasma is treated as a series of 2 to 4 sessions rather than a single visit, with each appointment kept short and gentle. Your provider spaces the sessions out and confirms how many your skin actually needs at your consultation.

What kind of treatment is used for melasma?

A low-energy, gentle laser approach (often called laser toning) designed to lighten pigment gradually while minimizing the heat and inflammation that can make melasma worse. It works best combined with daily sun protection, and often topical lighteners and a chemical peel.

Where we treat melasma

Most often the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, and bridge of the nose, where melasma typically appears. Treatment is tailored to the patches on your face.

What melasma treatment addresses

Melasma and related hormone- or heat-driven hyperpigmentation, especially patches that have not responded to topical products alone. Everyday sun spots and freckles are usually a better fit for an IPL photofacial.

Inside a Melasma treatment session

Our Melasma & Hyperpigmentation Services

Chronic brown or gray-brown patches driven by sun, heat, and hormones

What is melasma & hyperpigmentation treatment?

Melasma is a common skin condition that shows up as brown or gray-brown patches, usually across the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, and bridge of the nose. The patches are flat and tend to be symmetric, meaning a similar pattern appears on both sides of the face, and they are harmless. What makes melasma frustrating is not danger. It's that the pigment is stubborn and tends to come back.

It happens when the pigment-producing cells in your skin, called melanocytes, become overactive and release too much melanin. Three things drive that: sunlight, heat, and hormones. This is why melasma is sometimes called the "mask of pregnancy." Pregnancy, birth control pills, and hormone therapy are all common triggers. It shows up more often in women and in medium to deeper skin tones. Even visible light from the sun and screens, and the plain heat of a West Texas summer, can set it off. For some people it fades on its own after a hormonal trigger like pregnancy ends. For many it lingers for years without treatment.

Melasma is not the same as the sun spots and freckles most people picture. Those (dermatologists call them solar lentigines) sit near the surface and respond well to stronger light-based treatment, which is why we treat them with an IPL photofacial. Melasma is deeper, hormonally driven, and far more easily provoked. Treated with the wrong tool, it can get worse instead of better. That difference shapes how we approach it.

What to expect from pigmentation treatment

The session takes 20 to 30 minutes. The sensation is mild. Warmth or a light snap. The protocol is intentionally gentler than other pigment treatments to avoid melasma flare.

Treated areas may be slightly pink for several hours. Some patients see immediate lightening. Others see gradual improvement over 4 to 6 weeks as pigment clears.

Strict sun avoidance is essential. Wear SPF 30 or higher daily, reapply every 2 hours when outdoors, use wide-brimmed hats. Heat exposure (saunas, hot yoga) can also flare melasma, so minimize where possible. Skip strong actives for several days post-treatment.

Benefits of treating melasma & hyperpigmentation

FADED PIGMENTATION

Gentle picosecond laser settings break down melasma pigment without triggering the rebound flares aggressive lasers cause.

EVEN COMPLEXION

Reduces patchy brown discoloration on cheeks, forehead, nose, and upper lip for a more uniform tone.

MELASMA-SAFE APPROACH

Conservative laser protocol designed specifically for melasma—we know what worsens this condition and avoid it.

LAYERED PLAN

Combines in-office laser with topical home regimen and strict sun protection for the best long-term result.

MELASMA EXPERTISE

Treated by providers who understand that melasma is a chronic condition requiring careful management, not aggressive zapping.

Inside a Melasma treatment session

Inside a pigmentation treatment appointment

Here is the part that matters most, and it is where a lot of aggressive laser clinics get melasma wrong. Melasma is heat-sensitive. Hit it with a high-energy laser and the inflammation can backfire, darkening the pigment or triggering rebound patches worse than where you started. So we do the opposite. We use a gentle, low-energy laser approach, often called laser toning, that works in light passes over several sessions to slowly quiet melanin activity while keeping heat and inflammation to a minimum.

Our melasma laser treatment is $400 per session, done as a series of two to four sessions rather than a single visit. Melasma rarely responds to one aggressive treatment, and it should not be pushed to. A session itself is quick, and most people wear light makeup out the door.

Laser alone is also not the whole answer. The approaches with the best track record combine gentle laser with strict daily sun protection, and often topical lightening agents and a chemical peel on a separate visit. Your provider will map out which of these fit your skin. You can see the rest of our light-based options on our laser treatments page, though melasma always gets its own careful plan.

Downtime is mild. Most people have some warmth or light pinkness right afterward that settles within a day or so, and there is no heavy peeling the way a resurfacing laser causes. You can usually go back to normal life the same day, with sunscreen on.

Every melasma plan here starts with a consultation. We have run this spa in Lubbock since 2016, and treatments are performed by our licensed staff under our medical director, Dr. Arledge, a plastic surgeon. To get started, book online or call (806) 701-5840.

Strict sun protection is required for results

Before your first pigmentation appointment

Now the honest part, because it is what makes a melasma plan actually work. Melasma is a chronic, recurring condition, and there is no cure for it. A good course of treatment can lighten the patches and even out your skin, sometimes a lot, but the tendency stays in the skin and commonly comes back, especially with sun, heat, or a shift in hormones. We think of it as managing and lightening melasma, not removing it. Anyone promising to erase it for good is not being straight with you.

That is why sun protection is not optional here. It is part of the treatment. Wear broad-spectrum SPF every day and reapply it, ideally a mineral formula with iron oxides that also blocks visible light. A wide-brimmed hat and shade help too. The research on melasma keeps landing on the same point: without daily sun protection, even the best in-office results fade.

Skin tone shapes the plan. Melasma is most common in medium to deeper skin, and those same skin tones carry a higher risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is pigment left behind by inflammation. That is exactly why we keep the settings gentle and, when it makes sense, start with a small test spot before treating the whole area.

A few things mean waiting. We do not treat melasma during pregnancy, over an active skin infection or a cold sore in the area, or on freshly tanned or sunburned skin. Some medications make skin more sensitive to light, including certain antibiotics, and recent isotretinoin (Accutane) usually means waiting several months after your last dose. Bring your full medication list to your consultation so a provider can check.

After your appointment, see our pigmentation laser aftercare guide for step-by-step recovery instructions and what to expect.

VIP members save 10% on every visit.

One practical note: we do not accept or bill insurance for melasma treatment. If a gentler starting point sounds right for where your skin is now, our facials can be a good first step while we build a plan.

PRICE RANGE

$400

PER SESSION

VIP members save 10% on every session

Book Now (806) 701-5840

POST CARE

View our post-care guide for important aftercare instructions to help support healing and maximize your results.

View Aftercare Guide

FAQ

Your questions, answered

We’ve answered some of the most common questions below to help make your experience simple, transparent, and stress-free.

Melasma is a chronic skin condition causing brown or grayish patches—typically on the cheeks, forehead, nose, and upper lip. It's triggered by hormones (pregnancy, birth control, hormone therapy) combined with sun exposure. More common in women and in patients with medium-to-darker skin tones. It's not dangerous but visually persistent.

What is melasma and what causes it?

No—melasma is managed, not cured. Treatment can dramatically fade and control the pigment, but the underlying tendency remains. Anyone promising to permanently "cure" melasma with one treatment is misleading you. Realistic expectation: significant fading with ongoing maintenance and strict sun protection.

Can melasma be cured?

A layered approach: a topical prescription regimen (hydroquinone, tranexamic acid, or alternatives), gentle in-office treatments (specific picosecond laser settings, gentle peels), and absolutely strict sun protection. Aggressive treatments can worsen melasma—we use gentle, consistent approaches.

What's the best treatment for melasma?

Melasma is hyperactive pigment cells responding to triggers. Aggressive heat/light treatment is a major trigger—the very thing the pigment cells respond to. We use specific picosecond laser settings tuned to fragment pigment without overheating the skin. The patient's biggest job: sun protection 365 days a year.

Why do aggressive lasers make melasma worse?

Most patients see significant improvement after a series of 2 to 4 in-office sessions, scheduled 4 weeks apart, combined with daily home regimen. Annual follow-up treatments may be needed to maintain results. Stopping sun protection or topicals usually means rapid return of pigment.

How many melasma treatment sessions will I need?

Almost always—at least partially—if you stop maintenance. Hormonal events (pregnancy, hormone therapy), sun exposure, even heat exposure can trigger return. Patients with consistent home regimen and strict SPF maintain results longest. Think of melasma like a chronic condition requiring ongoing management.

Will melasma come back?

Mineral (zinc oxide/titanium dioxide) SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every 2 hours when outdoors. Mineral filters reflect both UV and visible light—visible light is a melasma trigger that chemical sunscreens miss. We carry tinted mineral sunscreens that also block visible light effectively.

What's the best SPF for melasma?

Melasma laser treatment is $400 per session. A series of 2 to 4 sessions, scheduled 4 weeks apart, is typically recommended for optimal clearance. Topical home regimen is billed separately. We design a complete plan with honest total cost at consultation.

How much does melasma treatment cost in Lubbock?

Light peels can be helpful as part of a layered approach—especially the Herbal Green Peel for resistant melasma. Aggressive peels can backfire. We use peels strategically, never as the primary treatment.

Can chemical peels treat melasma?

Yes—avoid aggressive IPL, ablative lasers, and very deep peels without specific melasma expertise. Heat-generating treatments (RF, intense lasers, even saunas) can flare melasma. We screen treatments for melasma patients and recommend gentler alternatives.

Should I avoid certain treatments if I have melasma?

Sun spots are localized pigment deposits from UV damage—they're isolated, well-defined, and respond well to IPL. Melasma is diffuse, often symmetrical, hormonally driven, and responds badly to aggressive IPL. The treatment approach is very different. Misdiagnosing melasma as sun damage is a common reason patients get worse with the wrong treatment.

What's the difference between melasma and sun spots?

Book a complimentary skin consultation. We'll examine the pigment pattern, distinguish melasma from sun damage, and design a treatment plan. Call (806) 701-5840 or book online.