I finally took the plunge and got the pigmentation/scar under my right eyes removed. You know, that mark which I use as test spot in almost every single blog post on skin brightening products.

“It has lightened!”

“No, the serum didn’t work.”

Either way, it was there. Never fully left. However, this time, it is GONE! For good. Blasted into oblivion with Discovery PICO, along with other freckles on my face.

Discovery PICO

I may have talked about how I felt about laser being the last resort in the past, but I bit the bullet and now I wish I had done it earlier. But then again, Discovery PICO is the second generation of PICO laser, which is twice more powerful than any other Picosecond laser for medical applications. This has enhanced the treatment results which greater efficacy, so talk about good timing!

Discovery PICO laser can help with skin rejuvenation, tattoo removal and in my case, pigmented lesion removal. Which means lightening of melasma (melasma, unfortunately, doesn’t go away entirely), and getting rid of stubborn pigmentation like age spots, freckles, sunspots and age spots. It also works to smooth uneven skin texture and improve the appearance of acne scars.

How It Works

Directed at the area of concern, Discovery PICO produces picosecond pulse lasers to heat the deeper layers of the skin and target the pigments without affecting the surrounding tissues. Melanin and pigment particles are broken down into thin “dust.” When the pigments below the skin are no longer concentrated in one spot, it less visible on the surface.

The Procedure

I had my Discovery PICO treatment at Dr Calvin Chan Aesthetics & Laser Clinic at Orchard Road.

After a short consultation with the affable Dr Calvin Chan, ‘before’ photos are taken using a machine that shows (and highlight) every imperfection on your skin. Not great for self-esteem, unless you’re going to do something about it. Next, my face was cleansed and numbing cream was applied. If your pain tolerance is high, you could go without the anaesthetic but comfort is key for me (keyword = wuss), so I opted in.

20 minutes later, I was ushered in for my Discovery PICO laser. To my surprise, I could feel the pulses (weird tingling sensation) on my skin but it didn’t hurt.

I was talking to Dr Calvin throughout the procedure and before I knew it, it was over. The numbing process took longer than the actual laser treatment.

They said my skin looked instantly brighter but I couldn’t really tell.

My skin was a little red after the treatment and the stubborn spots turned dark and raised after the treatment. I wouldn’t recommend going on a date right after the treatment but I went shopping and no one stared, so I guess it wasn’t that bad.

There’s no downtime and the aftercare is simple. Moisturise and apply sunscreen if you have to go out during the day. That’s it!

Over the next few days, those darker spots turned into scabs and eventually fell off, revealing, ahem, a clearer skin.

Results

The “After” photos are taken 3 weeks after the first treatment. You can see that the sunspot under my right eye has lightened very, very much. Those cute (according to my sis) freckles on my nose and on my left cheekbone and temples are also less visible. Even the pores on and around my nose are smaller.

Now, 2 weeks after my second Discovery PICO treatment, I notice my overall skin tone is improving from day to day. It’s definitely brighter and I’m looking radiant (if I may say so) even without makeup.

So would I recommend it? Totally! Make sure you go to a professional doctor for your laser treatment or risk burns on your skin. Now, if only lasers can help with dark eye circles…