Melasma treatment in Bogotá
Melasma isn’t erased · it’s controlled with method
Melasma is a chronic pigmentation that reacts to sun, visible light, heat and hormones. That’s why no single treatment resolves it, and aggressive shortcuts often make it worse. At iki we treat it with a phased plan · first what protects, then what lightens.
Results in dark spots and pigmentation · identity protected
Photos of patients treated at iki, published with their authorization and with their identity covered. Each case had its own diagnosis and plan; the exact treatment may combine several techniques. Results vary from patient to patient. See all cases.
Melasma treatment combines daily sun protection, actives that slow melanin production and procedures that lighten pigment, in phases. At iki, in Bogotá, the plan may include tranexamic acid mesotherapy, depigmenting peels and the Cosmelan protocol; the Q-Switched laser is reserved for selected cases. Melasma isn’t cured: it’s controlled, and it requires maintenance.
- What it is
- Chronic, recurring pigmentation
- Approach
- Phased plan · step by step
- Foundation of the plan
- Daily sun protection, including against visible light
- Tools
- Tranexamic acid · peels · Cosmelan · selective laser
- First changes
- Gradual · weeks to months
- Maintenance
- Always · melasma tends to come back
Who it’s for · and who it isn’t
Indicated when
- Symmetrical patches on the cheeks, forehead, upper lip or chin
- Melasma that appears or worsens with pregnancy, birth control or sun
- People who have already tried creams or peels without a maintenance plan
- Anyone willing to keep up sun protection and a routine over the long term
Not the right time if
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding · sun protection comes first and everything else is postponed
- Anyone looking for a one-session laser that erases it · that promise isn’t honest
- A season of intense sun with no way to protect yourself · it’s better to wait
- Asymmetrical spots or spots that change shape, color or size · those are evaluated first
The physician makes the final indication at the consultation. Results vary from patient to patient.
Melasma treatment at iki · a phased plan
Order matters. If you start with the strongest procedure and leave the foundation for later, melasma often comes back stronger.
Diagnosis
We confirm that it’s melasma and not another kind of spot, estimate whether the pigment is more superficial or deeper, and review the triggers: sun, heat, birth control, pregnancies and irritating cosmetics.
Foundation · sun protection and routine
Tinted broad-spectrum sunscreen, which also filters visible light, reapplied during the day, plus a depigmenting routine at home. Without this phase, nothing that follows holds.
Tranexamic acid mesotherapy
Shallow micro-injections of tranexamic acid over the area, which helps reduce the signals that switch on melanin production. It’s done in series set by the physician.
Depigmenting peels or Cosmelan
Depending on the skin, a series of low-concentration trichloroacetic acid or ferulic acid peels, or the Cosmelan protocol when melasma is stubborn.
Laser only if indicated · and maintenance
The Stellar M22’s Q-Switched Nd:YAG is used in selected cases, with conservative settings. Then comes the longest phase: maintenance and follow-ups.
What it offers
Why it comes back
The pigment-producing cells in melasma are hyperreactive: they respond to sun, visible light, heat and hormones. Lightening the spot doesn’t switch off that tendency · that’s why maintenance exists.
What not to do · aggressive laser
High-energy lasers heat the skin and can cause rebound or new spots. With melasma, more energy doesn’t mean a better result.
What not to do · IPL without judgment
IPL (intense pulsed light) works for sun spots and redness, but on melasma it can darken it. It’s used only if the diagnosis allows it.
Why a phased plan
Each phase acts on a different mechanism and prepares the next. That lowers the risk of irritating the skin and triggering more pigment.
Technology with an indication
A combined plan · not a single device
Melasma treatment at iki doesn’t depend on a machine. It combines tranexamic acid mesotherapy, depigmenting peels such as low-concentration trichloroacetic acid or ferulic acid, the Cosmelan protocol and, in selected cases, the Stellar M22’s Q-Switched Nd:YAG. The physician decides the order and intensity based on your skin and how it responds.
Results and aftercare
With a consistent plan, melasma usually looks lighter and less contrasted within weeks to months. How much it improves depends on the depth of the pigment, your skin type and your consistency with the sun. Relapsing on vacation, during sunny seasons or with hormonal changes is part of the condition, not a failure: that’s why maintenance is planned from the start.
Aftercare after the session
- Tinted sunscreen every day, reapplied every 3 to 4 hours
- A hat and shade outdoors · heat also triggers melasma
- Avoid harsh exfoliants and home remedies such as lemon
- Keep up your depigmenting routine even once the spot looks lighter
- Tell your physician about any change in birth control, pregnancy or medication
Results vary from patient to patient.
Pairs well with
Dark spots and pigmentationCosmelan · depigmenting protocol
Cosmelan is a depigmenting protocol that starts with a mask applied by the physician and continues with a maintenance cream at…
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Dark spots and pigmentationMesotherapy for dark spots
Mesotherapy for dark spots delivers depigmenting actives straight into the skin through shallow micro-injections. It’s one tool…
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Dark spots and pigmentationChemical peel for dark spots
A chemical peel for dark spots uses solutions that exfoliate the superficial layers of the skin in a controlled way. It helps…
See treatmentFrequently asked questions
What’s the best treatment for melasma?
There isn’t just one. The best result usually comes from combining daily sun protection, a depigmenting routine and procedures in phases, such as tranexamic acid mesotherapy, depigmenting peels or Cosmelan. The order and intensity depend on the type of melasma, your skin type and what you’ve already tried. That’s defined at the consultation.
Is laser effective for melasma?
It can help in selected cases, but it isn’t the first line. Melasma reacts to heat, and a poorly indicated or overly intense laser can cause rebound or new spots. At iki, when it’s used, it’s the Q-Switched Nd:YAG with conservative settings, within a plan with creams, sunscreen and maintenance.
Which vitamin gets rid of melasma?
No vitamin gets rid of it on its own. Topical vitamin C helps as an antioxidant and gentle brightener within a routine, and niacinamide also plays a role. Tranexamic acid, used in mesotherapy, isn’t a vitamin: it’s a medication the physician prescribes after the consultation. Supplements taken without an indication don’t replace the plan.
Can melasma be cured?
It isn’t cured · it’s controlled. Treatments can lighten it significantly, but the tendency to come back remains with sun, heat, visible light and hormonal changes. That’s why daily sun protection and maintenance are part of the treatment, not an optional step.
Why does melasma come back after treatment?
Because the cells that produce the pigment stay reactive even when the spot lightens. An afternoon in the sun without protection, intense heat, a pregnancy or a change in birth control can reactivate it. A relapse doesn’t mean the treatment failed · it means the condition needs ongoing control.
Does IPL (intense pulsed light) work for melasma?
With great caution, and rarely as a first option. IPL is useful for sun spots and redness, but on melasma it can darken the skin if used without judgment. That’s why at iki we first tell the type of spot apart. If you have melasma and sun spots at the same time, we decide what to treat first.
Can melasma be treated during pregnancy?
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the priorities are tinted sunscreen, shade and a routine that’s safe for that stage. Procedures and several depigmenting actives are postponed. Many spots change after delivery, so a new consultation once breastfeeding ends is a good idea.
How much does melasma treatment cost in Bogotá?
It depends on the plan: a series of mesotherapy doesn’t cost the same as a Cosmelan protocol or a phased combination. The extent and depth of the melasma also matter. The price of the full plan is given in writing at the free consultation. Your consultation at iki is free · 45 minutes.
Read before your appointment
Is Melasma treatment right for you? · we’ll see at the consultation
Forty-five minutes with a physician, a skin analysis and a written, phased plan with complete prices. You decide afterwards, with no pressure. Living abroad? Start with a virtual consultation.