Fraxel laser to clear or minimize melasma

When a patient consults for pigmentation on the face melasma type, the doctor must make a complete medical history and collect information about medications, gynecological data, hormonal disorders of the thyroid and adrenal gland.
Triggers for pigmentation in young women include contraceptive pill and pregnancy coupled with sun exposure.

At Ribe Clinic we have multiple medical lasers and other technologies that are used to treat melasma in order to clear or minimize it.


The treatment of melasma is complex and long, since it is a chronic pigmentation. Therefore, I always tell my patients that a chronic disorder requires a chronic treatment. The treatment of melasma can be unique or combined. Thus, we can use laser and / or skin lightener creams along with sun protection factor.

The only laser FDA approved to treat melasma is the Fraxel Dual Laser. Recently, in some cases picosecond lasers are used. Dr. Adriana Ribé has been a pioneer in offering in Spain the Fraxel treatment for melasma approved by the FDA and has been awarded the Diamond Award.

What is melasma?

Melasma are large spots with geographic borders and usually distributed on cheeks, upper lip and forehead. They usually worsen significantly in summer and with sun exposure. Melasma usually has a hormonal origin in relation to pregnancies, taking hormone treatments or even thyroid or other endocrine organs alterations.

Once these pigment spots melasma type have appeared, we know that they get worse in summer and with sun exposure at any time of the year. Do not forget that the mere fact of exposure to light (at home or outside on cloudy days) also worsens melasma.

Characteristics of fraxel® laser re: store technology

When we apply Fraxel laser in the treatment of pigment spots such as melasma, especially the newest wavelength: 1927nm, we are renewing the epidermis and therefore, eliminating the epidermal pigment. Additionally, we renew the dermis which contains deep pigment that is the most difficult one to remove. This has been demonstrated with histological studies in biopsies taken on the skin of patients with melasma. It is observed how the epidermal and dermal pigment is eliminated through the epidermis.

Dr. Adriana Ribé recommends a personalized treatment protocol to clear or minimize melasma after an accurate diagnosis.

The most usual is to perform 4 Fraxel laser sessions combined with skin lightener creams and 50+ sun protection factor (preferably 100).It is very important to choose the appropriate laser parameters for Fraxel treatment. If we use strong settings, the inflammation can worsen the melasma. Thus, an experienced doctor in performing Fraxel laser to treat melasma is extremely important.

The Fraxel laser treatment to erase or minimize melasma requires applying anesthetic cream to prevent possible discomfort 1 hour before the laser session. At the end of the treatment the skin looks rosy and we notice a sensation of heat that disappears in a few hours. You can make up if desired and resume social life immediately.