BlogGlo & Sparkle
If you live in Lubbock, you know how strong the Texas sun can be. A quick drive across town can feel like hours of exposure, and even the best SPF routine sometimes isn’t enough to prevent dark spots. For many, those patches aren’t just freckles or surface sun damage. They’re melasma.
Melasma is one of the most frustrating skin conditions for many people we see at our Lubbock medspa. It appears as light brown or dark brown patches on the forehead, cheeks, or upper lip. Some patients even notice well-defined borders or freckle-like spots that make skin tone look uneven. Many patients spend years trying creams, peels, or topical agents without lasting success.
The truth is, treating melasma is complex. Creams alone rarely fix it, and even some laser treatments can worsen melasma if used incorrectly. Let’s break down some of the common misconceptions and look at the most effective treatments that can actually do something about it.
Melasma is a chronic skin disorder that causes flat patches of discoloration across the face. It’s common on sun-exposed areas like the cheeks, forehead, nose, and upper lip. In many patients, melasma appears gradually and spreads over a few months.
Doctors classify it into three main types:
Melasma develops when skin cells called melanocytes produce more melanin than usual. This can be triggered by ultraviolet radiation, hormonal stimulation, or certain medications like phototoxic drugs and antiseizure medications. Pregnant women are especially prone to melasma in the third trimester because of elevated levels of estrogen receptors, and oral contraceptives can also make it flare. Even thyroid disease has been linked to higher risk in some patients.
Because melasma is such a complicated skin condition, it often doesn’t respond to simple topical agents or chemical peels. That’s why many patients need more advanced treatment options at a medspa to get clearer, more even skin tone.
Melasma isn’t regular sun damage. Topical medications like azelaic acid, kojic acid, hydroquinone, or vitamin C serums can help lighten epidermal pigment, but they don’t solve dermal melasma. Topical corticosteroids are sometimes prescribed, but they can cause adverse effects when used too long. In some cases, hydroquinone-induced exogenous ochronosis (a bluish discoloration) can even occur if patients overuse bleaching creams.
Melasma lesions may improve after treatment, but they can return with more melanin production triggered by sun, heat, or hormonal changes. That’s why melasma treatment is really a long-term treatment plan that combines in-office treatments with sun protection and the right topical agents.
Older laser treatments could worsen melasma because they generated too much heat. PicoWay is different. It uses picosecond bursts of light that shatter pigment without damaging surrounding skin cells or causing rebound pigmentation. This makes it one of the safest laser treatments for melasma.
Microneedling helps remodel the skin and smooth texture, but it doesn’t target dermal pigment on its own. RF microneedling adds radiofrequency energy that goes deeper into the dermis, which makes it a stronger option for treating melasma when paired with laser treatments like PicoWay.
Lubbock’s climate makes it harder to control melasma. With high UV levels, long summers, and dry heat, the triggers are constant. Even visible light and heat from daily sun exposure can worsen melasma and cause new flat patches to show up.
Many patients who come to our office say they’ve tried topical therapy like azelaic acid or kojic acid for months, only to see the melasma return as soon as they skip sunscreen. Others develop melasma during pregnancy or after starting oral contraceptives and feel frustrated when drugstore creams don’t help.
That’s where a professional melasma treatment plan makes a difference. At Glo & Sparkle, we create treatment options that target both epidermal pigment and dermal melanin for more reliable, lasting results.
PicoWay is one of the most advanced laser treatments for stubborn pigment. Unlike traditional lasers, it uses ultra-short picosecond pulses that shatter pigment into smaller particles. These particles are then cleared naturally by the skin cells in the immune system.
Because it doesn’t rely on heat, PicoWay is safer for melasma, which is easily triggered by warmth. Patients often notice their melasma lesions lighten and their skin tone become more even after just a few treatments. It’s effective for mixed melasma, dermal melasma, and epidermal melasma.
PicoWay also works well for different skin types, which is important since melasma affects many patients of diverse backgrounds. In fact, studies show it can safely treat darker skin without increasing the risk of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. For patients in Lubbock looking for PicoWay for melasma, this laser treatment is a safe, reliable option.
Microneedling has been around for years, but RF takes it to the next level. It combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy to reach deep into the dermis. This dual approach stimulates collagen, repairs skin structure, and helps control dermal pigment.
For treating melasma, RF microneedling is especially useful because it strengthens the skin barrier and reduces the chance of rebound pigmentation. Patients dealing with long-term melasma lesions often notice more even skin tone, fewer dark spots, and smoother texture after a few months of treatment.
It’s also safe for all skin types and has minimal risk of hypertrophic scars or other adverse effects. Compared to chemical peels or other agents that only treat the epidermis, RF microneedling works deeper in the dermis where dermal pigment is harder to reach.
Melasma is stubborn, and no single treatment solves it completely. That’s why the best results often come from combining treatment options.
PicoWay laser treatments target epidermal pigment and dermal melanin by shattering the pigment into smaller fragments. RF microneedling then repairs the dermis, improves texture, and reduces the chance that pigment will return.
Together, this duo offers patients brighter, more even skin tone and long-term treatment success. Many patients tell us their skin feels healthier and looks clearer than it has in years. If you’ve tried topical agents, chemical peels, or other treatments without success, this combination may finally give you the results you’ve been hoping for.
The first step is always a consultation at our Glo & Sparkle MedSpa office. We’ll evaluate whether your melasma is mostly epidermal melasma, dermal melasma, or mixed melasma, and we’ll look at your full skin history. Many patients are surprised to learn that factors like oral contraceptives, pregnancy, or even thyroid disease may have played a role in their skin condition.
During PicoWay sessions, patients usually feel a quick snapping sensation, while RF microneedling feels like a combination of pressure and warmth. Numbing cream helps with comfort, and most patients can return to normal activities within a day or two.
Results build gradually over a few months. Some patients notice lighter melasma lesions and more even skin tone after their first couple of sessions. For best results, we recommend a series of treatments along with consistent sun protection and supportive topical medications like vitamin C, azelaic acid, or tranexamic acid.
Professional treatments are powerful, but melasma is a long-term treatment challenge. Daily habits matter just as much as in-office sessions.
Combining professional treatments with smart habits is the best way to calm this skin condition and keep results looking good.
Melasma is a complicated skin condition that frustrates many patients in Texas. It can develop during pregnancy, with oral contraceptives, or simply from years of ultraviolet radiation exposure. It shows up as dark spots, flat patches, or melasma lesions that don’t fade with over-the-counter creams.
The good news is that modern laser treatments like PicoWay, combined with RF microneedling, give us reliable treatment options that actually work. By addressing both epidermal pigment and dermal pigment, this combination helps patients achieve clearer, more even skin tone.
At Glo & Sparkle, we’re proud to be a trusted Lubbock medspa model for advanced melasma treatment. If you’ve struggled with topical therapy, chemical peels, or other agents that only gave temporary results, it may be time to explore laser treatments and RF microneedling.
schedule your consultation with Glo & Sparkle
We are a one-of-a-kind top-tier MedSpa in Lubbock with the latest, widely studied, scientifically proven, and FDA cleared technology, including the Emsculpt NEO, Emsella, Stellar M22 Laser, Genius Radiofrequency Microneedling, SkinPen Microneedling, OxyGeneo, Advanced PDO thread Lifts and 3D photography.. So you can be comfortable knowing that at Glo and Spa-rkle, you will get a thorough and detailed consultation, with an optional but recommended low-cost, state-of-the-art 3D photography evaluation of the face and body.
This thorough consultation will give you accurate information and “before-photos” to develop your aesthetic plan and follow-up “after-photos” to help you get precise information and visual data to track your progress along your aesthetic journey!
10607 Quaker Ave Suite 103, Lubbock, TX 79424
