Laser Pigmentation & Dark Spot Removal in Toronto & Markham

Can Laser Remove Dark Spots?

Yes. Picosecond lasers remove most sun spots, age spots and freckles in 1–3 sessions, and lighten acne marks over 3–5. The laser breaks the excess pigment into fine particles that flake off or are cleared by the body over the following weeks. Melasma is the main exception: it is driven by hormones, heat and UV, so it needs a gentler plan.

What decides your result is the type of spot and how deep its pigment sits. Flat brown spots in the top layer of skin respond most reliably. Pigment that sits deeper, such as Hori’s nevus, needs a different wavelength and more sessions. That’s why Dr. Xu examines every spot under a Wood’s lamp and a dermatoscope first. She then chooses the laser, the energy and the number of sessions.

We use two picosecond lasers for spot removal: PicoSure Pro (755 nm) for most surface spots, and PicoWay (532 nm and 1064 nm) when a spot is lighter brown or sits deeper. The section on how pigmentation laser treatment works explains the difference.

Sun Spots, Age Spots or Freckles: Which Dark Spots Can Laser Remove?

Laser works most reliably on flat brown sun spots, age spots and freckles in the top layer of skin; acne marks respond more gradually. Other kinds of pigment can look similar but behave differently, so the first step is always a diagnosis.

If your pigment is spread across wider areas rather than sitting in distinct spots, our hyperpigmentation treatment page explains the options.

Melasma and Hori’s nevus need a different plan

Both are often mistaken for sun spots. Melasma can flare if it’s treated like a sun spot, so it starts with low energy, a topical such as Cyspera and strict sun protection; see our melasma treatment page. Hori’s nevus sits deeper in the skin and is usually treated with the PicoWay laser.

Spots that need a diagnosis first

A spot that is raised, growing, bleeding, itchy or uneven in colour isn’t lasered. Dr. Xu examines it first and, if it looks unusual, refers you for assessment before anything else is done.

How Does Pigmentation Laser Treatment Work?

Each laser pulse lasts a few hundred trillionths of a second. That burst shatters the brown pigment in a spot into tiny fragments while the skin around it stays cool. In surface spots, the fragments rise and flake off with tiny crusts within two weeks; any deeper pigment is cleared gradually by the body.

PicoSure Pro vs PicoWay for spots

PicoSure Pro and PicoWay remove spots the same way; Dr. Xu picks the laser to suit your skin. Read more about the PicoSure Pro laser and the PicoWay laser.

Why pico lasers suit Asian skin

For a spot, the less heat the better. Heat from older Q-switched lasers or IPL can make Asian skin produce more pigment around the treated spot weeks later. Pico lasers keep that risk lower, provided the energy suits your skin type.

Technology defines the possibilities; the physician defines the direction.— Dr. Dan Xu, MD, CCFP

Dark Spot Removal on Hands, Chest, Legs and Underarms

Laser treats sun spots and dark marks on the hands, chest, shoulders and legs, not only the face. The same lasers are used, but the settings, number of sessions and healing time change with the area.

• Hands: age spots on the backs of the hands respond much like facial spots, usually in 1–3 sessions. SPF on your hands, especially while driving, helps prevent new ones.
• Chest and shoulders: often a mix of sun spots and freckles across a larger area, so treatment is priced by area.
• Legs: skin below the knee heals more slowly, so Dr. Xu uses gentler settings and allows more time between sessions.
• Underarms and inner thighs: darkening here usually comes from friction, shaving or hormones rather than sun. Dr. Xu also checks for medical causes such as insulin resistance (acanthosis nigricans), which need treating first. Low-energy laser can then lighten the skin gradually over several sessions.

Other areas are assessed at your consultation.

How Many Sessions Does Sun Spot and Age Spot Removal Take?

Most single sun spots need 1–3 sessions and freckles 1–2, spaced 4–6 weeks apart. Acne marks and wider pigmentation usually need 3–5. The gap between sessions gives your body time to clear the broken-up pigment.

After your course, daily SPF 50+ keeps most results stable. People who spend a lot of time outdoors often choose a low-energy maintenance session every 3–6 months.

What to Expect Before, During and After Dark Spot Removal

A dark spot removal appointment takes 30–45 minutes including numbing, and most people return to work the same day. Expect mild redness for 1–3 days; treated spots darken and then flake off over 7–14 days.

Before your appointment

• Keep the spots out of the sun, and skip tanning, for 2–4 weeks beforehand.
• Three to five days before, put retinoids, acids and scrubs aside.
• Bring a list of your medications; some make skin more sensitive to light.
• Come with clean, makeup-free skin on the areas being treated.
• Higher-risk skin (Fitzpatrick IV–VI) may start a preparation cream a few weeks ahead.

During the session

1. Each spot is checked and photographed.
2. Your skin is cleansed, and numbing cream is applied for about 20 minutes if needed.
3. The laser treatment takes 10–25 minutes. Most people describe a quick snapping feeling.
4. The area is cooled, and SPF is applied before you leave.

Recovery day by day

Aftercare and sun protection

• Wear a broad-spectrum SPF 50+ every day and reapply when outdoors.
• Don’t pick or scrub the treated spots.
• Skip saunas, hot yoga and hard workouts for 48 hours.
• Pause retinoids and acids for 5–7 days.
• Call the clinic if you notice blistering or redness that gets worse instead of better.

Which Season Is Ideal for Laser Spot Removal?

Fall and winter are the easiest seasons to start dark spot removal in Toronto, because there’s less strong sun while your skin heals. You can still treat in summer, but you’ll need strict sun protection for 2–4 weeks after each session, and Dr. Xu may lower the energy.

If you have a holiday or beach trip coming up, book your session at least 2–4 weeks before you leave, or wait until you’re back. A fresh tan means we postpone treatment, because tanned skin darkens more easily after laser.

Who Shouldn't Have Laser Dark Spot Removal

We don’t treat during pregnancy or breastfeeding, within 6 months of taking isotretinoin (Accutane), over an active infection or open wound, or on skin with a fresh tan.

We’ll also postpone or adjust treatment if:

• You take a sun-sensitizing medication you can’t pause.
• You have a history of keloid scarring.
• You have an autoimmune condition affecting the skin, such as vitiligo.
• The spot hasn’t been examined yet.

Why a Physician Should Examine Your Spots First

Most brown spots are harmless, but a few that look like sun spots need a medical assessment before any laser. Laser removes the colour from the surface, which could make a spot that needed attention harder to assess later.

At ID Cosmetic Clinic, every spot is examined by Dr. Dan Xu, MD, CCFP, a physician registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, using a Wood’s lamp and dermoscopy before treatment. Spots that are raised, changing, bleeding or irregular aren’t lasered; we refer them for assessment first. Both dermatologists and other trained physicians treat sun spots. What matters is that the spot is diagnosed before it’s treated.

Dark Spot Removal FAQ: Toronto & Markham

Your Physician: Dr. Dan Xu, MD, CCFP

Dr. Dan Xu is the founder and medical director of ID Cosmetic Clinic. She holds an MD with honours and CCFP certification in family medicine, and focuses her practice on Asian facial aesthetics and pigment treatment. She has performed more than 80,000 treatment areas and is registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

Cynosure PicoSure Pro Key Opinion Leader · Candela Key Opinion Leader · Clinical preceptor, McMaster University

About Dr. Xu

References

1. Jakus J, Kailas A. Picosecond lasers: a new and emerging therapy for skin of color, minocycline-induced pigmentation, and tattoo removal. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2017.
2. Feng J, et al. Efficacy and safety of picosecond laser for the treatment of melasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lasers in Medical Science. 2023. (Why melasma is treated as a low-energy add-on rather than with spot settings.)
3. Health Canada: PicoSure Pro and PicoWay are licensed medical devices in Canada. Medical Devices Active Licence Listing.