DM DERMATOLOGY
Lip Recovery Laser
LIP RECOVERY LASER
Lip Recovery Laser
that starts with the cause of darker lips
Lip Recovery Laser (lip laser) is a treatment that uses laser light to lighten melanin pigment that has built up in the lips.
Lips can look dark or blotchy for many reasons. Sunlight, a habit of licking the lips, lip inflammation, and smoking can all deepen lip color. Some people are also born with lips that are close to brown.
Lip Recovery Laser at DM Dermatology in Apgujeong is one of our laser menu treatments. A board-certified dermatologist first checks the type and cause of the pigment. Based on the results, we decide whether to use the laser and at what strength.
Lip color changes gradually after treatment. How much and how fast it changes varies from person to person. If the cause remains, the color can darken again, so we continue with lip sun protection and lifestyle care.
- Cause check first
- Lip pigment
- Pigment laser
- Lip sun protection
532nm
Q-switched Nd:YAG wavelength
often used in lip pigment studies1wk or so
Time for thin scabs to fall off
after treatment in studies2–4wk
Treatment interval used
in lip pigment studies30+
Lip SPF the American Academy
of Dermatology recommends outdoors
Lip Care
RecoveryMelanin
in the lips
CHECK
If you have these concerns
If any of these apply, we first check the type and cause of your lip pigment during an examination.
- Your lips look dark and dull overall — Bare lips look dark, so you always cover them with deep-colored lip products.
- Your lip color is uneven and blotchy — The upper and lower lips differ in color, or the color varies in patches on one lip.
- The area around your lip line looks dark — A brown band along the border between lip and skin makes the lip line look blurred.
- A small brown spot has appeared on your lip — There is a flat brown spot with a clear border near the middle of the lower lip.
- You want to know first why your lips darkened — You wonder whether it is from sunlight, habits, or inflammation, or whether the color needs a medical exam first.
Whether the treatment suits you is decided after we check the type and cause of the pigment in an examination.
CAUSE
Why lips darken
Lip color is shaped by both inborn traits and lifestyle habits. Often, several causes overlap.
Sunlight
Sunlight
UV light stimulates melanocytes to make more pigment.
Flat brown spots on the lips (labial lentigines) are also thought to be triggered by sunlight.
Lip licking
Licking and friction
Repeatedly wetting the lips with saliva and letting them dry, or picking at them, keeps lip inflammation going for a long time.
As this irritation builds up, lip color can darken.
Inflammation
Pigmentation after inflammation
Brown marks can remain where lip blisters or inflammation have settled.
Allergic reactions to ingredients in lipstick or toothpaste can also darken the lips.
Smoking
Smoking
The heat and substances in cigarette smoke can increase melanin in the lips and the lining of the mouth.
In one large survey, oral pigmentation fell to the level of non-smokers about 3 years after quitting.
Inborn traits and some medicines (tetracycline-class antibiotics, antimalarial drugs) can also affect lip color. If several brown spots appear, or a spot grows or changes in shape or color, a medical exam comes before any laser. In rare cases, the spot must be told apart from other internal conditions or melanoma.
HOW IT WORKS
Light that targets
melanin in the lips
The red part of the lips is built differently from facial skin. Its outer layer (lip epithelium) is thinner than facial skin and has almost no stratum corneum. It also has no hair, sweat glands, or oil glands. Capillaries sit densely just below the epithelium, and the blood showing through makes the lips look red. Melanocytes lie in the bottom layer of the epithelium, and when the melanin pigment they make increases, the lips look darker and brown.
A pigment laser fires light that is readily absorbed by a specific color, in very short pulses. The light energy gathers mainly in the melanin granules and breaks them into small pieces. This principle is called selective photothermolysis. Some of the broken pigment comes off with the scabs, and the body clears the rest over time.
The lips have many blood vessels, so light can also be absorbed by blood. That is why the wavelength and strength are chosen to match the pigment and how the lips respond. Lip pigment studies have often used the 532nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, and there are also reports using 1064nm light, picosecond lasers, or IPL (light across a broad range of wavelengths). We tell you which device DM Dermatology uses after the examination.
- 1
Lip epithelium The outer layer of the red lip. It is thinner than facial skin and has almost no stratum corneum.
- 2
Melanocytes Cells in the bottom layer of the epithelium that make melanin pigment.
- 3
Melanin pigment When it increases, the lips look brown. It is what the laser light targets.
- 4
Capillaries They lie densely just below the epithelium and make the lips look red.
- 5
Laser light It is delivered in very short pulses, and its energy is absorbed mainly by melanin granules.
RECOVERY
Recovery after treatment
Below is the general course reported in lip pigment studies.
- Right after treatment
The pigmented spots may briefly look white. If your lips swell or feel hot, a cold compress helps them settle.
- Days 1–3
The pigmented spots may look darker for a while, and thin scabs may form on top. Apply lip balm often so your lips do not dry out.
- About 1 week
The thin scabs fall off on their own. For a while, those spots may look a different color from the surrounding lip.
- Next session
Studies used intervals of 2–4 weeks. We decide whether and when to do the next session based on the color change and the condition of your lips.
Recovery speed varies from person to person. If blisters form or pain gets worse, do not wait. Contact the clinic.
PROCESS
Lip Recovery Laser
treatment process
We explain DM Dermatology's method and timing during the consultation, after looking at your lips.
step 01
Examination and pigment check
A board-certified dermatologist looks at the shape and extent of the lip pigment and when it appeared. We check whether it is a spot that needs medical care first, and whether you have a history of cold sores or lip tattooing.
step 02
Cleansing and numbing cream
Lip products are removed completely. Numbing cream is applied to the lips, and we wait until it takes effect.
step 03
Eye protection and laser
You wear eye protection against the laser light. The laser is applied to the pigmented areas, and you may feel stinging or heat.
step 04
Soothing and lip protection
A cold compress calms the heat and swelling. Lip balm is applied, and you go home after hearing the aftercare instructions.
INFORMATION
Lip Recovery Laser
treatment info
- Treatment area
- Lips. We tell you at the examination whether the area around the lip line or labial lentigines are included.
- Procedure time
- The laser time itself is fairly short. Time for the numbing cream to work is added.
- Numbing
- Numbing cream made for the lips is used. It stays on for about 20 min–1 hour before treatment.
- Recovery
- Swelling often passes quickly. Thin scabs fall off in about 1 week.
- Recommended sessions · Interval
- Typically 2–4 sessions, 2–4 weeks apart.
- Keeping results
- If the cause remains, the color can darken again. After treatment, keep up lip sun protection, lick your lips less, and stay smoke-free.
The above are general guidelines and vary from person to person. DM Dermatology explains your method and schedule after the examination.
Caution
Lip care
after treatment
Until your lips heal fully, keep them moist and shield them from the sun.
- 01Apply lip balm often
Apply a gentle lip balm such as petroleum jelly several times a day and before bed. If you were prescribed an ointment, use it as directed.
- 02Do not pick scabs
Leave thin scabs until they fall off on their own. Pulling them off can irritate the wound or leave uneven color.
- 03Protect your lips from the sun too
Outdoors, apply a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher and reapply about every 2 hours. While scabs remain, follow our medical staff's advice on which products to use.
- 04Stop licking and picking
As saliva dries, the lips get drier and irritation builds up. When you want to lick your lips, apply lip balm instead.
- 05Lip products after full healing
Resume lipstick, tint, and exfoliating products after the scabs fall off and your lips have fully healed. Avoid products with cooling ingredients such as menthol, mint, or cinnamon for a while.
- 06Limit irritation from food, alcohol, and smoking
For the first few days, spicy, salty, or hot foods and alcohol may sting your lips. Smoking can affect lip pigment, so cut down or quit during the treatment period.
- After treatment, your lips may swell, turn red, burn, or sting. Thin scabs and flaking may appear. These are usually temporary, but how long they last varies from person to person.
- If you have had cold sores (herpes simplex), blisters may come back after the laser. In studies, people with this history took antiviral medicine in advance. If you often get lip blisters, be sure to tell us before treatment.
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, where the color becomes darker or blotchy after treatment, can occur. It is more likely with a lot of sun exposure after treatment.
- The treated spot or the area around it may turn lighter than the surrounding lip, making lip color look uneven.
- In rare cases, blisters or scars may form.
- If causes such as sunlight, smoking, or lip licking remain, or depending on your constitution, the lightened color can darken again.
- Lip tattoo pigment can turn dark in reaction to laser light, and this change may be hard to reverse. If you have had a lip tattoo, tell us before treatment.
- Tell our medical staff before treatment if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medicine that makes you sensitive to sunlight, have keloids (a tendency for scars to grow large and raised), or have recently had lip filler.
Results and recovery vary from person to person, depending on the condition of your lips and the type of pigment.
DM DOCTOR
Why your lips darkened:
a board-certified dermatologist checks first
We look at whether causes like sunlight, habits, or inflammation remain, and whether there is a spot that needs medical care first, then decide on the laser and its strength.
Dr. Shin Young-ik Medical Director · Board-Certified Dermatologist
- M.S., Hanyang University College of Medicine
- Adjunct Professor, Hanyang University
- Full Member, Korean Dermatological Association
- Clinical Fellowship in Dermatology, Jefferson Medical College (Thomas Jefferson University), USA
DM DERMATOLOGY
Related treatments
FAQ
01What is Lip Recovery Laser at DM Dermatology in Apgujeong?
It is a treatment that uses laser light to lighten melanin pigment built up in the lips, and it is the lip treatment on DM Dermatology's laser menu. A board-certified dermatologist chooses the device and strength after checking the type and cause of the pigment.
02What makes lips darken?
Common causes include sunlight, habits of licking or picking the lips, lip inflammation or allergies to lip products, and smoking. Inborn lip color and some medicines can also play a part. Care differs by cause, so we check with an examination first.
03Does Lip Recovery Laser hurt? Do you use numbing?
The lips are sensitive, so you may feel stinging or heat, and how much varies from person to person. Usually, numbing cream is applied to the lips and left for about 20 min–1 hour before treatment. After treatment, a cold compress is used to calm the heat and swelling.
04How long does Lip Recovery Laser treatment take?
The laser itself takes a relatively short time. Usually, about 20 min–1 hour is added before treatment for applying numbing cream to the lips and waiting. We tell you the exact treatment time after an examination.
05How long is recovery after Lip Recovery Laser? When can I wear lipstick?
Swelling often passes quickly, and thin scabs usually fall off on their own in about 1 week. For 1–3 days after treatment, the pigmented spots may actually look darker. Resume lipstick and tint after the scabs fall off and your lips have fully healed. For the first few days, cut back on spicy or hot foods and alcohol; recovery speed varies from person to person.
06How many Lip Recovery Laser sessions will I need?
It depends on the type and amount of pigment and how your lips respond. Typically, 2–4 sessions 2–4 weeks apart. Labial lentigines with clear borders sometimes fade in fewer sessions than widely spread color. DM Dermatology sets the number of sessions and the interval after an examination.
07Can I combine Lip Recovery Laser with other treatments? What about lip filler?
Lip Recovery Laser addresses lip color (melanin pigment), while lip filler adds volume to the lips, so they differ in purpose and method. If you also have pigment concerns on your face, One-Day Whitening is sometimes planned together. If you have recently had lip filler, tell us before treatment. Whether to have them on the same day, and the order and interval, are decided after an examination, based on your lips.
08What are the side effects of Lip Recovery Laser?
Swelling, redness, and scabs are common reactions and are usually temporary. Cold sores may come back, and the color may become darker or turn lighter. In rare cases, scars may remain. Tell our medical staff about your medical history and medications before treatment.
09I get cold sores often. Can I have Lip Recovery Laser?
Laser stimulation can trigger cold sores again, so if you have a history of them, be sure to tell us before treatment. People with this history often take antiviral medicine in advance, and whether to prescribe it is decided after an examination. If you have blisters now, treatment is postponed until they fully heal.
10Can laser fade a labial lentigo (lip spot)?
Flat brown spots common on the lower lip (labial lentigines) are harmless, and a laser is sometimes used to fade them if you wish. However, if a spot is growing, irregular in shape, or changing color, you should be examined first. Such spots may need a biopsy.
11I have a lip tattoo. Can I have Lip Recovery Laser?
Lip tattoo pigment can turn dark in reaction to laser light, and this change may be hard to reverse. If you have ever had a lip tattoo, be sure to tell us in advance. Whether and how to treat is decided after the examination.
CONSULTATION
Consultation comes first
Before any treatment is chosen, a board-certified dermatologist checks your skin in person.
DM Dermatology, 4F, 579-1 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
From Apgujeong Station (Line 3) Exit 5, walk straight for 50 m. 4th floor of the A Twosome Place building
- Weekdays
- am 10:00 - pm 07:00
- Saturday
- am 10:00 - pm 04:30
- Lunch break
- pm 01:00 - pm 02:00
- Sun & holidays
- By appointment only
- Subway
3Apgujeong StationExit 5
Walk straight for 50 m · 2 min on foot · 4th floor of the A Twosome Place building
- Bus
Apgujeong Station Exit 4 · Exit 32310523429
Blue bus147 · 148 · 240 · 463 · 343Green bus4211
Kwanglim Church · Hyundai High School2310323104
Blue bus143 · 240 · 345 · 472Green bus3011 · 4312 · 4318
- By car
Search in your navigation app158 Apgujeong-ro, Gangnam-gu디엠피부과의원
Use the building’s underground parking · Parking available in the building
