Hormonal Pigment · Peels · Daily SPF
Melasma TreatmentA paced series that clears pigment and stops it returning.
Melasma is driven by hormones and sustained by UV, so it is managed rather than cured — which is why one aggressive session makes it worse. Gentle peels spaced four to six weeks apart, with Procell added for texture and daily SPF with iron oxides to hold the result. Most clients see change after three to four sessions.
- Safe for melanin-rich skin
- Paced, never escalated in one visit
- SPF with iron oxides in the plan
- Change typically after 3–4 sessions
- By appointment only
- Free parking
- Consultations included — the plan is set before you book
“I've been going for 4–5 years now, and I honestly wouldn't trust anyone else with my skin.”
Quick Answer
Melasma treatment at KIAMO Skin in San Diego is a paced series of gentle LIRA chemical peels, with Procell microchanneling added where texture is part of the picture and HydraFacial with a brightening booster used for maintenance between corrective sessions. Kiki is a California licensed esthetician with 7+ years of experience. Most clients see change after 3-4 sessions, 6-8 spaced 4-6 weeks apart.
What it addresses
What clients book this for
- Brown or grey-brown patches across the cheeks, forehead, nose bridge, and upper lip
- Melasma that appeared with a hormonal change — pregnancy, birth control, menopause
- Pigment that deepens with heat as well as with sun exposure
- Marks that return within weeks of every treatment
Quick Answer
Melasma treatment at KIAMO Skin in San Diego is a paced series of gentle LIRA chemical peels, with Procell microchanneling added where texture is part of the picture and HydraFacial with a brightening booster used for maintenance between corrective sessions. Kiki is a California licensed esthetician with 7+ years of experience. Most clients see change after 3-4 sessions, 6-8 spaced 4-6 weeks apart.
A published case
Pigment across the cheeks, forehead and upper lip, softened by a peel series with the strength raised only as the barrier allowed.
- Lira Chemical Peels
- 4
- Over 4 months
Every figure is the studio's own record from that case, photographed with written consent and published in full. See the full case
Before you commit
The price comes first
LIRA chemical peels run $199 to $299, Procell microchanneling is $475 per session or $1,199 for a series of three, and the monthly facial membership is $199. Nothing is quoted at the door.
Nothing is treated before it is assessed
A full consultation and skin analysis come first, and the treatment is chosen around what your skin is doing that day.
A stated cancellation window
Please give 48 hours notice to reschedule. Cancellations inside 24 hours are charged 50% of the service; no-shows are charged in full.
Every Google review of the studio is published in full, named and dated, at the reviews page.
Before you book
Questions, answered
Can melasma be permanently cured?
No, and any studio that says otherwise is selling something. Melasma is driven by hormones and by UV exposure, both of which keep happening. What it can be is managed — faded significantly, held with daily SPF, and kept from returning as fast. That is a permanent working routine, not a one-time fix, and it is the honest version.
How many treatments does it take to see results?
Most clients see visible change after three to four sessions, with the full result across six to eight sessions spaced four to six weeks apart. Melasma is cumulative — the pigment lifts gradually rather than in one dramatic shift, which is exactly why the pacing matters. A treatment plan is set at consultation once the skin has been assessed.
What melasma treatments are safe for melanin-rich skin?
Chemical peels selected for deeper skin tones, microchanneling — which works with no heat at all — and customized HydraFacials. The rule is that nothing is escalated until the barrier tolerates the last step. Aggressive treatments can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in melanin-rich skin, leaving more dark marks than the ones that brought you in.
How much does melasma treatment cost?
LIRA chemical peels run $199 to $299 per session. Procell microchanneling is $475 per session, or $1,199 for a series of three. A HydraFacial with a brightening booster is $259. Because melasma needs a series rather than a single session, many clients use the monthly facial membership at $199 to make staying consistent affordable.
Do you treat melasma on all skin tones?
Yes — Fitzpatrick I through VI. Melasma is most common in deeper skin tones, and treating it safely there requires training in exactly the cases where the margin for error is smallest. Kiki built that training treating pigmentation in Black and brown skin, where a wrong move can cause more damage than it repairs, and that training is what makes the treatment safe for every tone.
Why is melasma harder to treat in San Diego?
Because the primary trigger never stops. San Diego has year-round sun exposure and high UV even on overcast mornings, when the marine layer is present. That is why strict daily sunscreen compliance — not just in summer — is the part of the plan that decides whether pigment stays faded or comes back.
Should I see an esthetician or a dermatologist for melasma?
For most people, both, at different stages. A dermatologist prescribes the topical medications that work at the cellular level. A licensed esthetician performs the in-office correction — peels, microchanneling, enzyme therapy — and builds the home routine and maintenance plan that decides whether melasma fades or returns. For stubborn melasma, the two together produce better results than either alone.
What home routine do I need after a treatment to hold the results?
Three parts. Broad-spectrum SPF with iron oxides every morning, because visible light is a trigger and iron oxides are the only filters that block it. A gentle cleanser and a barrier-supporting moisturiser, nothing that strips. And no retinoids or acids while the skin is recovering. Once the correction has landed, a prescription retinoid a few nights a week and a vitamin C or niacinamide serum each morning keep the turnover moving.
Can pregnancy melasma be treated in San Diego?
It can, but timing matters. Chemical peels and microchanneling are usually deferred until after pregnancy and breastfeeding, because hormones are still fluctuating and melasma is more reactive then. A gentle routine with daily mineral SPF can start immediately to prevent it worsening. Consultations are available throughout, to assess the skin and build the plan for when treatment begins.
Where can I get melasma treatment in San Diego?
KIAMO Skin is at 3067 Reynard Way in San Diego, minutes from Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, and Little Italy, with free on-site parking. Clients travel from across the county — Chula Vista, La Jolla, Encinitas, Carlsbad, North Park, and La Mesa — because melasma on melanin-rich skin requires specialized training most estheticians do not have.