A depigmentation protocol with meaningful results when the pre and post-treatment plan is followed carefully.
Cosmelan is a two-part depigmentation protocol widely used for melasma and stubborn pigmentation. The clinic-applied mask is only step one, the home care that follows is what makes or breaks the outcome.
How it works. The in-clinic mask contains a blend of tyrosinase inhibitors (the enzyme that produces melanin) applied at high concentration. Over the following days the treated area sheds a top layer of pigmented skin. The home maintenance cream, used daily for weeks after, keeps the melanogenesis pathway suppressed while new, more evenly pigmented skin surfaces.
The full protocol timeline. Consultation and skin prep, two to four weeks of gentle preparatory products before the mask. Mask application in clinic, worn for 8 to 10 hours then removed at home. Peeling and shedding, days two through seven, with visible flaking and some redness. Ongoing home maintenance for two to six months, using the depigmenting cream at reducing frequency as tolerated.
What to expect during the peeling phase. The skin will look dry, flaky, and sensitive for about a week. Makeup can usually be worn from day four or five. Sun avoidance is critical, direct UV during the peeling phase can trigger the pigmentation we are trying to clear.
Preparation matters more than clients often expect. Skin that goes into the treatment barrier-compromised, sunburned, or actively inflamed does not respond as well and is at higher risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Two to four weeks of gentle preparatory care makes a real difference.
Who Cosmelan suits. Clients with stable melasma who have already trialled topical prescriptions with partial or no response. Clients willing to commit to the home maintenance phase, without which results reverse quickly.
Who Cosmelan does not suit. Clients with active inflammation or a very reactive skin type. Clients pregnant or breastfeeding. Clients unable or unwilling to comply with the home care phase, in which case the initial improvement will rebound.
Realistic outcomes. Meaningful improvement in most clients, sometimes dramatic, particularly for stubborn melasma that has not responded to lighter protocols. Melasma is a chronic condition, so ongoing maintenance is part of the plan, not a failure of the treatment.
How we minimise the risks. Careful patient selection, thorough preparation, close follow-up in the first two weeks post-mask, and strict sun-protection guidance throughout.