Why melasma doesn't respond to a stronger peel

If you have tried peel after peel on melasma and the patches keep drifting back, the instinct is to reach for something stronger. But strength is the wrong measure here. What decides whether pigment shifts is matching the approach to the type of pigment - not dialling up the intensity of the peel.

A resurfacing peel and a depigmentation program aren't the same job

A resurfacing peel, like the Lhala Glow Peel, lifts dull surface cells to refine texture and brighten tone. That is genuinely useful work - but it acts at the surface. Melasma sits deeper in the pigment-producing pathway, and lifting surface cells alone doesn't switch that pathway down. A stronger version of the same surface job still isn't aimed at where melasma sits.

What Cosmelan actually does

The Cosmelan peel is a depigmentation program that works on the pigment pathways rather than at the surface. What matters is what it targets, not how hard it peels - the visible peeling in the first weeks is skin renewal, not where the result comes from. So how strong the peel is is the wrong question to ask of melasma.

Why deeper can make melasma worse

This is also why reaching for a harsher, deeper peel can backfire. Pigment that is hormonally or sun driven can be aggravated by aggressive treatment rather than improved. Matching the approach to the type of pigment matters more than dialling up the intensity.

Managed, not cured

Melasma is managed over time rather than cured, and results vary from person to person. Daily sun protection underpins all of it - without it, gains fade and the pigment tends to return.

If your pigmentation or melasma has resisted lighter approaches, the sensible next step is a proper look at what type of pigment you are dealing with. Our Registered Nurse assesses it honestly at a complimentary consultation and is upfront about whether a gentler path should be tried first.