Would you recommend chemical peels or Halo laser for age spots, freckles, melasma?

the picosure laser fires 1000 faster than any other laser so that there is no downtime and little to no redness that resolves in a few minutes. you should plan 3 treatments, done one month apart. this laser is expensive to buy so you may have to search to find one. however it is worth searching for.david berman md

HALO is definitely out. Can temporarily improve melasma for a week to three then rebound will occur. Melasma can not be completely cured, however effective treatment are possible. This is because your skin is extremely sensitive to UV and even the smallest amount can stimulate your pigment cells to produce colour. The mainstay of treatment is strict UV protection- hats, sunglasses and SPF every 4 hours.
I prefer to use a combination of creams and laser for melasma. Hydroquinone can be used (5-8%), along with vitamin A creams. I usually start my patients on laser (low dose Q switch or Picosure) a few weeks after they commence on creams. Another laser I use is the Clear and Brilliant in the Permea setting combined with creams.

In some cases I combine glycolic AHA peels, and in other cases I use a tablet called Tranexamic acid to help. Melasma treatments should be tailored to each patient.

All the best, Dr Davin Lim. Laser, surgical and aesthetic dermatologist. Brisbane, Australia