2026-10-27
Hongdae Dermatology: Beat Summer Redness, 2025 Edition
Hongdae Dermatology explains why summer redness and pigmentation often linger together, and how Excel V's multiple wavelengths can address both at once.
Hello, I'm Lee Go-eun from Nine Clinic, Hongdae Dermatology 😉
Everyone, how are you holding up through this sweltering summer?
This summer is especially scorching this year 🥲
At this time of year, more and more patients come to see us
for facial redness, flushing, and pigmentation.
This is when visits really start to climb.
So today, if any of the following apply to you,
I hope you'll read all the way to the end.
▶ Your face feels hot and flushes easily when you're out in the sun
▶ Your acne has cleared up, but the marks have stayed for months
▶ Your pigmentation has darkened, like melasma or spots, and your complexion looks dull
This isn't just a change in skin tone, but may be a sign that irritation and inflammation have lingered deep in the skin.
Here, I'll briefly explain why summer irritation carries over into autumn, which treatments work well in these cases, and how Excel V compares among dermatology procedures.
Will treating pigmentation alone also clear up the redness?
First, there isn't just one reason why redness and pigmentation remain at the same time.
It's because ‘vascular response’ and ‘overactive pigment cells’ overlap.
When both act together, it's not just simple irritation or inflammation, but a state where the skin's structure itself has become sensitive.
Especially in summer, UV rays, heat, sweat, and other irritants repeatedly stress the skin. In response, the skin dilates its blood vessels to protect itself, while pigment cells produce more melanin.
So even after a considerable amount of time has passed, redness, marks, and spots often remain all at once.
This is also why redness and pigmentation can't be viewed as separate issues.
In consultations, I often get asked this question:
“Doctor, if I only treat the pigmentation, will the redness go away too?”
Actually, no.
Different causes can't be treated with the same approach.
Redness caused by dilated blood vessels in the skin requires treatment that acts directly on the vessels, while pigmentation caused by melanin overactivity requires a melanin-targeting treatment.
If you try to manage redness and pigmentation separately, it takes a long time and can actually put more strain on the skin.
What makes Excel V at Hongdae Dermatology different from existing lasers?
Usually, pigmentation is treated with a pigment laser, redness with a vascular laser, and pores or skin texture require yet another device.
That works fine when there's only one concern, but when skin reactions overlap, it becomes cumbersome and puts more strain on the skin.
Excel V is a laser designed to address all of these in one go.
(Just know that there are three of these below and move on 😉)
▶ KTP wavelength for redness
▶ Nd:YAG for deeper pigmentation or heat
▶ Genesis mode for skin texture, pores, and soothing heat
Because these three wavelengths can be adjusted on a single device, you don't have to separate each concern. Instead, you can approach the skin's overall condition in a coordinated way.
On top of that, laser intensity, penetration depth, and treatment area are all customized for each area, which is a major advantage: it can be performed relatively safely even on sensitive skin.
That's why, in practice, when redness and pigmentation show up together, I explain Excel V first, before other devices.
Because it can improve multiple reactions at once, it's often the most practical choice.
Is Excel V at Hongdae Dermatology a good option for cases like these?
If any of the following describe you,
please don't let this season slip by.
▶ Skin where redness doesn't easily fade after summer, and flushes quickly when exposed to sunlight
▶ Skin where acne has fully healed but red marks have remained for months
▶ Skin where, in addition to melasma and spots, redness has also surfaced, and makeup can't cover it
▶ Skin where pigmentation and redness are mixed together, making it unclear what to treat first
▶ Skin where you've been using only gentle care, but feel frustrated by slow changes in tone or response
Are there any side effects with Excel V at Hongdae Dermatology?
A woman wearing protective eye shields receives a laser treatment on her cheek from a practitioner in a white gown.
I imagine many of you have had other laser treatments before, yet many people feel confused even once they arrive at the clinic.
I completely understand that feeling.
Lasers all look alike, the names are complicated, and it's only natural to be unsure which one suits your skin.
That's why I believe consultation should come first: we check where the reaction started and explain things slowly.
After that, we select only the modes you need and adjust them accordingly. That's how we use Excel V.
Side view of a man's nose, cheek and chin with scattered red spots and blemishes.
The same side view of the man's face, now showing far fewer red spots.
A final note
When I treat patients at Hongdae Dermatology, I often notice that even with the same device, how and where it's used makes a big difference in how the skin responds.
Today, I've briefly covered why Excel V suits skin where redness and pigmentation remain together, along with the criteria I use when approaching this treatment.
I hope this is helpful for anyone struggling with summer redness.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask anytime.
“We wish for you to become more beautiful every single moment.”
This was Lee Go-eun of Nine Clinic, Hongdae Dermatology. ☺️
By the way, did you know we also have a YouTube channel?
We share short, useful information about a variety of treatments, so please stop by 😊
Goeun Skin | Lee Go-eun Share your videos with friends, family, and the world www.youtube.com
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will treating pigmentation alone also get rid of the redness?
No. According to the article, pigmentation treatment alone won't clear up redness. Redness is linked to blood vessel dilation, while pigmentation is linked to melanin overactivity, so each requires its own approach: vascular treatment and a melanin-targeting procedure.
Why do summer redness and pigmentation remain together?
The article explains that this is because a vascular response and pigment cell overactivity occur at the same time. Repeated exposure to UV rays, heat, sweat, and irritation causes the skin to dilate blood vessels and produce more melanin, so redness, marks, and spots often remain together.
What skin concerns is Excel V suited for?
The article presents Excel V as a good fit for skin where redness and pigmentation remain together. It explains that one device lets you adjust the KTP wavelength for redness, Nd:YAG for deeper pigmentation and heat, and Genesis mode for skin texture, pores, and soothing heat.
How does the article address Excel V side effects?
The article does not list specific side effects or recovery periods. Instead, it explains that during consultation, the clinic first checks where the reaction started, then selects and adjusts only the necessary modes.
Where is Nine Clinic, Hongdae Dermatology located?
The address listed in the article is 3rd Floor, 165 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, introduced as being near Hongik Univ. Station. The author is listed as Lee Go-eun of Nine Clinic, Hongdae Dermatology.