4F, Samjeong Tower, 672 Jungang-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan, Korea
Skin Laser · Seomyeon, Busan
Helios 4 in Busan Seomyeon
The Q-switched Nd:YAG that Korean toning was built on: low-energy 1064 nm passes that lift pigment a little each session, brighten tone and refine pores, with no downtime. Full face ₩220,000, VAT included, by the doctor at Boom Dermatology, a skin clinic one minute from Seomyeon Station.
15–20 min
Fifteen to twenty minutes with cooling gel
NoneA flush that settles within the hour; make-up the same day
Course of 5–10Five to ten sessions two to four weeks apart; brighter at each
01
Start here — direct answer
What is Helios 4, and what does it do?
Helios 4
is a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser from Korea with 1064 nm and 532 nm, the fourth generation of the platform that defined laser toning here. Q-switched means nanosecond pulses: fast enough to shatter pigment into fragments the skin clears over the following weeks, slow enough to deliver gentle heat that evens tone and refines pores. The toning protocol is low fluence, large spot, many passes across the whole face, repeated every two to four weeks, so each session lifts a layer of pigment without ever heating the skin enough to provoke more.
At Boom Dermatology in Seomyeon, Helios 4 is the workhorse for uneven tone, dullness, mild sun damage and pores, and the device we reach for first in melasma-prone skin because its gentle protocol is the best-studied one. For stubborn, consolidated pigment that Q-switched has plateaued on, the picosecond platforms Picolo
and PicoHi; for higher power on the same Q-switched principle, Helios Z. Patients who ask for Revlite are shown what we use instead.
What Busan patients ask before Helios 4
Is Q-switched outdated now that picosecond exists?
Can toning really refine pores, or only pigment?
What does the 532 nm setting do that 1064 nm does not?
Is repeated toning safe on melasma-prone skin?
How does Helios fit alongside the pico lasers you also run?
All of these come up most weeks at our Seomyeon skin clinic. The page answers them in order.
02
Who it suits
Who is Helios 4 for?
Good candidates
Uneven tone, dullness and mild sun damage across the face
Enlarged pores and oily, rough-reading skin
Melasma-prone skin that needs the gentlest protocol
Patients who want a session with no downtime on a trip
Maintenance between picosecond or vascular courses
We will suggest something else
Consolidated dark spots that need picosecond power ( Picolo)
Pregnancy; patients expecting a one-session result
03
The visit
What happens at a Helios 4 session in Seomyeon?
This is how a Helios 4 visit runs at Boom Dermatology, a skin clinic in Seomyeon, Busan, from the first message to the review.
1
Message first
A daylight photo without make-up and what bothers you. The doctor replies with the device, the likely session count and the VAT-included price.
2
Consultation
Pigment is separated from redness, melasma is screened for, previous lasers and sun exposure are asked. Device and settings go on your record.
3
Cleanse and cool
Make-up off, eye shields on; cooling gel or numbing cream depending on the device.
4
Test pulses, then the pass
A few test pulses on the jawline to read the response, then the full pass by the doctor.
5
Out the door
Sunscreen before you leave; make-up from the same evening for toning, the next day for vascular work.
6
Review and rhythm
A photo at two to four weeks sets the interval; a review at the fifth session decides continue, stop or switch.
How does Boom Dermatology dose Helios 4?
Helios is dosed by fluence, spot size and pass count; toning uses the lowest fluence that produces a faint endpoint, never a visible whitening.
1064 nm, low fluence
Large spot, gentle energy, four to six passes; the pigment fragments and the skin clears it over weeks.
532 nm for shallow spots
Targeted pulses on freckles and surface spots that darken and flake within a week.
Rhythm, not power
Two to four weeks between sessions; the fifth-session photo decides whether to continue, stop or switch to picosecond.
04
Prices — VAT included
How much does Helios 4 cost in Busan?
Helios 4 at Boom Dermatology costs ₩220,000 per full-face session, VAT included with cooling and the doctor's time, the same for every patient. A course is five to ten sessions.
Helios 4Full face, 1 session₩220,000VAT included
What we treat with Helios 4, and the usual dose
Starting points the doctor maps in person; areas can be combined in one session.
Every skin laser option is on the Skin Laser hub; the complete skin clinic price list with a quote builder is on the price page.
05
Compare
Helios 4 vs Picolo and Helios Z: which should you choose in Busan?
Three toning options at our Busan skin clinic. Helios 4 is the gentle Q-switched standard; Picolo is picosecond for stubborn pigment; Helios Z is Q-switched with more power.
Every option in the table is available at Boom Dermatology in Busan Seomyeon, performed by the doctor, with the VAT-included price shown.
06
Downtime
Downtime after Helios 4, and flying home
None in practice. A flush and warmth for an hour, make-up the same evening, fly tonight. Existing spots may darken slightly for a few days after a 532 nm pass, which is the pigment lifting.
Flush
Fly home
Brighter after each
Fifth-session review
Course result
Day 0Day 3Week 2Month 1Month 3–6
treatment / peak result
tenderness or redness
milestone
07
Questions, answered properly
Is Q-switched outdated now that picosecond exists?
No. Picosecond is better at shattering consolidated pigment and tattoo ink; Q-switched toning at low fluence is at least as good for diffuse tone, pores and melasma-prone skin, with two decades of Korean protocol behind it. At Boom Dermatology the two sit side by side: Helios for the broad, gentle course, Picolo or PicoHi when a spot has plateaued or a course needs to be shorter.
Can toning really refine pores?
Modestly, yes. The gentle heat of a low-fluence 1064 nm pass tightens the pore wall and reduces oil over a course, so pores read smaller and skin smoother in fixed-light photos. It is not a scar or deep-pore treatment; that is RF microneedling ( Potenza, Sylfirm X).
What does 532 nm do that 1064 nm does not?
Reach the surface. 532 nm is absorbed by melanin near the top of the skin, so it clears freckles and shallow sun spots that 1064 nm passes under. It is used in targeted pulses, not whole-face passes, and only after test pulses on Asian skin, because it also darkens before it clears.
Is repeated toning safe on melasma-prone skin?
At low fluence and spaced intervals, it is the safest laser option melasma has, and the one most Korean clinics use. The risk is over-treatment: too much energy or too frequent sessions can rebound melasma darker. Our Seomyeon skin clinic uses the lowest effective fluence, two to four weeks apart, with sunscreen and topicals, and stops at once if a spot darkens rather than lightens.
How does Helios fit alongside the pico lasers?
As the base course. Most patients start on Helios because it is gentle and well understood; the fifth-session photo shows whether the pigment is clearing. If it has plateaued, the doctor switches to Picolo or PicoHi for the consolidated spots and keeps Helios for the background tone. The devices complement each other and are priced per session so switching costs nothing extra.
Good to know
Helios 4 questions patients ask our Busan skin clinic first
1
How much does Helios cost in Busan?
₩220,000 per full-face session at Boom Dermatology in Seomyeon, VAT included.
2
How many sessions?
Five to ten, two to four weeks apart, with a photo review at the fifth.
3
Is there downtime?
None; a flush for an hour.
4
Helios or Picolo?
Helios for gentle whole-face toning and melasma-prone skin; Picolo for consolidated pigment.
5
Is it safe for melasma?
At low fluence with spacing, yes; it is the standard protocol.
6
Who operates the laser at Boom Dermatology?
The doctor, with wavelength, energy and passes written on your record in English.
7
Do foreign patients pay more?
No. One price for everyone, VAT included, no consultation fee if you proceed.
8
Is it safe on Asian skin?
Yes with test pulses and conservative settings; 1064 nm is the default on Korean and other East Asian skin, and every setting is designed to avoid post-inflammatory darkening.
The doctor checks whether Helios 4 is the right device for your skin, names the shot count, and you get the exact VAT-included price before you book a flight to Busan.
Medical Director
