Patient Reviews
About Patient Reviews
We value all of our patients and their individual needs. At Bay Area Cosmetic Dermatology, we want you to make the most informed decision to achieve your cosmetic goals. Choosing the best procedure and physician for you is an extremely important decision, and we invite you to read about previous patients’ experiences and better understand the quality treatment you will receive from our board-certified dermatologists. Each of our medical professionals value your journey and want to ensure you feel as comfortable and confident about your decision as possible.
Reviews for Melasma Procedures Near San Francisco, CA
"Wow! Dr. Austin is a magician. I have melasma, and it has been getting a lot worse over the years because I love the outdoors. My skin was getting very blotchy from the sun and the heat. So much so that I considered giving up the sports and activities that I love so much. But Dr. Austin has transformed my skin. I noticed the difference almost immediately. I’ve been getting a lot of compliments on how my skin looks great and that I look years younger. Even my male friends are noticing. Most importantly, Dr. Austin showed me how I can enjoy all the things that I love to do and still maintain healthy and glowing skin. It is life changing. I have used many different creams, lotions, and potions over the years. Nothing has ever gotten me the results that Dr. Austin has been able to achieve in a very short time. She is so knowledgeable and compassionate. In fact, everyone I have interacted with at Bayarea Cosmetic Dermotology has been wonderful. I feel so grateful for having found Dr. Austin and her team. I only wish I had found her sooner."
"Wow! Dr. Austin is a magician. I have melasma, and it has been getting a lot worse over the years because I love the outdoors. My skin was getting very blotchy from the sun and the heat. So much so that I considered giving up the sports and activities that I love so much. But Dr. Austin has transformed my skin. I noticed the difference almost immediately. I've been getting a lot of compliments on how my skin looks great and that I look years younger. Even my male friends are noticing. Most importantly, Dr. Austin showed me how I can enjoy all the things that I love to do and still maintain healthy and glowing skin. It is life changing. I have used many different creams, lotions, and potions over the years. Nothing has ever gotten me the results that Dr. Austin has been able to achieve in a very short time. She is so knowledgeable and compassionate. In fact, everyone I have interacted with at Bayarea Cosmetic Dermotology has been wonderful. I feel so grateful for having found Dr. Austin and her team. I only wish I had found her sooner."
"My visit with Dr. He was educational, I learned a lot. I’m so happy that the products he provided is helping my Melasma . Thank you, Dr. He!"
"This review is long overdue... I have been seeing Dr. Andrea Hui Austin for the past seven years and she is the BEST! I’m a perfectionist and she addresses all of my skin concerns with skill and compassion. I don’t even mind driving up from Los Angeles to see her because she is the only person I trust with my face. She has treated me for and practically erased all of my acne, fine lines and melasma. Thank you, Dr. Austin and all of the sweet staff at BACD!"
"I highly recommend Dr. Steven He. I have had melasma and Nevi of Ota from on my cheeks and temples for the past 15 years. I’ve tried treatments from other dermatologists, including hydroxychloroquine cream, with no improvement. I’ve also met with other laser treatment centers, who presented cookie cutter treatments. However, I’ve seen friends and family get rebound hyperpigmentation on their face from aggressive dose of laser therapy. For Asian skin, sometimes the dose of laser and strength of chemical peels have to be adjusted due to skin sensitivity. As an Asian female physician, I was cautious about who to trust. I chose Dr. He because I heard he has lots of experience with Asian American patients. I started seeing him a few months ago, and I am extremely confident in his skills. He is thoughtful about his approach and tailors his treatment plan to the individual patient. I have had 5 treatments, starting with chemical peels to remove superficial melasma, and now transitioned to laser treatments for the darker spots. The spots have significantly lightened. I recently saw my family, who had been hounding me for years about my spots, and they could not even notice the spots! I am extremely satisfied with Dr. He’s care. He is a knowledgeable, conscientious, effective physician."
"7/16/2020Dr. Austin is absolutely the best dermatologist in the US. I have seen countless Dermatologist from Stanford University to Dr. Obagi in Beverly Hills, none of them were able to help my melasma issue. Dr Austin looks out-of-the-box she’s smart, knowledgeable, self-confident and most importantly very experienced! She’s also a very kind beautiful lady who will listen to you and solve your problem. I am so happy I have found her after years of struggle. She has solved my melasma issue and I’m super happy! The treatment is easy and simple, just couple products for the face and a pill to take orally. She might be able to see you on zoom now that we have this pandemic problem. Do not despair whatever skin problem you have she will be able to solve it I am certain! It’s really refreshing to see doctors with this kind of confidence and experience!The office is impeccable and the staff is very kind and helpful as well."
"BACD is the absolute best. Has completely transformed my skin. Seeing Dr. He yesterday for my rosacea and melasma has already helped with my concerns. It means the world to be able to trust them."
"I found Bay Area Cosmetic Dermatology via Yelp. I made my first appointment and had to wait for a month and a half to get in which was over a year ago. I had been to so many Dermatologists, Cosmetologists, clowns, rip offs you name it, this wait was so worth!! I had melasma due to my pregnancy, very bad acne scars. When I saw Dr Austin, I bombarded her with all my bad experiences and kept asking for a chemical peel, sounds so funny now:-) She brought me back to earth and came up with a plan and took her time to explain me about my issues first and then the steps of her plan. Within a few months, my melasma was almost gone. We are still working on my acne scars but they ve almost disappeared as well. Dr. Austin is the BEST dermatologist I have ever come across by far!! She fixed all my medical skin issues and my confidence as a result. In the meantime, I moved to South bay and have been driving an hour an a half to Sf to see her!! Also, I started doing Botox and fillers with her (I am 42). This place is worth every penny! Do yourself a favor and go see Dr. Austin if you have skin issues! She is an amazing sorcerer!"
"Dr. Hui Austin is amazing!! She has honestly changed my life. I have been struggling with melasma for the last five years and have tried so many different treatments spending thousands of dollars with minimal results (cosmelan peel, chemical peels, acupuncture, etc.) After our first initial consultation I felt like I had hope with this condition that had consumed me for years. Her confidence in her work and the results she expects to see I believe is the kind of confidence every doctor should instill in their patients. She came up with a skin care plan for me that included at home care and in office treatments and the results have been life changing. I now get compliments on my skin! Not only has it cleared up my melasma but no more blemishes, less fine lines and shrunken pores are all added bonuses with my skin care regimen. If you have melasma you know how debilitating it can be and Dr. Austin is so incredibly knowledgable on the subject and takes the time to explain how each treatment works while making you feel at complete ease. I can't say enough how thankful I am that I found her and wish all my doctors had the kind of dedication Dr. Austin has to both her work and patients. I always do my homework before having anyone near my skin (I'm talking hours in the blackhole of reading reviews) and after having read other people's success with melasma with Dr. Austin I decided to book a consultation. Six months later I am so happy I did and wanted to return that favor with my own review for any others out there that might be struggling with melasma - there is hope!!!"
"I have had large dark patches (melasma) on my face for years. I've tried many treatments in the past but it was only remedied by Dr Hui. She has a wealth of knowledge on the condition and created a simple and realistic plan for my skin, including key advice on things to avoid and supplements to boost my skin. Her treatment has cured my melasma and I couldn't be happier. I now live in Australia and travel 12,000 kilometers to see dr hui-Austin. My confidence and skin glow is awesome and people no longer stare at my melasma mask. Thank you!!"
"Dr. Austin is absolutely incredible! I started seeing her close to a year ago for melasma and adult acne (both of which were pretty severe). She did a thorough assessment of my skin, wrote out a treatment plan and got my skin journey started. I've seen amazing results! The melasma on my face has almost completely cleared and my acne is gone! I haven't seen a breakout in months, which for me is HUGE. I can't tell you how many doctors I've seen over the years...Dr. Austin is the only one who has delivered real results. If you are on the fence about getting your skin journey started, go see Dr. Austin! I honestly can't recommend her enough - especially if you're suffering from melasma or acne."
"when i go to Dr. Hui Austin, it's typically 2.5-3 hours driving each way to get to SF in crowded bay area traffic. it's worth every minute. i originally went b/c i saw a yelp review from a Sacramanto resident. now, after three treatments, here's the text of my TY note to that Sac reviewer: hi ______, just a quick note to say you were right. your review convinced me to see Dr. Hui (now Dr. Hui Austin). she really knows her stuff! over the years, i'd seen FOUR other dermatologists with little improvement. what i found different with Dr. Hui Austin is that she took the time to consult and explain clearly the factors of melasma and described treatment and results she would expect. my actual results are better then i anticipated. you said it best, _____: life changing!!! much appreciation, -C. BTW, my melasma was more severe than any of the photos posted on Bay Area Cosmetic Dermatology. no exaggeration: people approached me in grocery stores and airports, thinking i was a burn victim / recommending fade creams. seriously. strangers. it got to the point, it was interfering with my career."
"when i go to Dr. Hui Austin, it's typically 2.5-3 hours driving each way to get to SF in crowded bay area traffic. it's worth every minute. i originally went b/c i saw a yelp review from a Sacramanto resident. now, after three treatments, here's the text of my TY note to that Sac reviewer:hi ______, just a quick note to say you were right. your review convinced me to see Dr. Hui (now Dr. Hui Austin). she really knows her stuff! over the years, i'd seen FOUR other dermatologists with little improvement. what i found different with Dr. Hui Austin is that she took the time to consult and explain clearly the factors of melasma and described treatment and results she would expect. my actual results are better then i anticipated. you said it best, _____: life changing!!! much appreciation, -C.BTW, my melasma was more severe than any of the photos posted on Bay Area Cosmetic Dermatology. no exaggeration: people approached me in grocery stores and airports, thinking i was a burn victim / recommending fade creams. seriously. strangers. it got to the point, it was interfering with my career."
"Although my review was about my melasma I also had bad scares on my face due to a biking accident. The scars are barely visible now and I forgot to mention it in my original post. I have also gotten my 5th peel and my melasma on the upper lip is barely there. I can easily cover it with the Skinmedica tinted moisturizer from Dr. Hui's office."
"I went to Bay Area Dermatology because a few of the girls in my office recommend it. I had developed a really bad case of melasma on my cheeks and upper lip. When I made an appointment they had asked me if I had a preference as to who I wanted to see. I told the receptionist that I had Asian skin so if I could get someone that is familiar with treating common Asian skin issues that would be fantastic. I was scheduled an appointment with Dr. Hui.At my first meet with Dr. Hui she confirmed that I did indeed have melasma and that my next step was to start getting chemical peels 4-6 weeks apart. Wow. Holy smokes! So far I've received 3 chemical peels and the melasma is almost gone. It's at the point where I am able to cover it up with just foundation. Yippee! At my most recent appointment I received my first laser treatment with Mary. I had a 1pm appointment and was seen quickly to start the numbing process. I am one of those people that benifit from the extra time with the numbing cream so I appreciate that the ladies got me started immediately. I was so numb that I barely felt a thing. Definitely one of the easiest laser procedures I have ever done."
"If you need an honest and accurate opinion of your skin condition, and what you should do to improve it, you must see Dr Andrea Hui. I've been to many dermatologists in the past few years, and she was the only one that could really assist me with my Melasma."
"I suffered from melasma for about 5 years after 2 fraxel treatments. I went to two doctors for melasma consultation , but they only pushed for those expensive laser. I was hesitant to do any laser as it was the cause of my melasma and the result can be unpredictable. Basically, I just lost all hope and accepted my fate until I met Dr. Hui! Dr. Hui gave my life back to me!!! I am reborn !!! Before meeting Dr. Hui, I was depressed , and I lost a lot of valuable family times. I didn't want to go on any vacation because all I worried was my face. I was scared to go out during summer time because of the sun exposure. I decided to see Dr. Hui after all the 5 stars reviews on the internet. I travel 120 miles to see Dr. Hui, but I must say I'm a lucky girl because I am finally in good hands! Dr. Hui is honest, compassionate, competent, skilled and knowledgeable. She is up to date on the latest treatment, and she puts patient's safety as her top priority, which is hard to find in the beauty industry these days!! She assessed my previous treatments and came up with a comprehensive treatment that treats me internally & externally! She explained the treatment plan to me and told me other options in case if those fail. She gave me a oral medication which costs less than $10 with my insurance! She introduced a better sunscreen to me to prevent formation of new brown spots. Her office has special formulated Retin-A that will further help with lightening the spot. I am happy to stop using hydroquinone since it was causing redness to my skin & it can't be used on a long term basis. Dr. Hui put me on a safe lightening serum that doesn't cause any irritation to my skin. Within 3 weeks of her regimen, I was comfortable to go out in the public without any makeup !!!! I used to spend 20 minutes putting on makeup & concealer and still looked horrible. Now, my routine is less than 5 mins!!! I am now in the third month of treatment , and my skin improved so much without any procedure! I plan to have a few chemical peels to get rid of those residual pigment. I feel liberated !!!! I am finally being back to myself!! I begin my day with a big smile to myself in the mirror , and it would not have happened if it wasn't for Dr. Hui! Dr. Hui gave me a second chance in life! Not only does she reverse the damage from the laser, I am now on my way to a better version of me. My skin is smoother and healthier than before my melasma. My self-esteem is back up, and I'm no longer depressed. Words can't express my gratitude towards Dr. Hui. For those of you who are suffering from any kind of skin problem, I highly recommend you to see Dr. Hui. Even if you have no major skin concern, Dr. Hui can take your skin to the next level. My sister, who has good skin, started to see Dr.Hui after seeing my dramatic results. She said her pores are smaller, and she has a nice glow now!!! Thank you Dr. Hui for giving my life and my family life back to me!!!"
"MELASMA NO MORE! I love love love BACD and Dr. Andrea Hui. I moved to the area last July from the East Coast and was looking for a new doc to help me manage my melasma. I have been dealing with melasma for over five years and nothing seemed to work. It was getting worse and I received contradictory guidance. Dr. Hui is very accessible, really listens, and more importantly personalizes the treatment approach to the patient and skin type. She managed my expectations and gave me reasonable timelines for expecting changes. She also offered me new interventions as they became available. After seven months of faithfully following the skin care regimen she suggested, coupled with peels and medication, I am virtually spot free. I have ventured outside my house with nothing but sunscreen, after years of full coverage makeup to hide the spots. I am ecstatic about the quality of care Dr Hui and the staff at BACD have provided. I never felt like they were unnecessarily pushing products and procedures on me. Without reservations I recommend this practice."
"I have been in to see Dr. Welsh three times and been thrilled each time with the result and/or prescription. I have been to other dermatologists and these ladies "get it" better than most. The first time I went in to inquire about how to improve the look of my aging skin and they started me on retnoids-which have been a game-changer. Women in their 30s and 40s shouldn't have to battle acne and wrinkles at the same time! I have been using them for three years now and could not be happier with the result. I went back in to have a light peel done to try and remove some melasma on my forehead and chin from years of sun abuse (I now wear sunscreen religiously, but had a misspent youth in tanning beds...). I also received some other in office treatments that did not disappoint. Dr. Welsh saw me for two of those appointments and her very capable staff saw to my needs the third time. I plan to make an appointment to return to see Dr. Welsh and her friendly and competent staff as I prepare for my upcoming wedding this summer to make sure I look my best. Reasonable pricing for this area and realistic results are what I expect and what these ladies have delivered each time I have been in. Highly recommend!!!"
"Fraxel Re:store Worth It for Acne Scars and Melasma - Conservative approach; excellent risk management/mitigation; approaches as part of overall skin program; understands how skin issues affect self esteem"
"I have melasma. Or should I say HAD! My bff recommended Dr. Welsh as she had this HUGE grey thing growing in her dermis some years ago and Welsh magic-wanded it. I am getting ready for my wedding and nada I have tried over the last few years has helped. I have done just about eerything you can do without a prescription. I'd gotten to the point of hating the mirror just because of my skin. That was a new experience for me because my entire life I was able to avoid skin problems. Never had issues, even in my teen years. Anyway, now tables turned and my skin had become horrendous - the dark mask was getting worse by the day it seemed. I thought laser was next so I went to see Dr. Welsh. She told me the real deal - laser wouldn't help (at least not permanently) melasma, especially as mine was hereditary. She put me on Obaji Nu Derm and in 4 weeks my life has changed. I mean REALLY. The spots have almost completely cleared up and my skin is even better than before. So happy with the correct assessment of my skin that I am also going back to Dr. Welsh's group for laser hair removal. So happy when something really works and someone really really knows their stuff. Thanks Dr. Welsh!Also:- Parking all over the place (lots, even occassionally street)- Very flexible appointments once you have had your first"