Cosmelan and Dermamelan
Cosmelan and Dermamelan are programmes of about six months against stubborn pigment: a mask in the clinic, and after that a fixed routine with products at home. Dermamelan is the stronger of the two and is used more often for melasma. At Diba Clinics in Rotterdam Cosmelan costs € 720 and Dermamelan € 920, products included.
- Duration
- Six months
- Rate
- € 720 to € 920
- Recovery time
- Days of peeling
- Brand
- Mesoestetic
What the programme
does with pigment
Most treatments remove what is there. This programme also slows what is still being made, and that is why it takes months.
Pigment is made by cells in the bottom layer of the epidermis. With stubborn pigment those cells are, so to speak, turned up higher than they need to be, by sun, hormones and predisposition. Remove only what is there and in the months that follow they simply make it again.
Cosmelan and Dermamelan work on two fronts. The mask in the clinic slows production and makes the top layer with the pigment peel away. The products at home then keep that brake on, for months. That second part is not a side issue: it is the largest part of the programme, and it decides the outcome more than what happens in the clinic.
The programme starts with two weeks of preparation at home. Then the mask goes on in the clinic; you take it home and remove it yourself after the agreed number of hours. After a few days you start peeling, and from then on the routine follows, with check-ups along the way.
What pigment is and which type you have is on pigment spots and on melasma. The two treatments are set out separately at Cosmelan and Dermamelan. Why a programme does not start in summer is on sun and your skin.
Cosmelan or Dermamelan
The same set-up, a different strength and a different goal. Which one suits you is established by the therapist with a measurement.
Cosmelan is the lighter of the two. It is chosen more often for sun damage and separate pigment spots: sharply defined marks in the places the sun reaches. For that kind of pigment it is strong enough.
Dermamelan is more intensive and is used more often for melasma: symmetrical, cloud-like areas that react to hormones and heat and can come back after every summer. The schedule at home is stricter, because melasma returns as soon as the approach loosens. With melasma the goal is control rather than removal, and you hear that beforehand.
There is also a version for the intimate area, Dermamelan Intimate, for dark discolouration in the groin and bikini area. It follows the same set-up, happens in a closed room and with a therapist of your own choosing.
About Cosmelan
What the programme
costs with us
One amount for the whole programme, with the products for home use included. The intake arrangement is set out in full.
- Cosmelan, programme including products€ 720
- Dermamelan, programme including products€ 920
- Dermamelan Intimate, programme including products€ 550
The amount is for the programme, with the products for home use included.
All the clinic's ratesIs this your first visit
Then you start with an intake. We measure your skin, establish which type of pigment it is and whether Cosmelan or Dermamelan fits. A separate intake lasts at most 30 minutes and costs € 50.
When you start
Preferably in autumn, so that you have months of little sun ahead of you. Between May and August we do not start a pigment programme. Do not schedule the start just before a holiday or a busy week either, because after a few days you start peeling.
During the programme
Two weeks of preparation at home, then the mask in the clinic, and after that the routine with products. Along the way there are check-ups, where we measure rather than estimate, so that you see whether the schedule is working.
What helps and what we advise against
This programme is for stubborn pigment. For pigment that sits near the surface, and for anyone not up for the work at home, there is a lighter route.
This works
- Stubborn pigment that single treatments fail on
- Melasma, with Dermamelan, where control is the honest goal
- Sun damage and separate pigment spots, with Cosmelan
- Dark discolouration in the groin and bikini area, with Dermamelan Intimate
We advise against this
- Without the schedule at home. That is the largest part of the programme, and without it it stalls
- Starting in summer. Between May and August we do not begin
- Without daily sun protection. Sun brings the pigment back
- A promise that melasma goes for good. It remains something that can come back
The programme alongside
the alternatives
For pigment there are several routes, and not every spot asks for six months. This is what they do, what you notice afterwards and what they cost.
| Treatment | Where it differs | Recovery time | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmelan | The lighter six-month programme, more often for sun damage and separate spots. | Peeling and redness in the first days, and months of strict sun protection. | € 720 |
| Dermamelan | The more intensive programme, more often for melasma, with a stricter schedule at home. | Peeling and redness in the first days, and months of strict sun protection. | € 920 |
| Nordlys IPL for pigmentation | Light on sharply defined spots, in a series of separate treatments. Not the first choice for melasma. | Usually a few hours red. | € 75 |
| Medical peels | An acid on the top layer, for surface discolouration, in a series. | Two to five days dry and flaky, depending on the strength. | € 140 |
| Skin boosters and mesotherapy | The depigmentation booster delivers ingredients into the skin, usually as a course of three. | Briefly red and sometimes small bumps, usually gone within a day. | € 175 |
Where to find us
in Rotterdam
On the north side of the city, in a residential area and not on a shopping street. That helps with parking and it is quieter when you have just been treated.
3054 LS Rotterdam
You park in the street. The route from the ring road and by public transport is on the contact page.
Route and contact- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 10:00 to 18:00
- Wednesday
- 10:00 to 21:00
- Thursday
- 10:00 to 21:00
- Friday
- 10:00 to 18:00
- Saturday
- 10:00 to 18:00
- Sunday
- Closed
The calendar is more up to date than this list: within opening hours not every hour has a therapist free.
The programme starts with a measurement, and at the check-ups along the way we measure again, so that you see on the images what is changing.
Who works here, with what title and what that title means exactly, is on the team page with photos and all.
Frequently asked questions
What does Cosmelan cost in Rotterdam?
At Diba Clinics the Cosmelan programme costs € 720 and Dermamelan € 920, both including the products for home use. Dermamelan Intimate costs € 550. The programme starts with a € 50 intake.
What is the difference between Cosmelan and Dermamelan?
The same set-up, a different strength and a different goal. Cosmelan is the lighter one and is chosen more often for sun damage and separate pigment spots; Dermamelan is more intensive and is used more often for melasma. Which one suits you is established by the therapist at the intake.
How long does a Cosmelan programme take?
About six months. It starts with two weeks of preparation at home, then the mask goes on in the clinic, and after that a routine with products and check-ups follows.
Will I peel from Cosmelan?
Yes. After a few days your skin peels and is red. So do not schedule the start just before a holiday or an important date.
Why can I not start in summer?
Because then you spend months working against the sun. Pigment cells that have just been tackled react especially sharply to UV, and then you pay for a result you lose in September. So between May and August we do not start a pigment programme.
Does melasma go away with Dermamelan?
Not for good. Melasma remains something that can come back, especially after summer. Dermamelan can settle it, and with sun protection and the schedule at home you keep it that way. With melasma, control is the honest goal.
Is Cosmelan possible on darker skin?
Often yes, and it asks for a different approach. With skin types IV to VI the chance of new pigment spots is higher, so we look extra carefully beforehand and build up cautiously. We discuss that at the intake.
Can I have Cosmelan while pregnant?
No; during pregnancy and while you are breastfeeding we do not start it. Pigment often changes on its own in that period anyway, and then waiting is the best choice.
Where in Rotterdam are you?
At Weissenbruchlaan 166 in Rotterdam, on the north side of the city in a residential area. You park in the street. The route and the opening hours are on our contact page.
Not sure which pigmentation you have
You do not have to know that before you come. A measurement shows which type it is and how deep it sits, and after that you hear whether a six-month programme is needed or whether something lighter is enough.
If you know what you are after but are unsure about the timing or the combination with something else, ask via WhatsApp. There is a therapist on the other end and not a form.
Last updated on 11 September 2026 . Rates and treatment times are checked at every change.
A pigment programme in Rotterdam
We measure your skin first and establish which type of pigment it is. Then we discuss whether Cosmelan or Dermamelan fits, and when it is best to start.
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