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A man who has a port-wine stain birthmark covering half of his face has endured a laser operation so painful that it has been described as 'torture' in a desperate last attempt to remove the maroon-red mark.
In preview clips shared exclusively with DailyMail.com ahead of the season finale of Dr Pimple Popper, which airs tonight at 9pm ET, a man called Nhan reveals he's lost all hope in getting his large red birthmark treated.
Port-wine stain birthmarks are usually harmless, but if on the face – particularly over the eye - they can be linked to glaucoma and Sturge Weber Syndrome.
This can cause seizures and other disabilities while glaucoma which can cause blindness.
Looking for help: A man called Nhan reveals he's lost all hope in getting his large red birthmark removed in the season finale of Dr Pimple Popper on TLC
Insistent: Friend Debbie encourages Nhan to seek laser treatment for the birthmark that has 'destroyed his life'
'I don't really trust doctors no more,' he admits to his close friend, Debbie. 'I've just lost hope, you know?'
But Debbie is insistent that Nhan seeks help – especially given that his birthmark has already 'destroyed everything that he could have in life'.
'I strongly feel that Nhan got cheated,' she says. 'He has a big heart, and he doesn't deserve any of that.'
After being talked into taking action, he visits laser expert Dr Arisa Ortiz for the excruciating procedure, and he's kept awake throughout.
'A laser like this could be a form of torture,' Dr Sandra Lee says. 'There is this heat that's generated and it feels like if you let your best friend take a slingshot and just shoot at you point blank.'
But Nhan bravely endures the pain.
While the procedure might look easy, Dr Sandra insists that it is complex due to a number of variables such as the patient's complexion and age.
Although viewers will have to tune into Wednesday's episode to see Nhan's results, it looks as though the surgery will have a positive outcome.
Excruciating procedure: He visits laser expert Dr Arisa Ortiz for help - and remains awake for the duration of the procedure
Breakthrough treatment: Laser is thought to be the only procedure that can remove port-wine birthmarks with a decreased risk of scarring
Repeat visit: Nhan will have to see Dr Arisa for further treatment before his birthmark is removed
'You're getting a great response,' Dr Arisa tells him.
However, Dr Sandra explains that Nhan will have to brace himself for further treatment before the port-wine stain is removed.
'This is just the first of many treatments,' she points out. 'He's going to need to see Dr Orteze in her office again to really see an improvement here.'
Last year, an Australian mom was called a 'monster' by cruel trolls for choosing to laser off her baby's facial birthmark - but claims she did it to help her child.
Stay-at-home mother Brooke Atkins, 33, from Gold Coast, noticed that her son Kingsley had a large 'port-wine' mark covering half of his face.
'When he was first born, we were referred to the Queensland Children's Hospital dermatology and vascular department, where they organize the first treatment and explain in further details why laser would be important,' she revealed at the time.
Stay-at-home mom Brooke Atkins, 33, from Gold Coast, went viral earlier this year when she revealed that she'd had her baby son's port-wine birthmark lasered
What is a port wine stain birthmark?
A port wine stain is a birthmark caused by the overdevelopment of blood vessels underneath the skin.
The change in the blood vessels is caused by a genetic mutation which occurs before a child is born, and will remain for the rest of a person's life – though the severity of them differs between people.
Port wine stains begin as a flat red or purple mark and, over time, can become more raised, bulkier and darker in color.
They can occur anywhere on the body but 65 per cent of them appear on a person's head or neck.
Around three in every 1,000 babies has a port wine stain and they are more common in girls than in boys, though the reason for this is not known.
Treatment usually involves laser treatment to remove some of the dark color from the mark, or camouflaging the discoloring using a special type of make-up.
'The purpose of the laser treatments are not to "remove" the birthmark but instead keep the skin healthy, to prevent any further damage to the area.'
Of the negative reception she has received online, Brooke said: 'Honestly, when I first started reading the negative comments, I sat there for a good half an hour and cried to myself.
'I had a whole heap of mum guilt and it made me question my decision, even though I knew I was doing the right thing, the cruel words still played in my head.
'Thankfully for every negative comment, there were 100 positive, so it helped a lot!
'I just wish these people had known about the health issues connected to these types of birthmarks before writing these things, that this wasn't for cosmetic reasons and that as parents, this was the hardest decision we have had to make.
'That the last six months have been extremely hard on us and reading these comments, actually do hurt – this is the last thing we need, judgement from those who have no understanding around my sons conditions.'
Elsewhere in tonight's Dr Pimple Popper finale, Debbie worries that her shoulder lump will prematurely age her.
Meanwhile, Justin has got bumps poking through his scalp underneath his messy manbun.
The season finale of Dr Pimple Popper airs tonight at 9pm ET/PT on TLC.
