If you already know me in any respect, you already know that certainly one of my favourite questions is: What drawback are we truly attempting to unravel? It’s the very first thing I ask after I’m formulating a product, and it’s the identical query I ask myself anytime I’m contemplating a remedy for my very own skin.
I’m a fairly intentional particular person. I don’t do issues simply because they’re trending, and I undoubtedly don’t do them with out understanding the why.
At 56, I’m not somebody who’s gone down the street of invasive skin procedures. Yes, I do Botox. I’ve had a little bit of filler. But with regards to skilled facial therapies, this Halo remedy was probably the most invasive factor I’ve ever achieved. Prior to this, the one different laser I’d tried was Moxi about a year ago, which may be very gentle and, in my view, an ideal entry level into laser therapies.
That stated, I’m at a degree in life the place I felt able to dial issues up a bit.
Why I Decided to Do Halo at Age 56
Like most individuals of their 50s and past, I’m beginning to discover adjustments in my skin texture. Collagen naturally declines. That’s regular. And to be clear, I’m not sad with my skin. I truly know I’m forward of the curve thanks to just about 4 a long time of constant skincare (I’m a skin sort 6 as of late, find your skin type), minimal solar publicity (rising up within the midwest, there may be little or no alternative to be in a showering go well with with the summers being so brief!), and a deep understanding of how skin capabilities.
Still, I wished to see if I may enhance some crepiness and assist collagen in a significant approach. Plus, our prospects ask me quite a bit about lasers and I don’t have a lot private expertise so I’m taking one for the crew.
But earlier than I say sure to something involving my skin, I insist on an intensive session. And I encourage everybody to do the identical. You HAVE to know what you’re getting your self into. No surprises.
The Consultation: Setting Realistic Expectations
One of my largest pet peeves on this business is when restoration time is downplayed. There is nothing worse than being informed you’ll be “fantastic in a couple of days,” solely to search out your self nonetheless hiding at dwelling when life must go on. I can’t inform you what number of instances I’ve heard this from individuals, and it’s tremendous annoying.
During my session, I requested very direct questions:
- How lengthy is the restoration, actually?
- What’s the worst-case situation for restoration?
- Am I truly going to see a distinction after I look within the mirror? Where and when?
I used to be informed I ought to plan on about seven days earlier than I’d really feel comfy going again out into the world, and that ended up being pretty correct.
I additionally requested my favourite query: What drawback is that this fixing for me? Not what it may do, and never what it does for another person. What wouldn't it realistically do for me and my skin sort?
The nurse defined that Halo may present some superficial smoothing, particularly in areas the place my skin tends to look crepey, like across the higher lip (which, to be honest, is notoriously troublesome) and within the nasolabial fold space (smile strains). She was very clear that the collagen-building happens inside 90 days after remedy. It’s additionally not strongest laser in the marketplace and doesn’t work extraordinarily deep, nevertheless it affords a steadiness of outcomes with manageable downtime.
She additionally stated one thing that made me smile: “You have Renée Rouleau skin, so that you’ll heal properly.” That’s what almost 40 years of caring for skin will do. Okay, let’s do that.
Why I Chose Halo Specifically
Halo is a hybrid fractional laser, that means it makes use of two wavelengths without delay. One resurfaces the floor of the skin, whereas the opposite heats deeper layers to stimulate collagen. It creates hundreds of tiny, managed remedy zones whereas leaving surrounding skin intact, which helps enhance texture, tone, pores, and fantastic strains with sooner therapeutic. Over the weeks that observe, outdated broken skin sheds and new collagen kinds, resulting in smoother, firmer, extra even-looking skin.
I really like that Halo takes an inside-out method, and that is what appealed to me.
But right here’s what I find out about collagen. As we age, the skin will get a bit lazy. So I like to think about therapies like this as giving the skin a shock to the system. A sign that we’re not sending it off into retirement simply but. (Collagen, please don’t fail me now!)
I used to be informed to not anticipate instant collagen adjustments, however that over the course of 90 days, some individuals discover enhancements in skin-firming and a smoother texture. I received’t be obsessively photographing my face to trace each change and I’m merely going to belief that it’s contributing to the larger good. It’s form of like consuming broccoli. I eat it as a result of it’s good for me, not as a result of I anticipate to get up feeling or trying any completely different the following morning.
Treatment Day: What It Actually Felt Like
On remedy day, numbing cream was utilized for about an hour. I’ll be trustworthy, having a numbed face is a bit freaky. You begin to speak and your mouth feels all bizarre however I obtained used to it.
Even with numbing, I’d price the precise zapping of the Halo laser a discomfort round a 6 out of 10. It’s manageable, nevertheless it’s not nothing, so I believe it’s vital to be mentally ready for that. She stated she may give me laughing fuel, however I’m a tricky cookie, so I didn’t try this.
Immediately after, my skin was extraordinarily purple and extremely popular. It truthfully felt like I’d poured jalapeño juice throughout my face. They utilized a chilly sheet masks, which helped quite a bit, and I even drove dwelling sporting it.
Within about an hour, the extreme warmth subsided, although my skin nonetheless felt heat. Swelling began quickly after, which was anticipated. What shocked me most was seeing the tiny channels (primarily holes) throughout my skin, with a little bit of pinpoint bleeding. It’s wild to see, but additionally fascinating. I imply…the issues we do for magnificence!
We had chosen to do a stronger setting, realizing I used to be totally ready to be hibernating for per week. When I commit, I commit however this implies camera-off for zoom conferences!
That night time, I slept with my head elevated to assist with swelling. Sleep wasn’t nice. My face was nonetheless scorching and really stimulated, however that was anticipated.
Day-by-Day Recovery
Day 2:
Peak redness and swelling. My face was beet purple and really puffy. My skin felt tight and dry. I used to be given a publish process serum from Revision, nevertheless it stung so badly. I do know skin properly sufficient to know that when your barrier is compromised, you don’t add hearth to fireside. I finished instantly and switched to my Rest Day Masque, which felt extremely soothing and didn’t sting in any respect.
Day 3:
Still purple and swollen, however now drier. Swelling started shifting downward because it was desperately looking for a spot to go leading to pooling beneath my chin, which seemed wild however is regular as fluid tries to empty out.
Day 4:
The skin looks like sandpaper. This is when issues began turning a nook. My skin began taking over that bronzed look because the microscopic dots (AKA “mends”) turned extra seen.
Day 5–6:
Okay, the worst is over. Phew. Less redness, however nonetheless dry and puffy. The skin nonetheless looks like sandpaper, however the mends start to flake off naturally. I’m being excellent at not messing with them since you need to let Mother Nature run its course and don’t get these off earlier than they're prepared as a result of they're hooked up to dwell skin cells.
Day 7:
Most of the mends are gone and my skin doesn’t really feel as tough to the contact because it did and it's extremely dry. As for the swelling, I went for a mild lymphatic drainage facial therapeutic massage to push the fluids away from my face and particularly my neck the place it had pooled up quite a bit and this helped. My face remains to be fairly pink.
Day 8-15:
The puffiness is winding down however my skin remains to be a bit purple, particularly after I wash my face, and it feels actually dry and feels tough to the contact. It’s loopy as a result of I’ve by no means had dry skin (I’m a skin sort 6) and so this was a reminder that this remedy was aggressive. My skin barrier was undoubtedly broken, however that was the entire level.
I’m now beginning to get some breakouts which I haven’t had in years. I used to be informed that this might happen, and it is sensible as a result of if you’re overly dry and you continue to have oil glands beneath the skin (which I do), your skin tries to push out oil to compensate for all of the dryness, and so they get trapped beneath the skin and voila, breakouts seem.
Day 16-20:
The redness is subsiding which is a telltale signal that my skin barrier is correcting and the dryness is lastly getting a lot better.
Day 21:
My skin feels again to regular. It’s child delicate once more, and I’m not feeling dry.
Post-Procedure Skincare: What I Actually Used
I do know that is the half everybody desires to know, so let’s discuss precisely what I used on my skin after Halo and after I used it. Keep in thoughts, post-laser skin is compromised skin, so every part I did was about calming, defending, and supporting therapeutic. Nothing aggressive. Nothing fashionable.
My Post-Halo Routine:
Morning and night time
I cleansed with Moisture Protecting Cleanser morning and night time. This was non-negotiable. After laser, your skin barrier is fragile and also you need a cleanser that removes particles with out stripping or irritating the skin.
Treatment step
After cleaning, I used Vitamin C&E Treatment. I need to point out that it's suggested to not use vitamin C after laser therapies, however learn why I broke the rule. This may shock some individuals, however this method may be very barrier-friendly and doesn’t trigger the notorious “vitamin C acid burn” like many can. But of all of the instances you want antioxidant assist, it’s when your skin is infected.
Soothing and restoration
Next got here Rest Day Masque. I completely lived on this. I utilized it generously and sometimes, particularly within the first week. It was extremely soothing and helped take down that tight, dry, uncomfortable feeling. I continued to make use of it most nights for the primary month to appropriate my skin barrier.
Cooling and swelling assist
Starting on day 4, I added an ice curler each three hours. I used the Skinny Confidential ice roller. This helped tremendously with swelling and made my skin really feel calmer general. I want I had achieved this sooner.
Once the Mends Were Gone
I discussed these earlier, however mends are these tiny little dots you’ll see after remedy the place the laser labored. They can look darkish and really feel tough or sandpapery at first, then naturally flake off as recent, new skin comes via.
Once my mends had been fully gone (which for me was round day 9), my skin felt very tough. This is the place issues get nuanced.
I gently launched Triple Berry Smoothing Scrub. I do know most suppliers would cringe on the considered a scrub post-laser, however right here’s what they don’t know: Triple Berry makes use of completely spherical biodegradable beads, so there isn't any scratching or tearing of the skin. It shouldn't be harsh in any respect.
When skin is tough like this, bodily exfoliation is usually precisely what it wants. This is about bodily eradicating useless, dry cell buildup that is able to come off. I used it very gently as soon as a day from day 9 via day fifteen, and it made a giant distinction in smoothing the feel.
Sun Exposure and Makeup
I've quite a lot of home windows in my dwelling, which suggests quite a lot of ambient UV publicity. Early on, I merely utilized basis on prime of Rest Day Masque for a little bit of added safety.
I didn't begin sporting sunscreen till day seven. At that time, I launched Weightless Protection SPF 30. Before that, my skin simply was not prepared.
When I began getting some breakouts, I used Rapid Response Detox Masque after cleaning this was actually soothing on my skin, but additionally helps to cease my breakouts from forming. It was a life saver.
Results and Final Thoughts
By day 30, my skin appears extremely glowy and reflective. I do discover a delicate softening of crepiness, particularly across the nasolabial folds. The strains above my lip, that are very deep, are barely softened I suppose. But I’m by no means anticipating miracles there.
I’ll proceed watching how my skin adjustments over the following few months as collagen manufacturing progresses.
Was it price it? Yes. I consider so. You’ve obtained to shake issues up each from time to time.
Would I do it once more? Absolutely. I'll get it achieved in one other 9 months as prompt by my supplier.
Is it a trouble to hibernate in my home for per week? Absolutely, sure. But I do know what to anticipate now.
A pair last notes:
- On Day 2, I weighed 4 kilos greater than common, regardless of no dietary adjustments. I assume it was from swelling and puffiness. Who is aware of?
- I used to be informed that Halo is not really helpful for these with melasma (however guess what, HyperFix Fading Toner is!), so Halo shouldn't be for everybody. A radical session is totally important.
- I don’t consider that is vital for individuals of their 20s. Collagen hasn’t slowed but. In my opinion, late-30s and past is the place this begins to make sense. But I’m positive others have completely different opinions about this.
For anybody curious, I had my Halo remedy achieved at Refine Aesthetics in Austin, a PRO Partner of ours that additionally carries my skincare line. If you’re contemplating a laser, working with a supplier who understands the facility of contact, not simply units, makes all of the distinction.
Overall, I’m glad I did it. And I really feel assured recommending it, so long as expectations are lifelike.
Celebrity Esthetician & Skincare Expert
As an esthetician skilled in beauty chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 35 years researching skin, educating her viewers, and constructing an award-winning line of merchandise. Her hands-on expertise as an esthetician and trusted skin care skilled has created a real-world resolution — merchandise which might be formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get precisely what it must feel and look its greatest. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives across the globe, her huge real-world information and fixed analysis are why Marie Claire calls her “probably the most passionate skin practitioner we all know.”