A Fresh Start for Fall: Megan's Halo Experience (Part 2)

In Part 1 of this post (you can find it here), I told you about the Halo experience itself, and now I'd like to let you in on the recovery process. For most first-timers, the recovery seems like the scariest, most overwhelming part of the whole process. Hearing "5-7 days of downtime" can seem daunting. So I want to demystify this a little bit for you and provide you some reassurance--you can do it! 

Immediately after the Halo, the skin has a sunburn-like sensation. Depending on how you tolerate heat, this can be mild or feel a little more intense. The good news is, this is short lived. Typically this feeling goes away within an hour. Your skin will also be red immediately after the treatment and this tends to linger for the first few days, gradually fading.

The days following the procedure pretty much follow the same general course, but depending on the depth and intensity of the treatment, the amount of time and degree of each part of the recovery process can vary.

The day following the procedure, I warn all of my clients that they will likely be puffy when they wake up! The histamine response from the trauma to the skin can cause that inflammation, but this is good as it can trigger the healing cascade and create those fresh, healthy skin cells! The day after the treatment, the skin will also be pink, but the swelling tends to be the most bothersome for people. The redness and swelling can last for 2-3 days. The swelling also tends to be worse in the mornings...this is simple fluidics. As we lay down at night, fluid loves to collect in our faces, especially around our eyes! 

After the first two to three days, the skin also begins to darken and take on a bronze appearance. This is my favorite part! These are the MENDs that I talked about in part one, the microscopic epidermal necrotic debris, also known as all the "yuck!" and pigment coming out from underneath the skin through the channels that were created by the laser. Watching these mends flake off is one of the most satisfying parts of the whole process! Underneath, fresh, healthy, glowing skin is revealed!

A couple things to remember, everyone's experience is different! One of the coolest things about the Halo is that it can be customized to your main concerns; However, this means that while the general experience is similar, everyone has a different healing process. This can also depend on several factors, including the health of your skin, what you do for your skin on a daily basis (skincare!), how well you protect yourself from the sun, and how you heal in the most general sense of the word. Lastly, remember that there is no one-and-done treatment for your skin, consider doing a Halo yearly to maintain and refresh your beautiful, healthy skin!