Our much awaited advanced training on the new JOULE laser system was this past week and it did not disappoint! Sooo many great treatments available! I had the Micro Laser Peel, which is a skin resurfacing treatment. Depth (and therefore intensity of the laser peel) can be adjusted quite a bit to customize your outcome: letting you decide how gentle or aggressive to be, and also how much downtime you are willing or able to have.
What is this treatment best for?
Choose this treatment if you are interested in:
Improving your skin texture, clarity and firmness
Improving fine lines and wrinkles
Less downtime
What does the Micro Laser Peel feel like?
I numbed with a topical cream for about 45 minutes before we started. The main sensation of the treatment was heat. I pointed the Zimmer chiller at my face the whole time (it is a machine that blows very cold air and creates an anesthetic affect). The Zimmer helped immensely and it was also nice to be able to be in control of some aspect of the treatment!
When I was done I mainly just had a very odd blend of sensations happening on my face: the after burn of the laser (like a sunburn) mixed with the lingering cold from the Zimmer. The rest of the day and evening, my skin just felt sensitive, much like a sunburn. I slathered up in Hydra Balm before bed and it helped my skin calm down and feel less sensitive.
Downtime:
I had the treatment late in the day on Wednesday. I was red the rest of the day. On Thursday my face changed from red to sort of bronzy throughout the day and evening. By Friday, the dryness was setting in. Saturday I woke up to a mess of dry flaky skin. It was frustrating because the skin looked loose enough to just fall off, but it didn’t….. so I just had walk around with my face peeling off. Sunday, the day I’m writing this, most of the dry skin came off in the shower as I gently cleansed WITH MY HANDS. Absolutely no exfoliants while you are healing! My dryness is now lingering on my forehead only, and it looks almost like snakeskin. I am hopeful that tomorrow I will shed the rest of my scales! The new skin that is being uncovered is pretty exciting. It looks fresh and young and glowing. And we did some resurfacing right under my eyes - I’m most excited to see the improvements there.
How many treatments will you need?
One session could get the results you’re looking for, and could maintain for up to a year. Typically, the procedure is repeated 2-4 times, spaced 6-8 weeks apart, but many peels can be done to achieve the desired result. Remember, the benefit of the treatment is the customization of intensity and the less downtime.
I am posting my day by day treatment pics here. As soon as I'm done flaking, we will post before and after pictures. Also check back on the blog throughout the week to read Kit's experience with Skin Tyte on the neck, Stacey's Halo treatment, and Maricela's photofacial with Broad Band Light (BBL) therapy!