HALO Laser Treatment

A typical HALO laser treatment plan involves a series of sessions tailored to your specific skin concerns. Most patients undergo one or two sessions, spaced four weeks apart, to allow adequate time for skin recovery and optimal collagen remodelling. We often recommend that patients combine the Halo laser with some BroadBand Light or BBL for optimal results. During your initial consultation, we will assess your skin’s condition and discuss your goals to create a customised plan. The treatment plan is designed to gradually improve skin texture, tone, and overall appearance. We typically recommend that you consider doing more sessions of BBL and Halo in the future to maintain your results.

HALO laser treatment primarily focuses on improving skin texture, reducing pigmentation, and minimising fine lines rather than significantly tightening loose skin. While a degree of skin tightening is expected as a byproduct of collagen stimulation, it’s not the primary goal of the procedure. If significant skin tightening is desired, we may adapt the settings we use and suggest combining the Halo laser with other treatments like radiofrequency microneedling. During your consultation, we will evaluate your skin’s elasticity and recommend the most effective treatment options to address your concerns. We’re here to help you achieve a balanced approach to rejuvenation, tailored to your individual needs.

HALO laser treatment is ideal for patients who have signs of sun damage, fine lines, uneven skin tone, or mild scarring. At your consultation, we will talk you through the treatment and make sure there are no medical issues we need to consider. It’s important that you know what to expect from your results and how much improvement you are likely to see. If you have moderate to severe skin laxity, additional procedures might be recommended for optimal results. During your consultation, we will evaluate your skin type, medical history, and aesthetic goals to determine if HALO is the right option for you. This personalised approach ensures that you receive a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

On the day of your HALO laser procedure, you will arrive at the clinic and meet with our laser nurse for review of your treatment plan. Before the procedure, we apply some numbing cream to the treatment area and leave it for half an hour or so to help make the treatment more comfortable. The treatment itself takes about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on which areas you are having treated. Before we begin, we clean the skin and apply some protective eyewear. Next, we pass the laser probe back and forth over your skin until we have delivered the planned amount of energy. You’ll be guided through the process step-by-step by our friendly team, and we will go over all your aftercare instructions before you leave. You can usually resume most normal activities immediately, although your face will be red and puffy for around five days, so you may want to work from home during this period.

Today we are going to be treating Kathleen’s skin using our Halo laser, and like we often do when we’re using the halo we are going to start all off with a session of BBL. Kathleen has a history of excessive sun exposure, she has fair skin, and the extent of the sun damage is towards the more severe end of the spectrum. We see these brown spots and patches of pigmentation, there are broken capillaries, which is causing a bit of redness around the cheeks and the nose, there are open pores, there are fine lines, especially around the mouth area. Collectively, all of these signs are the absolute expectation we have of what sun damage looks like as you get on in life. One of the things that we like to do when we’re assessing our patients is just to stand back and look at the overall quality of the skin so that when we’re putting together a treatment plan we are creating something that is really going to achieve an effective rejuvenation for her so that what she ends up with is a really lovely healthy complexion that gives her the outcome she wants rather than just focusing narrowly on the pigmentation and isolation. If Kathleen’s main issues were just pigment or vascular changes with more minor texture issues going on in the background, we may well go for BBL on its own, but when the changes are more extensive like this, we need to start thinking about adding in other things, which is why we’re doing the halo today. We’re going to kick off with the BBL, so let’s just recap on what BBL is. BBL stands for Broadband Light, and it’s our go-to treatment for bursting pigments within the skin. It also has brilliant skin regeneration properties, which, over time, not only make the skin look more youthful but behave in a genetically more youthful fashion. I always want to add in some BBL because I know that it is going to give us some extra oomph to the results. First of all, we are going to do a couple of base passes where we are trying to get as much light and energy as we can into the skin, which just really helps to start that regeneration process. We’re changing the bandwidth of the light that’s going into the skin, we’re changing the amount of energy we’re using, the duration of the energy that’s going in, and the amount of cooling that’s going into the skin, and we’re targeting all of this in this next pass to really break up any brown pigments within the skin. This time, we’re targeting everything to anything that’s red within the skin, so all of the blood vessels, any areas of rosacea, all these things are going to be helped by the BBL pass. Halo, on the other hand, which is the next stage of the treatment process, is a more intensive treatment that is designed specifically for skin resurfacing. So this is when we’re thinking about things like the texture, the pores, fine lines, these sorts of issues is when we want to bring the halo on board. So the way the halo works is that it actually combines two different types of laser. We have one laser, which is an airborne laser which is taking off only some of the top surface layers of the skin, and the other is a fractional diode laser which is penetrating much deeper down. It’s the dual effect of that superficial treatment and the deeper treatment that gives Halo the edge in terms of the results. The halo laser is a little bit more uncomfortable, but we’re going to go at it pretty strong, and we’re going to do an extra pass, especially around the mouth area, to try and get us as much improvement in those lines and wrinkles as we can. And we really just want to maximise what we can get out of this for caffeine today. So after we’ve finished the BBL,  we’re applying the numbing cream to numb the skin before we then start going with the halo. One of the things I really love about this system is the level of precision that they are able to deliver. The system allows us to accurately determine exactly the level of depth of ablation we want to achieve, the exact depth of penetration we want to achieve, both at the surface and deeper down. It then allows us to measure precisely the size of the individual patient’s face so that it can calculate exactly the amount of energy that needs to be delivered in order to achieve those effects that we want to see. That’s a level of precision that I have never seen in any other laser manufacturer. Good. And then turn your head to this side. Yeah, I think you’re going to get a really nice result. So now that we’ve got it all marked up and measured out, it’s just a case of moving the probe backwards and forwards over the treatment area until we get to the end point. And one of the really cool features of this system is that it has an inbuilt sensor that detects how fast the doctor’s hand is moving. So if the doctor starts moving faster, it starts delivering the energy faster. But if you start moving slower, it slows it down, ensuring that we get consistent energy delivery to all different parts of the face. Now that we’ve done the face, we’re going to go back over the perioral region again, just to really target that problem area for Kathleen. And, you know, this varies from patient to patient. For Kathleen, her problem area is the area around the mouth. So we’re going to go super strong or round here. Other patients, it might be that actually they’ve got a lot of sun damage and crepiness on their neck or chest, or arms. And we can treat all of these different areas, too. When we start the treatment, the intensity of discomfort is pretty mild. So it’s like maybe a one or a two out of 10. The intensity does start to pick up, and it becomes a little bit more spicy as the treatment progresses. By the time you get to the end, I would say that the intensity of discomfort is probably around a six or a seven out of 10. It’s pretty uncomfortable, but it’s not an unbearable level of discomfort. And it fades pretty quickly after the treatment. Usually, within the first hour, your face almost feels back to normal, where there is no more discomfort. You just start to see the swelling and the redness begin to develop. It is bearable and totally worth the results. When the treatment is over, there is some discomfort. It’s a really intense warmth that probably lasts for maybe 30 minutes to 45 minutes. And I remember when I had this done myself for the first time, and the people from Cyton said, “It’s going to go really quickly.” And I thought, “There is no way this is going anywhere quickly.” And then all of a sudden, after about 45 minutes, it did disappear. So the discomfort that you experience afterwards generally is pretty short-lived. And then it’s just a case of waiting for the redness and the swelling to evolve. And what typically happens with that is that it gets worse in the second day, worse again in the third day, and then it starts to improve. The amount of downtime that you have will vary from person to person, depending on exactly what we choose to do. For most of our patients, I’m expecting you to have downtime of between five and seven days. Now you will see online, some people promote the halo laser as a two or three-day downtime. But the way you achieve that shorter downtime is by reducing the amount of energy you’re putting into the skin, which therefore means you’re also reducing the amount of benefit you’re going to receive. Our philosophy here is if we’re going to do this, let’s do it properly. Book out an adequate amount of time, and five to seven days, you should be good to go. When that initial healing period is over,  five to seven days,  you will notice some immediate improvements in your skin. They talk about the halo glow, and that is definitely something that we see, but the results do get better, and that’s actually something that I have noticed more with the halo laser than I have sometimes noticed with other lasers in the past. So you definitely do see that initial short-term improvement, but it does get better over the first two or three months. Patients are usually happy after a week, but they’re delighted at three months. After we’ve got you healed from your Halo laser and we’ve got your skin quality improved, we want to keep you at this new elevated level of skin quality, so we need to do some maintenance. And the way that we recommend you do that is by coming in maybe twice a year for a single BBL session. And that’s just a really nice, gentle way of maintaining the results that you’ve achieved and keeping your skin health at that level that you want to be at. Any questions or suggestions for future content, please pop them in the comments section, and don’t forget to like and subscribe to our channel. Thank you

HALO laser treatment is generally safe, but like all procedures, it carries some risks. Potential side effects include temporary redness, swelling, or mild skin irritation immediately after treatment. In rare cases, patients might experience hyperpigmentation or scarring. These risks are minimised by thorough pre-treatment consultations to determine the most appropriate treatment plan tailored to your skin type. Additionally, proper post-treatment care, including using high SPF sunscreen, further reduces the chance of adverse effects. Making sure it’s the right treatment for you and an experienced practitioner makes the procedure as safe as possible.

After HALO laser treatment, you can expect a few days of downtime, with most people ready to get back to normal in around 5 days. Immediately following the procedure, you will have redness and a sensation of heat on your face, similar to sunburn. Over the next couple of days, you normally develop some swelling and puffiness, although this usually settles quite quickly. Your skin will feel dry and will start to peel after a couple of days. By day 5, you should be just about back to normal; however, your results will continue to improve up to twelve weeks after treatment.

Following HALO laser treatment, it is important to avoid certain activities to ensure proper healing. For the first five days, you should try to avoid direct sunlight. If you need to be outside, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF50. Steer clear of intense physical exercise or activities that cause excessive sweating for the first five days, as this can irritate your skin. Your skin will be a bit more sensitive in the short term, so avoid using harsh skincare products or exfoliants until your skin has fully recovered. Following this advice helps minimise irritation and promotes a quicker recovery.

Today I am going for BBL and the Halo treatment at Dr Darren McKeown’s Medical Clinic. I’ve been looking forward to having this done for so long, and I’d like to share my day-to-day diary with you. This is me just a couple of minutes after having the treatment done, and my face is quite red, my neck, and my chest area. But I’m feeling actually quite good. The care in here is second to none. It’s unbelievable. Dr Rhona Cameron has just been amazing today, phenomenal. Just so caring. It’s unbelievable the care that I’ve had. The actual treatment, I thought it would be a lot worse than what it was, but overall it went really well. And as I said, the care has just been phenomenal. Just giving you a wee update on day one of after having my BBL and Halo treatment done. So this morning I got up, as you can see, it’s pretty swollen, especially my cheeks. It’s not tight to move, or I’ve just had a coffee and some cereal, and it’s not tight when I eat or swallow when I’m drinking anything. So that’s really good. I got a product from Dr Rona, and it was the Aven treatment package. Wow, what a godsend that is for me. I just feel my face is just soaking up, you know, what I’ve just put on it to soothe it. I’m really happy with day one. If this is day one, you know, I do, I think I do have quite a good pain threshold, but it’s not painful in any shape or form. It’s just uncomfortable. I was also given post-treatment instructions, giving you all of the stages that your skin will go through post-treatment. You know, it’s given me an idea as to what to expect, what stage, and what to do. The care at Dr Darren McKeown’s medical clinic is second to none. The aftercare as well as the care,  I haven’t experienced in any other clinic. As you can see, the swelling’s got pretty bad around my cheekbones, and it has got a bit redder. I was expecting this as per the guidelines that Dr Rhona gave me. Just slightly uncomfortable. But I just feel possibly the moisturiser has soaked in from this morning. So I’m going to give it another cleanse and put another load of moisturiser on it because that really worked. But it is really red. It’s pretty red. I don’t think we could go out to the dancing tonight, girls. Today is day three of my recovery. Today is just such a difference in my skin. The swelling’s going down. The redness is going down. Yes, it’s still sandpapery. But I just feel I’m able to… There’s not the same swelling around my lips. I’m able to move my lips better. My eyes… You know, they’re still a wee bit puffy, but they’re much better. It’s all gone down, and I’m really… I’m just loving… I mean, my forehead hasn’t even healed. And as I touch it, it feels like sandpaper. I just… I just think my forehead is already starting to look healthy. I did have sunspots there. And also, I did have quite a few fine lines. You know, I’m really… I’m really pleased with my forehead. I’m really pleased all over, to be honest with you. And I can’t wait until you see me, you know, with my hair down and just back to my old self. But… With a new face. Kind of. This is day four. And as you can see, there’s a big difference from the weekend. There still is a bit of redness around here. My cheekbones. A couple of little spots. That will all clear up. Um… My forehead is really quite clear. The… Redness is… And the swelling is going down. The sandpaper feel is still there. Um… But this is only day four. And overall, I’m really pleased with my progress. This is day five. As you can see, the redness has left. This… And it’s less swollen. Um… All of that has… Has gone. I’ve just got the… The dryness still. You’ll see… I hope you can see it. Round about here, the peeling has started pretty bad. And here… All the little brown bits that were really visible there. They’re going as well. Um… There’s just a bit there, but you would really need to home in in that. Um… As you can see it. Yeah. So overall, I’m delighted with, um… the result. Each day it gets better. Most of the swelling has went. And the redness. But as you can see, there’s a real freshness about my face. My whole face is feeling and looking great. Even around my eye area here. There was quite a lot of different, um… lines. There were quite a lot there. There were quite a lot there. At the sides and both sides. My forehead is so fresh-looking. And… And… There was quite a lot there. There was quite a lot there. At the sides and both sides. My forehead is so fresh-looking. And… There was quite a lot of different, um… lines. There were quite a lot there. At the sides and both sides. My forehead is so fresh-looking. And… There was quite a lot of different, um… There was quite a lot there. There was quite a lot there. At the sides and both sides. My forehead is so fresh-looking. And… There was quite a lot there. At the sides and both sides. My forehead is so fresh-looking. And… As you can see, the sides. They just look, um… So much better. The same with the… My mouth lines. And my chin. I had… Some really deep… Lines coming here. In parts. But that’s completely gone as well. I’m really pleased with it. It’s just night and day. I’m absolutely over the moon. It’s been… Amazing. Uh… The difference that this… Halo and BBL treatments do for you. And I can’t thank Dr Vaughan enough. Because… The treatment that she’s given me. Um… You know… The confidence that she’s given me. Has just been second to none. That’s my first day out. So… Just went to the gym. And… Everything’s great. Day 7. Absolutely delighted. A couple of people said to me. You look really different. What have you done to your face? And I said… They thought it was makeup. I’d changed my makeup. I said… No, I don’t have any makeup on. I’ve got SP50 on. I said… But what I have done is BBL and Halo. Just on the result that I’ve got… Um… People are actually noticing it. So… There you go. It’s a testament to itself that… BBL and Halo really works. Um… Okay. You have those first few days of downtime. But… To be honest. It’s nothing in comparison to how… You’re going to feel and what it’s going to make your skin look like. I’m delighted to have you done. I can’t believe that this treatment does what it does. It does what it says on the tin. It’s a real, real game changer. Confidence. I feel great. So, can’t thank Dr Darren McKeown and Dr Rhona for all of what they do at the clinic and all of the advice and help that they’ve given me. I’ve been quite tearful, actually, because it’s made such a difference to my skin. And I just feel so much better for it. And I can’t thank you enough.