I Got HALO Laser for Smoother Skin and I Finally Understand the Hype

Nothing gets us more excited than talking about a not-so-little tweakment or a nip-tuck procedure. In the spirit of transparency, Marie Claire’s aesthetics column, Life in Plastic, delivers a first-hand peak into what goes on behind the doctor’s door.

I'm a sucker for a laser treatment. Whenever friends ask me how I maintain my smooth and even skin texture, I always chalk it up to my yearly laser appointments, along with good daily skin care habits. My go-to laser is Moxi (a non-ablative laser), which has done wonders for managing my hyperpigmentation and sun damage. However, this year, I've started to notice a lot more fine lines developing along my cheeks and around my mouth, which stay put even when my face is at rest, meaning I would need to try a new type of laser that specifically treats these concerns.

If you follow any beauty creators, you've likely heard about the "HALO glow" brought on by the HALO laser. HALO is a more aggressive laser than Moxi, and can target deeper pigmentation and texture concerns, including large pores, fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, and dark spots. This sounded like exactly what I was looking for, so I tapped my go-to laser practitioner Laura Fischer, MSN, FNP-C to help me navigate the treatment.

Keep reading for my HALO laser experience, how to prep, aftercare and recovery, and my before-and-after photos.

What Makes HALO Noteworthy?

Before setting up my appointment, I wanted to know what sets HALO apart from other lasers. According to Fischer, HALO is a hybrid laser that uses both ablative (a laser that destroys the outer layer of skin and heats the underlying skin) and non-ablative wavelengths. "HALO is a dual-wavelength laser," she explains, "meaning that one wavelength is ablative, creating numerous small open channels into the skin (similar to a microneedling but with laser). The other wavelength is non-ablative and does not break the skin but puts energy deep into the skin to build collagen.” According to double board-certified dermatologist and founder of SOM Aesthetics, Saami Khalifian, MD, "HALO combines both types of lasers into one treatment giving patients the best of both worlds with beneficial collagen remodeling, skin resurfacing, and pigmentation correction below the surface.”

Since my goals were softening fine lines and addressing the sun damage and hyperpigmentation I had racked up during the summer, HALO was my laser of choice last fall. Keep reading as I document how the HALO process went, from the appointment to the final result.

HALO Appointment Prep

"Limiting sun exposure and avoiding any products that cause skin irritation is the first step in preparing for a laser appointment," says Fischer. She also mentioned that if you have used tretinoin or retinol long-term and it does not irritate your skin, you can continue to use this prior to the laser; however if you're new to tretinoin and are experiencing irritation, minimize use of this product for a week leading up to the laser. You should also stop using any active ingredients like beta hydroxy acids, like salicylic acid, and alpha hydroxy acids, like glycolic acid, a week before your appointment. Make sure you don't get any chemical peels or in-office exfoliation procedures within four weeks of your HALO treatment, and tell your derm if you have a history of cold sore breakouts.

During My HALO Appointment

With most lasers you'll spend the first 45 minutes to an hour with numbing cream all over your face. HALO is one of the more intense lasers, so you may have the option to have nitrous (aka laughing gas) on hand. If you have that option, I would say you should absolutely use it. I think it would have been pretty difficult to get through this treatment without it — it is one of the more painful treatments I've sat through. It feels like hot lava being dragged across your face; I won't lie to you, it's truly no fun. Thankfully, it only lasts about 15 minutes, and nitrous makes pretty much all of your problems go away and time ceases to exist (I think I may have inhaled too much...). This is a moment when you really want to be sitting in the chair of a practitioner you trust who is going to give you breaks when you need it and talk you through it.

The laughing gas they use in these settings (it's typically called Pro-Nox) wears off about a minute after you start inhaling it, so you shouldn't be addled after your treatment ends and you can drive home safely. You probably want to sit in the office for a minute after your session is finished and use the cold air hose and some ice packs before heading out into the world. For me, the only thing I wanted to do was head home and lay on my couch with ice packs covering my face, so I wouldn't plan to be out and about after your treatment.

HALO Laser Recovery

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Recovery is rough. I likened it to Harry Potter's face post-stinging jinx. I've honestly never been so swollen in my life—but I will say Fischer warned me this was going to happen, and even showed me pictures of her own post-HALO "fat baby" face. “With two different wavelengths of energy being put into the skin simultaneously, HALO is more intense than purely non-ablative laser treatments, like MOXI, which causes more swelling, especially around the eyes,” says Dr. Khalifian. “This happens because the skin is getting ‘double zapped,’ disrupting the outermost skin barrier and heating targets below the surface.”

He explained that HALO creates a strong inflammatory response, which, while necessary for the regenerative process, causes temporary swelling for a few days post-procedure. To be specific, “The treatment activates local immune cells and recruits additional immune mediators to the treatment area, leading to a cytokine-driven response that helps stimulate fibroblast growth factor production and skin renewal,” says Dr. Khalifian.

Immediately after the treatment my face felt like it was on fire—like my cells were burning from the inside. It was quite unpleasant but only lasted about two hours. I basically just sat in front of blasting AC and used ice packs. As you can see, I was very red and there were some bloody spots on tender areas, which is totally normal. It's important that you don't touch your face while it's in this inflamed state to avoid any bacteria transfer. At bedtime, I applied a liberal amount of the Senté Dermal Repair Cream and slept on my back to avoid my skin touching the pillowcase.

The next morning, the swelling had begun (it tends to peak on day three according to Fischer) and the redness had deepened, along with the appearance of microscopic epidermal necrotic debris, or MENDs, which make your skin look like sandpaper. On day two, I started to cleanse morning and night with a gentle wash (I used the Dieux Baptism Gentle Foaming Cleanser and incorporated an exosome serum (the Plated Intense Serum) before applying the Senté cream. After 48 hours I was able to add a mineral SPF to my routine — specifically the Dr. Loretta Universal Glow Daily Defense SPF 40. Sun protection is incredibly important from the moment you step out of your treatment, so I brought a wide-brimmed hat with me and wore it any time I was near the sun for the entirety of my recovery.

After about five days, the swelling had subsided and the sandpaper texture had begun to peel off on its own. My skin is pretty sensitive, so I had a little bit of rosacea that was triggered, meaning I was kind of scaly (it felt like lizard skin) for another few days and was slightly itchy for a day or two. Dr. Khalifian says this is normal: “You may also experience an ‘acne phase’ as the baby skin is regenerating on days seven through 10.” This was resolved by using my medicated rosacea cream and some swipes of a cotton round soaked in diluted white vinegar. It took a total of about nine days for me to feel like my skin was totally recovered. I was a bit more rosy than usual (also normal) for about another week, but honestly it was cute so I didn't mind.

HALO Laser Cost

Like most aesthetic treatments, the cost will depend on where you live, what expertise of doctor or nurse you go to, and the areas of your body you want to treat. Typically, a HALO session for your face and neck costs between $1,500 and $2,500. It's good to note that this laser typically takes fewer sessions to get results; for example I would probably only need to do one session once a year.

My HALO Results

"Halo laser has several different waves of improvement," says Fischer, "the first of which is seen after the dry skin flakes off, and the second wave starting to show at four to six weeks due to new collagen formation. These improvements will last a different amount of time for everyone and are greatly impacted by daily habits including skincare, wearing sunscreen, proper hydration, et cetera." I definitely found this pacing to be true of my results. The first week after everything had flaked off, I loved the rosy glow that was leftover—my skin looked really airbrushed and the hyperpigmentation had been wiped away, but I wasn't noticing a difference in the fine lines around my mouth and cheeks. It wasn't until about two months later that all of a sudden those lines looked softer and less pronounced, especially under makeup. I can confirm—the HALO glow is real.

Overall, I'm very happy with my results—that being said, for me, I'm not sure I'm emotionally equipped to go through the swelling phase any time soon. Maybe catch me in a year when I have forgotten about the above pictures and am ready to put myself through it again—I can't deny that HALO is an incredible option for treating fine lines that other lasers, or topical products, aren't able to target.

Meet the Experts

Laura Fischer

Laura Fischer, MSN, FNP-C is an aesthetic nurse practitioner at SkinSpirit in Beverly Hills

Saami Khalifian

Saami Khalifian, MD is a double board-certified dermatologist and founder of SOM Aesthetics. He is also the medical director of the Allergan Medical Institute and is a Mohs micrographic surgeon.