Moxi Laser: What You Need to Know

Pros

• The Moxi laser is safe for all skin types and tones. It’s also ideal for men, as it can be done over beard stubble. 
• Multiple treatment sessions deliver a noticeable improvement in skin’s texture and the appearance of brown and red pigmentation.
• It’s a good maintenance option for patients who have already had a more aggressive laser procedure and for anyone looking for “prejuvenation” (preventing signs of aging).
• The treatment itself is less painful than with most lasers. Many patients don’t even require numbing cream.
• It’s a quick procedure that can be done on your lunch break, and there’s little to no downtime, so you can resume your normal activities immediately afterward. 
• Depending on your provider and their location, it can be more affordable than other non-ablative, fractionated lasers. 

Cons

• You’ll need multiple treatments to see significant results, and it’s not recommended for people with deep wrinkles or severe sun damage. 
• Like other fractional lasers, there’s a potential risk of activating oral herpes.
• Though it can be used safely on all skin tones, dark skin does require a lower power setting, so more treatment sessions may be needed for optimal results.
• In rare cases, the heat can cause rebound post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Moxi laser treatment is a quick, “lunchtime” procedure that can be done in less than 30 minutes. here's what to expect:

• After a consultation with your provider, your skin will be thoroughly cleansed.
• You may be offered a topical numbing cream, although Dr. Christopher Robb, a board-certified dermatologist in Spring Hill, Tennessee says the treatment is completely tolerable for most patients without being numbed.
• You will be given goggles, to protect your eyes from the laser light.
• Then your provider will roll the device’s tip across all parts of your face, as well as the neck, the chest, and any other areas you’d like to target. This shouldn't be painful; “Most patients say it feels like a prickly heat,” says Dr. Robb.
• Once the treatment is over, your provider will apply a topical serum or balm, to help soothe and protect your skin.

There’s practically no recovery or downtime associated with Moxi.

According to Dr. Robb, your skin will be pink and feel tingly (like from a sunburn) afterward, but that will go away in a few hours. Dr. Swengel recommends that patients turn up the AC all the way and point the vents toward their face on the drive home, to speed up the process. 

It’s best to avoid putting on makeup, sunscreen, and your usual skin-care products for the rest of the day, but Dr. Swengel says everything except Retin-A and other retinols is fine to use by the second day.  

Your skin may take on a rougher texture for the next five days or so as the top layer sloughs off, but you’ll be able to go about your daily activities.

After about a week, you will see improved radiance and an overall glow. But you’ll need multiple Moxi laser treatments to see a significant lightening of dark spots and sun damage.

“The more treatments you do, the more corrective it is,” says Dr. Robb. He recommends three to four sessions, spaced a week apart, for best results. 

Moxi can also be successfully combined with other procedures, like BroadBand Light (BBL), laser tattoo removal (to bring the pigment to the surface quicker), and microneedling with radiofrequency. 

To maintain your Moxi laser results, it’s helpful to have follow-up treatments once or twice a year after your initial round. You’ll still need to wear sunscreen and protective clothing to prevent future sun damage.

The Moxi photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.