ClearSilk: What You Need to Know

Pros

• It’s quick (average treatment time is 15-30 minutes) and requires no downtime. You can even wear makeup immediately afterward. 
• The treatment is painless (no anesthesia or numbing required) and relaxing. It’s even described as feeling like warm water flowing over your face.
• Popular treatment areas include the face, neck, and chest, but it can treat skin anywhere on the body.
• ClearSilk is nonablative, meaning it leaves the top surface of your skin intact while heating only the lower layer. This minimizes the potential for side effects.
• The Nd:YAG laser is considered “pigment-friendly,” so all skin types—even tanned, brown, or deep skin tones—can safely and effectively be treated.
• Side effects are mild. The most common one is a slight redness from the heat of the laser, which typically fades within a few hours.
• It can be used in combination with other aesthetic treatments, such as Broadband Light, to reduce the redness associated with rosacea. It also works well in conjunction with other lasers and injectables. 

Cons

• While you may notice some immediate improvement—glowing skin that feels tighter—most patients need a series of 4–6 treatments to achieve the optimal results. Your provider will recommend a treatment plan during your initial consultation.
• Touch-up sessions are required to maintain the benefits over time.
•  Rarely, redness can persist for a few weeks after treatment. 
• The light from the laser can trigger the herpes virus to become active. Let your provider know prior to treatment if you’re prone to cold sores.  
• As with all light-based devices, ClearSilk may lead to poor outcomes, including burns and scars, if the treatment is not performed by an experienced provider.

During treatment, the ClearSilk laser delivers heat into the dermal layer, deep under the skin’s surface. This stimulates the fibroblast cells to produce more skin-plumping collagen. 

The heat energy also targets chromophores, part of the molecule that causes redness. 

By zeroing in on problem areas without damaging the surrounding tissue, skin is left looking clearer, with a more even tone.

This in-office treatment may be performed by a physician or a trained technician under their supervision. 

Here’s what to expect during the procedure.

• Depending on the size of the treatment area, it will take a few minutes to an hour.
• First, you’ll be asked to wear safety goggles or glasses, to protect your vision.
• Your skin will be cleansed.
• The laser handpiece will be placed over your skin to deliver the laser energy. The “spot size” of the laser is 7-10 millimeters, which means it can treat .3-.4 inches of skin at a time. 
• Your provider will pass the handpiece back and forth over the skin in a hashtag movement. Two visible laser beams converge into a single point on the skin when the handpiece is held at the correct distance, which ensures that the 1064nm beam is properly focused. 
• During treatment, you’ll feel a warm sensation that may be more intense when treating skin that’s already inflamed, including areas affected by acne. 
• After the treatment, it’s common for skin to feel warm for up to an hour.  

There’s typically no recovery time needed after a ClearSilk treatment; most people just continue on with their day. 

Your skin may be sensitive to ultraviolet light, so it’s important to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30+ and avoid direct sun exposure for 24 hours.