I am not swollen after Halo laser. Does this mean it will be less effective? 1 day post-op.

Question

I had Halo Pro to my face, neck, and chest yesterday. I was told an aggressive setting was used. However, I am only really red with brown spots. I have not experienced much swelling at all and never used any cold pack except after the initial 20 mins. Is this normal? Will it still be as effective?

Christopher W. Robb, MD, PhD · Answer

I wouldnt make assumptions about your results this early in the game. Swelling is not an endpoint that we use to determine if a treatment is effective.  So far it sounds like your experience is perfectly normal.  Best of luck! -cr

Peter Petropoulos, MD · Answer

Some patients have no swelling after their HALO and still have great results.  Lack of swelling does not indicate less effective treatment.  Degree of swelling varies between patients significantly.

Raja Mohan, MD · Answer

Great question. Swelling does not need to occur to signify effectiveness. You will have to wait some time to see the final result from your procedure. If you have any questions or concerns, you should definitely see the practitioner who performed the procedure. Hope this helps.

Robert G. Aycock, MD, FACS · Answer

Swelling varies between patient to patient. It takes 6-8 for your optimal results after a Halo. Right now it's all about patience and keeping up with your skin care products, especially sunblock.

Stanley Kovak, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! Everybody reacts differently to every procedure. Swelling is normal after an aggressive halo treatment, but no swelling does not mean the treatment was not effective. Your skin heals differently than the next person and the person after that. Once the redness and brown dissipates, you will be very happy with the results. If you have any concerns, be sure to discuss them with your provider. Best of luck to you!

David A. Sieber, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for the great question! Swelling for the first 1-2 days after Halo is normal but not having much swelling does not mean that the treatment will be any less effective. I've found that some patients swell up so much that they're unrecognizable while others have only very mildl welling. It varies quite a bit from person to person! You may only be red with brown spots now, but over the next 1-2 days those spots will darken and you skin will start to peel, leaving you with smooth skin underneath! It's going to take 10-12 weeks to see your final result as it takes time for the body to produce new collagen to repair the areas treated by the laser! Best,~Dr. Sieber

Thomas D. Griffin Jr., MD · Answer

Not to worry. Not everyone swells in the same way. Some patients swell to the extreme without a very aggressive setting, others not so much. To get into the physics a bit there are a few variables that are adjusted by the provider to determine the treatment. Simply put it is the depth of penetration of either of the wavelengths and the density of the holes. With the depth of penetration increase (for a more "aggressive" setting) the size of the opening of the hole at the skin surface is larger. Therefore it takes less holes to create the same density of coverage. Imagine filling up a box with coffee cans versus bottle tops, it takes many more bottle tops to fill the same area. Often, this means less total energy is actually being delivered into the skin. This is not a bad thing at all, its just the physics of the laser. With less total energy, you will have less swelling and likely a bit less of the coffee ground exfoliation. I hope this helps.

I am not swollen after Halo laser. Does this mean it will be less effective? 1 day post-op.

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Answers (7)

More Halo Laser Questions

A one time "deep" Halo treatment did not deliver the promised results. Should I ask for a redo?

Can the Halo laser be used on the neck and chest?

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS