Does Halo laser remove deep pigmentation or just superficial?

Question

I used to have red hair as a child and lots of freckles but as an adult I have been able to reduce the freckles by 80%. My skin looks clear but with areas that look slightly coffee stained and I am told that these are deep level pigmentation. Can Halo tackle these as my skin looks muddy. Also does Halo address redness and broken capillaries?

J. Roberto Ramirez Gavidia, MD, FACS · Answer

HALO can certainly treat both superficial and deep pigmentation with the right settings chosen. It sounds like you would benefit from combining HALO with BBL. This has proven to be a highly effective combination in our office. BBL and HALO together can also target redness and broken capillaries. Managing pigmentation with advanced home skin care and diligent use of sunscreen is a must, and for most, ongoing BBL treatments to keep the complexion bright.

Jonathan Amspacher, MD · Answer

When I have a patient that has a lot of deeper pigmentation issues that you describe I usually recommend that they combine the halo with Broad Band light treatment at the same time.  I find that combining these two modalities is more powerful than using either of them alone.  I would not expect that you would get complete correction in most cases but I would expect a significant percentage of improvement in most patients.  If you are looking for perfection that may not be achievable but if you are looking for improvement the combination of these two modalities may be useful.  Best of luck on your journey.

Peter Petropoulos, MD · Answer

HALO definitely will treat deep pigmentation if the right parameters are selected.  Even better, combining HALO with BBL before the HALO is a winning combination for pigmentation.  The BBL and HALO together can also tackle redness and capillaries although the capillaries can often be stubborn requiring more BBL treatments.

Robert G. Aycock, MD, FACS · Answer

Halo does address deeper pigmentation, but hyperpigmentation is stubborn and combination treatments along with skincare are needed for maintenance. BBL and KTP are better treatments for broken capillaries.

Sarah Haydel, MD · Answer

Yes, Halo can address superficial and deep pigment depending on the patient as well as the settings customized for each patient. It is a fractionated laser which means it will not treat the entire surface of the skin. We love to combine Halo with BBL (broad-band light) therapy which is full field laser treatment. When combining the two it will address both superficial and deeper pigmentation problems. However, if you have melasma pigment, this is chronic and can be a little harder to treat. Halo doesn't address vascularity like BBL or other lasers on the market. Overall its a great treatment with little downtime that will address pigment, pores, texture and fine lines and wrinkles. Results will always vary from patient to patient.

Does Halo laser remove deep pigmentation or just superficial?

Answers (5)