Is Halo laser right for brown skin?

Question

I had previously got BBL , and it burnt my skin. My doctor is advising me to get a halo treatment for skin tightening, hyper pigmentation, acne scars and resurfacing. Please advise me on it?

Kian Karimi, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question! Without photos or a face-to-face consult, it is difficult to assess which treatment will work best for you. In my clinic I utilize the latest laser technology to safely treat all skin types. For darker skin tones I advise staying away from BBL and Halo procedures due to the risk of burning and scarring. Instead I recommend a combination of PicoSure and Morpheus8 (microneedling with radiofrequency) to improve hyperpigmentation, acne scars and skin tightening. The PicoSure will address the pigmentation issues while the Morpheus8 will improve texture, skin laxity and overall tone of the skin.  While a series of treatments may be needed for your desired result, downtime is minimal after both procedures.  As always it is important to see an experienced laser specialist in order to receive safe and effective care.
Best of luck,
  
Dr. Kian

David M. Lieberman, MD · Answer

Halo is safe for all skin types.   If you have dark skin you are at risk for hyperpigmentation with all lasers.  There are safe settings for HALO that help to avoid this.  Halo is a highly customizable treatment, be sure you are seeing a provider that understands the risk. Best of luck to you!

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Dark skin has the ability to hyperpigment much easier and you have a high risk for that if you have resurfacing performed. While each Doctor will have their preferred treatment, I would suggest these fractional laser/radiofrequency treatment that is non-ablative (fraxel, sublative, viva) with or without microneedling/prp. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Scott Greenberg, MD · Answer

I am sorry that you had a bad experience with BBL.  HALO is FDA-approved for all skin types and may be a better option for you. I would discuss that option in detail with your doctor.

Michele S. Green, MD · Answer

All of these lasers can burn your skin if you don't have the correct settings. I would recommend eMatrix for your skin type since it is a "color blind" laser and can treat every skin type for your acne scars and Cosmelan for the pigmentation.  BBL at the skin tight setting should not burn you so perhaps they did it at the incorrect setting. Please consult an expert in cosmetic lasers for the best results. Best, Dr. Green

Robert G. Aycock, MD, FACS · Answer

I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with BBL. This can happen if your skin type cannot tolerate the treatment or the settings were too high. Halo is a laser that is safer for darker skin types. This could be a better treatment but there is some recovery after the procedure. If you have any questions regarding your future treatment than please follow up with your laser provider.

Jake Wardwell, DO · Answer

Halo is the safest type of laser for dark skin because the settings can be customized for your skin type. Ablation can be reduced to a smaller fraction of the face and shallower depth just enough to release heat from the non ablative laser that is going to target deeper layers to remove pigment as well as regenerating collagen and elastin. Halo has been studied and shown to be safe in all skin types and it is the laser of choice for treating conditions that have higher risk of hyperpigmentation such as melasma or post inflammatory hyperpigmentation without risking making it worse. 
BBL can be safe for skin types 1-5 and Skintyte is an infrared setting that can be used on skin type 6 (African American). BBL has significantly more risk of burning darker skin types if the wrong settings are chosen. With darker skin types, practitioners need to be more conservative and increase settings slowly and explain that it can simply take more treatments rather than being more aggressive to achieve instant results. BBL has full customization of the temperature, amount energy delivered per second, spot size, wavelength and energy delivered. A pro laser doc will know how to use these settings to keep your treatment safe and effectively treat your aesthetic concern. 
Halo is a safer treatment for darker skin types but it also requires some degree of nuance and understanding to know how to use it safely and effectively. It may be worth reviewing how your doctor intends to modify your treatment to address your aesthetic concern and keep the treatment safe for your skin type. Doing a consult with another doctor performing Halo can help to shed light on any differences in their approach so you make an informed decision. 
Lastly, in my experience adding growth factors, such amniotic membrane or PRP, to the treatment can help reduce risk of scarring, accelerate the healing process and amplify the collagen regeneration potential.

Susan Buenaventura, MD, FACS · Answer

Depending on your heritage, it sounds like you would be considered a Skin Type V.   BBL would certainly be risky for burns in your case and should be avoided, as dark skin has a high concentration of pigmented cells to absorb the light energy.  HALO can be safely done in your skin type, but caution is also important.  Using proper settings, taking a thorough history, using some type of bleaching cream before and after laser are all important and should be guided by your doctor.  HALO is wonderful for evening out skin pigment, resurfacing skin and stimulating deep collagen.  Good luck

Davin Lim, MBBS, FACD - Account Suspended · Answer

HALO is an excellent laser- the erbium component is best for dark skin and is certainly safer than CO2. This laser is very controllable, namely all aspects including depth, density, passes both in the erbium and non ablative wavelengths can be tuned in by your dermatologist to YOUR SKIN TYPE. If you have darker skin, the density has to be conservative, and you may require 2-4 sessions for best results. The use of HQ or bleaching creams before and after the laser will also help. Be guided by your dermatologist .All the best, Dr Davin Lim. Brisbane. Australia.

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