I actually did it. It took me a few months of squirming, rescheduling and being scared AF to follow through, but now I am on the other side, over the proverbial rainbow and I await my glowing pot of gold complexion.

I’m writing this just hours after my Halo Laser treatment. When I took these pics I was lying in the treatment bed waiting for the numbing cream to be applied. I was sort of shocked that I was there. And when I looked at these photos I was like “my skin looks pretty good. What am I doing this for? Am I making the right decision?” The mind is such a tricky SOB. Thank goodness the nurse walked in at that exact moment and put a halt to my spinning mind - it was Go Time.

What is the Halo Laser and why would I want it? Straight from the website (I’m leaving the science to the professionals):

Over the years sun exposure and the wear and tear of everyday living may have resulted in the visible signs of aging such as sun spots, fine lines and wrinkles, acne scaring and the loss of your natural healthy glow. HALO® uses customized laser technology to precisely target and eliminate skin damage revealing a more youthful, radiant appearance.

Halo isn’t like other lasers.

HALO®, the world’s first Hybrid Fractional Laser, is a quick, easy, and comfortable treatment that improves the appearance of skin. You’ll notice an increase in reflectivity that can only be achieved with HALO®. The first wavelength targets the epidermis, or top layer of the skin, to address surface issues and pores. The second wavelength targets the dermis to address deeper sun damage. The result? The HALO® glow that everyone is talking about – radiant skin that shines from the inside out. 

• Corrective results you can see immediately, with continued improvement over time

• Minimal downtime

• Addresses both the damage you can and can’t see

• Comfortable, fast and effective

A few things before I get into the micro-details of the treatment:

1. This is your FACE! You guys, you must completely trust your dermatologist and have a very open and honest relationship with her/him.  I have been “married” to my derm for a few years now. She does my annual body scans for moles/sun spots/pre-cancerous stuff. I’ve had micro-dosing of botox (at which she is incredible, no frozen/scary face), she’s treated my varicose veins, and I’ve had multiple IPL/BBL laser treatments with her (she recommends every 6 months). We know each other. She knows my lifestyle, my health + beauty goals, she totally gets it. That is why, when I chose to take the Halo plunge I was nervous (obvi) but knew that she would never lead me into a treatment that wasn’t 100% right for me.  Full trust. So you have to have that first. If you don’t, keep searching for the right fit before you do anything to your one precious and beautiful body. 

2. There is no such things as the “perfect time.”  Technically there is “down time” to this procedure. Meaning: your face is going to look not so good before it looks better than before.  Taking care of yourself in whatever form that looks like is no longer done in secret or hidden behind closed doors.  We film the procedures, we blog about them with pictures (oh hi, me!). We share. For me, the hope is that the sharing helps someone else, supports them in their journey to be the best version of themselves. Reading personal stories from real humans is almost more valuable to me than all the scientific stuff. It’s relatable and will tell you what this experience might look like in your own life. Don’t put off self-care until the timing is right, because it never will be. Make now the right time. And trust me, I get this. It took me MONTHS to get myself here. Be willing to go to the grocery store, to your friends birthday dinner, take your kid to the dentist - whatever it is - just keep doing your life. To be honest, no one even looked twice at me even during my most extreme “healing” phase.

3. ProNox is a non-negotiable. If this magical pain management elixir (50/50 combo of oxygen and nitrous oxide) is not part of your Dr’s plan of action, then I would reconsider (seriously). It completely eliminated my anxiety and any discomfort. It kept me calm and relaxed. Not gonna lie, after giving birth x2, I’m over unnecessary pain. You control it simply by breathing in/out through a small tube and it takes effect in seconds. No lingering weirdness and you can drive home as soon as 10 minutes after your last puff. It’s a game changer. Make sure you choose a Dr. that basically insists on it.

4. I am not a doctor and I do not play one on the internet. Have to say it. I know nothing. Talk to a trusted medical professional. I am only speaking to my experience and what Halo Laser was like, for me.

Okay, details.

My treatment was at 1:30pm on a Monday afternoon.

They took multiple photos at different angles and measured the depth of the skin with fancy tools to customize the laser to my skin. By 2pm I had numbing cream smeared all over my face and was waiting the 15 minutes for it to take effect before she got started.

Once my derm came in she just sort of “casually” got started without fanfare which was exactly what I needed. She did the IPL/BBL laser first. Eye patches on, it happens fast, over quickly. It feels like a small spark going off on your skin. Not painful, more like a constant surprise. I did not need ProNox for this, the numbing cream was totally enough to take the edge off.

Then she told me to take a few deep breathes with the ProNox and moments later she got started with the Halo Laser. My eyes stayed closed with the protective patches over them but I could still “see” brightness and could feel a heat/spark combo on my skin as she meticulously but efficiently went over every area of my face, down slightly into my neck area to avoid a harsh contrast line. It was not painful and I was relaxed and at ease because I knew I was in trusted hands annnnnd I was on drugs (sort of).

The whole thing took 20 minutes. Immediately afterwards, my face felt like it was ON FIRE. Dr. Flanagan’s remedy for this was to sit for as long as I needed with cold air blowing on my face (there is a small nozzle-like thing from the machine that provides this incredibly soothing stream of ice cold air). I stayed like this for the next 45 minutes. Trust me, you do not want to jump right up, pay your bill and head out into the FL sunshine when you feel like your face is melting off. For a solid 15 minutes the fire feeling was crazy intense. Then, minute by minute, it lessened until I was comfortable enough to get myself going. By the time I was in my car to head home, my skin felt hot and only mildly uncomfortable. It looked pretty gnarly, but actually not as scary as I thought it would.

DAY ONE

The first picture I took in my car as I was about to head home post treatment. Truth, it was frightening to see my face like this. And I had 2 spots that bled a little (nose + forehead), while unsettling, totally normal.

I took the second picture before I went to bed, 6 hours post-treatment. I took 2 Advil when I got home and did not touch my face until I applied the ointment they gave me before bed. I put a thick layer all over, laid a towel over my pillow and fell asleep immediately. I read a few things that recommended sleeping upright (pillows propped up) to reduce swelling but I am a tummy sleeper so that was not happening.

DAY TWO

My skin felt rough, dry and tight. It looked very red and was puffy/swollen (but not as much as I had expected). The tiny dark spots that give the skin a bronzed yet sunburnt appearance are called MENDS - Microscopic Epidermal Necrotic Debris - microscopic wounds from the laser treatment. I gently washed my face in the morning with this, patted dry and applied the ointment (pressing into my skin, not rubbing). I felt surges of heat on my face throughout the day, like when you are embarrassed and your face gets red - it felt like that was happening every hour. I applied the ointment every 3-4 hours which is why I kept my hair up all day (the stuff is very sticky and goey).

DAY THREE

My skin was less red (more of a weird tan look from all the tiny brown spots) but very itchy. Like itchy itchy. Some areas definitely started to clear and I could see patches of fresh skin underneath. Still very rough, sandpapery to the touch. I continued to delicately wash AM + PM and applied the ointment religiously (which helped a ton with the itchiness). I also experienced my eyes really burning (why they are closed in shot #2). Felt like I kept them open underwater in a chlorinated pool. I almost called my doctor but the following day they were fine. I think it might have been caused by all the ointment/cream I was applying to my skin. Over the course of many days enough got into my eyes to cause irritation.

DAY FOUR

Every day more patches of fresh skin start to peak through. Less itchy. This was the first day I worked out and it felt great to sweat and move. My face felt more “heated” during my workout than normal but not uncomfortable. I felt like it helped to naturally slough-off the skin and I experienced peeling on my nose later in the day (post workout). I also used my own skin care products today and felt like I did not need the ointment during the day. I used a cocktail of this serum & this moisturizer, two of my All Time Favorite products. My skin soaked them right up, no irritation, felt like heaven.

DAY FIVE

It’s Friday and my skin is looking closer to normal. All of these photos are without makeup, no filters. Just the very raw me. In the spots where all the Mends have cleared my skin is incredibly clear and smooth, almost an airbrush quality. I didn’t wear makeup all week - just a pure zinc sunscreen, sunglasses and hats when I went out for errands, school pick-ups and playground play. No swimming, beach-going or sun seeking.

DAY SIX

Today was the first time I felt like “okay, wow - I’m happy I did this.” My skin was still in healing mode (rough brown spots lingered on forehead, hair & jawline) but I could see and feel the major resurfacing of my skin start to shine through. Worth sharing: after being out and about most of the day on Day Six I started to see very small whiteheads/milia and tiny blister-like bumps on my skin around my nose/mouth and forehead (the best way I can describe it is like baby acne). I thought maybe it was because I was exposed to sun, my body/face was hot from running around - whatever the reason - I immediately called my doctor for some reassurance. She had me take photos and send to her, then we spoke. Her take: sometimes the laser can cause a reaction that looks like rosacea (or what I was calling baby acne). This is normal and temporary, part of the healing process (every persons skin is different!). She said I could take a low dose antibiotic for a few days to help expedite the clearing or I could wait it out. I filled a prescription (just in case) but decided to give it time to do its own thing. I’m glad I did. Within 24 hours it was completely gone.

DAY 15

Two weeks out and my skin feels pretty darn fantastic. The best part is this is just the beginning. Results continue to develop over time. As the cells regenerate all the things get better - pigmentation, texture, tone, fine lines/wrinkles, age spots, sun damage - Halo is known for its noticeable and dramatic improvements, and so far, I can vouch for it. Another big sell for me was the prevention factor. It eliminates possible pre-cancerous/cancerous cells that could one day develop into serious issues.

It is 100% worth asking your dermatologist about this laser treatment and if it is right for you. I’m a believer. It’s not just an oh-my-skin-looks-nice type of result, like after a good facial. It’s a OMG $%# type of thing that you will never experience with all the gua sha, micro-needling or retinol in the world. This is in a league of its own and I give it a standing ovation. My Dr. recommends 1x/year (so doable) and I’ll be showing up with bells on.

I’ll keep updating this post over the next few months to share my results. I’m happy to answer any questions if you are thinking about having your own Halo experience. E-mail or DM me on Insta - I am here to support you feeling your best.