Medical Skin Treatments to Take Off the Year(s)
Whether you want to compensate for years of skincare neglect or just undo 2024 (or 2023, 2022, 2021, or 2020…), it's time to start advanced medical skin treatments.
Here is our guide to three of our favorite medical skin treatments – what we refer to as "the transformative trifecta." You can try them all out slowly over time, pick what sounds to match your concerns now, or follow our advice on how to stack them this quarter to significantly change your skin before 2025.
Don't have any concerns? You will reverse and prevent skin damage by doing one to three of these treatments per year, asyour budget and schedule allow. Clients often ask about what to do and when, but it's a little difficult to articulate because the truth is: if you can afford medical skin treatments and the downtime they may require, and you care about your skin, then you should be doing these. You have your face for the rest of your life; treat it accordingly.
Our deepest chemical peel treatment is a targeted peel created by Vivant Skincare. It layers several individual acids to shed countless layers of dead skin – think: molting.
Who is it for? Everyone except pregnant and breastfeeding clients. However, for best results, you must pre-condition your skin with mandelic acid or vitamin A serums.
Good for acne? While it's not our first go-to for new acne clients, it is a great way to treat stubborn acne and pigmentation from acne. It is safe for treating all types of acne, including inflamed acne.
Results? Instant results after the peeling is over (in approximately five days) on hyperpigmentation, crows feet, acne scars, acne lesions, and overall skin tone. This peel literally takes the years off. It can also be used to treat melasma, but a series of 2-4 is ideal.
Downtime? Yes! On the day of the peel, you need to avoid sun exposure, but you will not be flaking. The next day, you will still need to avoid the sun, but you can wear light makeup, and you will not flake until the second day. On days 2-4, expect severe shedding of the skin and continue to avoid the sun. You can leave the house at your comfort level, but avoid sweating for five days.
Microneedling is the modality, but SkinPen is the tool Med Spa @ Skin MPLS uses because it's FDA-certified to treat acne scars and wrinkles and is the best on the market. Microneedling is also called collagen induction therapy if it helps you better understand its purpose. Millions of microchannels (think: holes) are opened in the skin to activate your skin's wound-healing response to signal collagen production.
Who is it for? Everyone except pregnant and breastfeeding clients.
Good for acne? It is safe for acne, but we suggest you work through clearing the bulk of your breakouts before investing in microneedling. It is not a substitute for acne-clearing extraction facial treatments and homecare.
Results? It will create a plump, tight, and even look into the skin, but long-term results take several weeks as your skin continues to build that collagen. After two treatments, you will notice refinement in pore size, leading to less clogged pores. Microneedling will chip away at acne scarring, but plan on at least three sessions to treat rolling acne scars. Finally, it can help break up stubborn pigment in the skin, but it isn't the first go-to for treating hyperpigmentation. Opt for a Pro-Peel instead.
Downtime? Your skin may be a bit pink and blotchy for about 24 hours. We will numb your skin with a topical anesthetic, and while pinpoint bleeding may happen, don't expect to leave looking "bloody." The most crucial homecare instruction is not to use anything (makeup and sunscreen included) on your face for 24 hours and avoid sweating.
Broadband Light Therapy (BBL or IPL)
BBL delivers broadband light energy that targets specific chromophores in the skin (brown melanin and red hemoglobin) to even the skin's tone. The light energy also stimulates collagen creation and gives the skin a glow.
Who is it for? Broadband Light Therapy is great for pigmented skin, rosacea, and clients concerned with skin damage. It is not safe for more melanin-rich skin tones or pregnant clients, but is safe for breastfeeding clients.
Good for acne? Broadband Light Therapy is great for treating hyperpigmentation left over from acne. You can also treat active lesions with light therapy that kills acne bacteria. However, if you are still breaking out, we don't recommend investing in BBL treatments until you are clear to ensure the best return on your investment. Opt for a Pro-Peel instead.
Results? In addition to removing sun spots, red spots, and broken capillaries, BBL treatments help remove the underlying redness in the skin. They also leave the skin looking brighter and promote significant collagen production to improve the skin's overall health. Even if you don't have concerns with discoloration, BBL treatments help reverse skin damage and brighten and lift the skin.
Downtime? Officially, there is no downtime with Broadband Light Therapy because you don't have to alter your lifestyle, and you can wear makeup immediately after the treatment. However, staying out of the sun for at least two weeks before and after your treatment is important. The treatment may leave you with redness, darkened spots, and coffee-ground-like skin lasting up to a week, but you can wear makeup to help conceal.
The Transformative Trifecta Guide
If you start in the next few weeks and prioritize your calendar (and your finances), you can easily combine all three to give your skin remarkable results before ringing in the New Year.
There are several successful ways to stack these treatments, so we'll happily work with you individually to calculate a plan that will work for your social calendar, but the best way to prioritize your medical spa trifecta treatments is to start with a medical peel to initially shed as many layers of wrinkles, fine lines, acne scars, and pigment as possible. Then, three to four weeks later, follow your peel with a microneedling treatment to further refine pores, induce collagen, and treat acne scars and wrinkles. And finally, three to four weeks after your microneedling session, finish with your BBL treatment. You'll feel like an airbrushed picture, seeing your skin tone further evened out with the red and brown spots diminished and a gorgeous tightening and glowing up the skin for your big finish!