What is the HALO Glow?

Is there an actual glow from the HALO® laser?

Most laser skin-resurfacing treatments result in clearer, lighter, and smoother skin. Patients appreciate that their skin looks younger, healthier, and more beautiful. Many report that their skin feels refreshed and revitalized. But for some reason, the term “glowing skin” seems to be more frequently attributed to one laser in particular—the HALO hybrid fractional laser.

Of course, this could be a result of the brand’s marketing. The term “HALO glow” appears in HALO sales literature. But that doesn’t explain why so many doctors have noted the “glow” in their reviews, why patients see the “glow” in themselves, or why their friends and family see it, too.

HALO patients love “the glow”

HALO patients use many different terms to describe their glowing complexion. They feel that their skin looks “brighter,” “more reflective,” “luminous,” and “radiant.” But a surprising number simply identify it as “glowing.” Some say that the glow lasts for a few weeks, while others say that it lasts for much longer, but it’s always seen as a desirable enhancement. Here are a few patient quotes about the HALO laser from social media posts:

“My coworker said my skin really does look a lot brighter, really glowy.” “My skin has a more even color and glow.” “The treatment left my skin very smooth and glowing after the first few weeks.” “My skin texture was improved and I had a glow to my skin.” “I feel like my skin is glowing months later—it’s like new.”

Can a laser treatment really create a noticeable glow?

The question is, can any laser treatment actually create a visible glow? Could there be a noticeable difference in the quality of skin enhancement among laser treatments? Some researchers may have a scientific explanation.

In a clinical study entitled “Optical properties of the human skin,” researchers concluded that visual perceptions of skin depend on interactions between the light and structures of the skin surface and the tissue components below the surface.¹

In other words, skin reflects light from its surface and from deeper within. Clearing the skin surface allows for greater absorption of light into the dermis. Revitalizing the dermis can affect the subsurface scattering of light and change the visible wavelengths reflected by various components, such as cell membranes, keratohyalin granules, melanosomes, mitochondria, and collagen fibers.

This would suggest that a hybrid laser, like HALO, that targets both layers of the skin at the same time—with both ablative and non-ablative wavelengths—could, in fact, have a different effect on the skin’s absorption and reflection of light.

HALO practitioners recognize the “glow”

Dermatologist Chris W. Robb, a devoted practitioner of the HALO treatment, has seen the light. “Patients are always happy when they come back. They look more reflective, and they’re much brighter. And that’s a real thing that we can track, when we look at the ultraviolet photography and we see that they no longer have these deep, deep freckles and deep sun damage. That deep sun damage acts like a sink, and it just soaks up sunlight. Once HALO gets rid of that, they’re just more reflective. There’s no sun damage, so they just reflect light like a baby.”

Dermatologist Arisa Ortiz, who has also made HALO a big part of her practice, has a similar observation. “My patients have been really loving the HALO procedure. They always mention with the HALO procedure that their friends comment on how nice their skin looks. They look a lot brighter, because the light just reflects a little bit better off their skin.”

HALO gets glowing praise from patients and doctors

The HALO laser from Sciton is the world’s first hybrid fractional laser. By delivering both fractional ablative and non-ablative laser wavelengths in the same pass, HALO treats the damage you can and cannot see at the same time. Patients receive both ablative and non-ablative results with non-ablative recovery times. What’s more, the dual wavelengths can be delivered in many different permutations of depths and coverage to customize the optimal treatment for each patient. In testimonials, reviews, and social media posts, patients and doctors express the highest levels of satisfaction with their HALO treatment and results.

Reference:

1. Gajinov Z, Matić M, Prćić S, Ðuran V. Optical properties of the human skin. Serbian J Dermatology Venereol. 2010;2(4):131-136.