Sciton® Halo™

What does Sciton^® Halo^™ do? How does Sciton^® Halo^™ work? What type of laser is Sciton^® Halo^™? These are just some of the many questions patients ask about this technology. Here’s what you should know when it comes to the basics about Halo^™.

Sciton^® Halo^™ works as both an ablative and non-ablative laser combined in one modality, allowing you to treat a variety of skin concerns. This hybrid laser treatment delivers unique results by making minimal impact on the skin’s surface to deliver focused energy directly into the deeper layers. Patients who want a more dramatic result can choose an ablative approach, which removes the surface layers of skin. The customizable nature of the treatments means you can concentrate them into more intense sessions that are scheduled close together, or spread them out over more time to gradually get the same results.

Common treatment areas for Sciton^® Halo^™ include the neck, chest, hands, arms, legs, and face.

The Sciton^® Halo^™ laser energy is delivered into the skin from a handpiece designed to roll smoothly over the treatment area. Precise tracking technology ensures regulated application for even results. The handpiece also features cooling technology to minimize discomfort. Sensations can further be reduced by a topical anesthetic applied half an hour to an hour prior to the session.

The Sciton^® Halo^™ session itself involves measuring the targeted area with specialized motion tracking technology to ensure an even treatment. Each area to be treated gets a pass from the handpiece. While a skin specialist handles the treatment, the device itself tracks internal details to monitor the application and automatically recognize when the treatment is complete.

Patients tend to describe the sensation they feel during the treatment session as comfortable heat, though it may “prickle” from time to time. A feeling of warmth in the skin can persist for half an hour—give or take, depending on the scope of treatment—after the treatment ends, but this will resolve naturally on its own.

Sciton^® Halo^™ is effective for a wide variety of patients—both women and men alike. Individuals who have fine lines or wrinkles, skin texture or tone changes, or certain types of scarring may be good candidates for Sciton^® Halo^™, though people who have certain types of chronic skin conditions might need to pursue a different strategy. Sciton^® Halo^™ is safe for all skin types.

As skin ages, it loses its even tone and texture, as well as its resiliency. Sun damage further breaks down beneficial elements in the skin and causes pigmentation irregularities. Laser treatments to rejuvenate aging and damaged skin have historically meant patients had to choose one of two options: an ablative treatment that removes the outermost layers of skin and requires downtime for recovery, or a non-ablative treatment that keeps skin intact and offers effective, but milder results. Ablative lasers are more invasive and have more recovery time, but the results from some non-ablative lasers may not be as effective as some patients might like them to be in comparison.

Sciton^® Halo^™ is what is known as a “hybrid fractional laser,” using specific wavelengths to deliver energy into the skin for ablative results with non-ablative recovery. The combination allows Dr. Turner and her team to maximize results while minimizing post-treatment downtime.

A hybrid laser treatment can address the problems by both removing signs of aging on the surface and improving the skin from within. Sciton^® Halo^™ enhances the skin on the face and body. Specifically, Sciton^® Halo^™ can treat:

A hybrid treatment can also reduce the appearance of fine to coarse lines, wrinkles, and scars.

When it was first introduced in 2014, the hybrid fractional laser was the first of its kind and was quickly labeled a paradigm changer. The treatment improved on its predecessors by allowing the upper epidermis and deeper dermis to be treated separately during a single pass from the handpiece.

Earlier laser devices that impacted the dermis had to get through the upper layer—an ablative process that ultimately required dedicated recuperation for healing. While effective, the treatment carried with it the reality of sometimes unwanted down time to allow for the skin to repair itself.

Sciton^® Halo^™ gives patients the power to choose the benefits they want from a treatment—and that includes the downtime. The fractional nature of the laser means ablative results can be enjoyed with non-ablative healing expectations. Treatments are customizable in a way never before possible from a single laser: lighter intensity for rapid results and a quick return to daily living, more intense for more significant improvements. Even with the higher intensity treatments, down time is still only a matter of a few days.

In addition, the Sciton^® Halo^™ energy delivery system is designed to ensure consistency, meaning patients can expect precision and an even, beautiful result each time. This benefit is further enhanced by the device’s Dynamic Thermal Optimization, which manages the heat for ideal distribution throughout the layers of skin.

Another advantage of Sciton^® Halo^™ is that fewer sessions may be required compared to other lasers. Sciton^® Halo^™ provides outstanding results in just one to two treatment sessions, as opposed to certain types of older, non-hybrid laser skin treatment technologies that would require five to six treatments to provide the same level of improvement.

Another plus? The Sciton^® Halo^™ fractionated laser treatment allows for the application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) right away. This can further speed recovery and enhance results. For a PRP treatment, a specialist will collect a small amount of blood, refine it to concentrate the powerful platelets it holds, then inject that into the skin. Since platelets are devoted to repairing wounds, the high numbers of them in recently treated skin get to work fixing damage and improving overall skin health. Other laser treatments required more time between when the session ended and the PRP could be applied, but with Sciton^® Halo^™, you can start to enjoy the healing power of PRP right away. Talk to a member of Dr. Turner’s team to discover more about the relationship between laser treatments, PRP, and glowing, rejuvenated skin.

Patients might be wondering, “What does your face look like after Sciton^® Halo^™?” “How long does it take to heal from Sciton^® Halo^™?” or “How long does it take to recover from Sciton^® Halo^™ treatments?” Halo^™ is designed to deliver precise, consistent results every time and can provide remarkable improvements to aging skin—all with minimal post-treatment healing and side effects.

After a treatment session, patients will be asked to protect their skin from exposure to sunlight and other sources of UV radiation for 24 hours, after which they can generally resume their daily activities as usual. At this time, they will also experience their skin beginning to peel—a process that will finish after three or four days to reveal a youthfully radiant look.

There will typically be virtually no downtime needed for Sciton^® Halo^™, although patients may experience some minor, temporary side effects such as redness, irritation, swelling, and itchiness. New, healthy skin is created in a short amount of time after Sciton^® Halo^™ treatments. For optimal results, patients will usually need to have one to two Sciton^® Halo^™ treatments, depending on the intensity of the treatment. A maintenance treatment will be needed once or twice a year to preserve results.

It is important to know that results will not appear right away after a Sciton^® Halo^™ session. It will take time for improvements to gradually develop and evolve while the skin continues to heal over the following weeks and new, healthy skin is created. Avoiding excessive sun exposure and applying sunscreen will be important while your skin is healing as it will help to reduce the risk of irregular skin pigmentation.

Sciton^® Halo^™ provides short-term as well as long-term benefits. Typically, initial results can be seen in the two to five days following a treatment session. Improvements will continue for weeks and months after your session, and the results can last for years. Future Sciton^® Halo^™ treatments can further improve results. The improvement in the skin that patients will see is often referred to as the “Halo^™ Glow.”

Because each patient is different, each Sciton^® Halo^™ experience will be different. Sciton^® Halo^™ treatments can vary in intensity and number, so cost is best discussed during a consultation, when you can explain the ultimate results, you want and your desired down time, and the full scope of the treatment can be estimated.

Sciton^® Halo^™ is just one of a variety of laser treatments Dr. Turner makes available at her Dallas and Irving-area offices so she can offer patients a range of options to suit their various needs and lifestyles. Laser treatments can also be used for hair removal and targeting spider veins and other visible vessels. There are also other lasers and light treatments available for skin resurfacing, including intense pulsed light (IPL), Fraxel^®, and SmartXide DOT laser.

Patients may also choose other skin resurfacing options, such as chemical peels, which remove the outermost layers of skin to show more youthful skin waiting beneath. Note that peels typically require some down time to allow for the skin to heal. Injectable neuromodulators like BOTOX^® can often be a better option for patients who want to specifically target the dynamic wrinkles associated with habitual facial expressions, such as smiling and frowning. Dermal fillers are another option for reducing wrinkles. Gel-like substances of varying densities are injected below the skin to add volume as a way of minimizing wrinkles or refining the contours of the face.

As noted above, a consultation is your opportunity to explain what you’re looking for in terms of results. Dr. Ellen Turner and her team will work with you as an individual to help you determine which treatment or series of treatments are best suited to giving your skin the attention it needs for a healthy, beautiful look.