Looking to improve your skin’s texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles? Clear + Brilliant may be the solution for you. In this blog post, we’ll delve into what Clear + Brilliant is, how it works, and the benefits of this treatment.
We’ll also provide insights into what to expect before, during, and after the procedure, helping you make an informed decision about whether Clear + Brilliant is right for you.
What is Clear + Brilliant?
Clear and Brilliant is a fractional, non-ablative laser that creates microscopic treatment zones in the upper layers of the skin to stimulate a repair response to create healthy, new skin. This treatment is designed for younger adults in their 20s and 30s to address the first signs of aging: fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, uneven skin texture and tone, and uneven pigmentation like brown spots and scars. It’s safe for all skin tones because it targets water within the skin — not melanin.
Top Benefits of Adding Clear + Brilliant Into Your Skin Routine:
1. Skin Rejuvenation
The decades of the 20s and 30s are typically when patients begin to notice mild signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, and mild folds. Clear and Brilliant stimulates collagen production in the skin to help soften, or even completely eliminate, these lines. Increased collagen production also helps keep the skin strong and thick, helping to prevent future fine lines from forming.
2. Improved Texture
The resurfacing component of Clear + Brilliant helps to smooth out rough skin and address uneven texture. The collagen stimulation also helps to plump up the skin for a more hydrated and glowing appearance.
3. Even Skin Tone
By increasing skin cell turnover, Clear + Brilliant helps to lighten and reduce the appearance of brown spots, sun damage, age spots, hyperpigmentation, and acne scarring.
4. Pore Size Reduction
The collagen stimulation and tightening of the surrounding skin helps shrink pore size. Increased skin cell turnover also helps to reduce oil production and reduce clogged pores, which often makes pores more pronounced visually.
5. Enhanced Skin Radiance
With improved skin texture and tone, patients notice an overall improvement in their skin’s radiance, along with a brighter, more youthful glow.
6. Customized Treatments
With two different treatment handpieces and customizable settings, your Clear and Brilliant treatment is designed specifically to address your skin concerns, type, tone, and degree of damage and aging thus far.
Through adjustable densities and depths of thermal energy delivery, our providers will be able to target your concerns with maximal efficacy and minimal downtime. We also apply post-treatment serums and offer post-treatment masks aligned with your skin’s needs for optimal outcomes.
7. Long-lasting Results
The results from your Clear and Brilliant treatments will continue to compound over time and improve with continued upkeep of treatments. While you will notice results after your first treatment, most patients rave about the results they see after completing an initial treatment series, which is three to six treatments spaced three to four weeks apart. Once this initial treatment series is complete, patients are able to maintain their results with only a couple of touch-up treatments per year as needed.
What Can I Expect During the Treatment?
Upon arriving for your treatment, we will have you clean your skin thoroughly and take “before” photos for a record of your baseline. We will then apply a topical numbing cream to the areas being treated and allow it to penetrate the skin for 30 minutes.
Your skin will then be cleaned again and sterilized to ensure no remnants of the numbing cream are present. The procedure will then be performed by one of our skilled physician assistants or nurse practitioners who have been trained one-on-one in the use of this device. They will adjust the settings and tailor the treatment specifically to your skin type and goals.
The treatment itself takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete, depending on the areas being treated. During the treatment, you can expect an increased sensation of heat and light tingling.
What Can I Expect After the Treatment?
Immediately after the treatment, you may experience some lingering heat similar to having a fresh sunburn. You also may experience some mild redness and swelling. These typically subside in a couple of hours.
A hydrating serum with exosomes will be applied to your skin to nourish it and optimize the healing. For the next 3-5 days your skin may feel more gritty, similar to a piece of sandpaper, as it flakes and heals. There also may be small dark specks that will peel away.
You may also experience some dryness and itching. These side effects are not as extreme as other resurfacing lasers, allowing most patients to resume work and their daily activities immediately after treatment.
What Does the Post-Care Entail?
- Sun Protection: The most important thing during the healing process is to be diligent with sun protection. The Clear and Brilliant laser makes your skin much more sensitive to the sun, so applying sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater every 2 hours along with sun-protective clothing is advised.
- Moisturize: Your skin will be dry and dehydrated from the heat applied in the treatment, so keeping your skin hydrated is a must. Cleanse your skin with a gentle, hydrating cleanser and moisturize multiple times a day with a hydrating cream. Also, make sure to increase your water intake to hydrate from the inside out!
- Keep It Simple: As your skin heals the following 3-7 days, cut out all of your active ingredients and exfoliators including retinols, AHA/BHAs, and Vitamin C. Also try to stick to the basics with fragrance-free products and limited steps in your skincare routine. You can resume your active ingredients once your skin has fully healed in 1 week or once your dryness and peeling have resolved.
- Exercise Limitation: We recommend waiting until the following day to resume any intense physical activities that will cause you to sweat. This is to limit the amount of bacteria congregation on the skin and prevent irritation or infection
- Makeup: Additionally, we also recommend waiting 24 hours after the treatment until you apply makeup to the treated areas. This is also to avoid bacteria that may be in your makeup from repeated use from spreading to your face. It also helps to avoid any extra ingredients that may further irritate the skin when it is in a more vulnerable state.
What Can I Do to Help With Discomfort After My Treatment?
While the discomfort post-procedure most patients experience is usually minimal, we recognize that each patient heals differently and has their own sensitivities to discomfort. You can expect to feel as if you have a fresh sunburn, which takes a few days to resolve and then peel.
- Cold Compresses: Applying cold compresses to the treated areas for 15 minutes every hour for the first 24 hours post-treatment can help to cool the skin and provide relief from the heat. If persistent heat is lingering, you can also mix in a quarter-cup of white vinegar to your cool water to make a solution. The white vinegar helps to draw the heat out of the skin for additional relief, as well as acts as an antibacterial agent.
- Tylenol: If your discomfort is especially bothersome, you can take a dose of Tylenol every four to six hours for the first day or two.
- Sleep Elevated: Sleeping with your head elevated and on your back will help to mitigate swelling and prevent fluid from collecting in your face.
How Many Treatments Do I Need?
Each treatment plan, including the number of treatments and timing of the treatments, is individually tailored to the patient based on your concerns and goals. The recommended number of treatments is usually between four to six treatments spaced 3-4 weeks apart.
Once the desired outcome is achieved, maintenance sessions can be scheduled as needed. The frequency of maintenance sessions depends on how well you are taking care of your skin and your lifestyle factors. Patients who are diligent with their sun protection and avoid engaging in behaviors like smoking typically find their results last longer.
When Can I Expect to See Results?
You will see the results in the following week as your skin peels and heals, revealing fresh new skin underneath. The full effects from the treatment will continue to develop over the following weeks post-treatment as the skin’s collagen production increases and the skin’s cell turnover continues to accelerate.
- Three to Seven Days Post-Treatment: You will notice clearer, fresher skin as your old skin peels away and heals.
- Two to Three Weeks Post-Treatment: You will notice your skin feels softer, has a more even tone, and has a radiant glow. Your skincare and makeup will apply more evenly.
- One to Two Months Post-Treatment: Your results will continue to improve with continued collagen stimulation. Additional treatments will increase the effectiveness of your treatments, and thus produce even better results. The results will continue to compound over time and can last for months.
Is Clear + Brilliant Right for You?
If you are in your 20s or 30s and beginning to notice signs of aging or lackluster skin, Clear and Brilliant is an excellent treatment to consider incorporating into your skincare routine.
Its comprehensive skin rejuvenation capabilities coupled with its short downtime and quick treatment sessions make it a great introductory laser to help keep your skin at its healthiest both on and below the surface.
If you’re interested in a personalized assessment, contact our office today at (212) 722-2209 or visit our website www.fabrxstudio.com for a consultation with one of our board-certified providers!
