Looking to treat discoloration, sun spots, redness and more in one go? Laser layering could be the key.
With summer coming to an end, skin concerns might be top of mind. Perhaps some new sun spots have popped up; pigmentation has become darker, or overall tone and texture could just use a refresh. That’s where lasers come in. While different lasers can address an array of needs, from fine lines to discoloration, experts agree that layering is the way to get the most effective results in the shortest amount of time.
Here, a look at what laser layering is, the benefits, recovery, precautions and more.
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What Is Laser Layering?
Laser layering is combining more than one laser modality in a single treatment, such as intense pulsed light, or IPL, with Clear + Brilliant, two popular options for different needs.
“One size fits all? That’s not how it works,” says Lisa Goodman, owner of GoodSkin Clinics, who has been layering lasers in her practice for years. “I 100 percent believe that [laser layering is] how people should be treating themselves.”
What Are the Benefits?
“Layering lasers is an excellent approach for facial treatments,” says Dr. Naana Boakye, a board-certified dermatologist. “It allows dermatologists to target multiple skin concerns within a single session, which can provide a more effective outcome.…[It] can enhance treatment outcomes and may offer better long-term benefits.”
In addition, using multiple laser modalities in one treatment can make the patient’s life easier.
“Combination treatment is a wise idea for the patient because you can minimize the number of office visits and maximize outcome,” says Leighanne McGill, a board-certified physician’s assistant and laser expert at Ject, a medical aesthetics clinic with locations in New York City, Los Angeles and Miami.
Goodman agrees: “[Patients] can be more effective with their time.”
What Lasers Pair Well Together?
Providers can pair different lasers together in treatments depending on a patient’s skin concerns, though some are oftentimes used in combination. For example, Goodman combines intense pulsed light therapy, which can target redness, broken capillaries and superficial brown spots, and a fractional laser, like Clear + Brilliant, which can target melasma and hyperpigmentation in her signature Bio-Stim treatment. She combines other modalities like oxygen exfoliation, lymphatic massage and liquid nitrogen for added benefits.
Similarly, at Ject, McGill often pairs IPL with a non-ablative resurfacing laser like Moxi, which can go a bit deeper into the skin than Clear + Brilliant. McGill notes that Moxi is one that is easy to pair with many other lasers.
“[Moxi is] amazing for treating melasma and hyperpigmentation,” she says. “It also helps with pore size and appearance and fine lines.”
What Are the Precautions of Layering Lasers?
In terms of precautions, it is first, of course, important to find an expert provider who knows which lasers pair well together and how best to layer. That being said, when done incorrectly or too aggressively, laser layering can cause issues.
“Overlapping treatments can increase the risk of adverse effects, such as prolonged redness, swelling or hyperpigmentation,” Boakye says.
In addition, experts say not to do a laser treatment after tanning or even self-tanning.
“The skin must be at its baseline color if we decide to stack laser modalities. Having a tan in the skin is dangerous for laser. You cannot get the same kind of treatment, if any treatment at all,” McGill says. “Self tanner is actually more dangerous.…I want patients to avoid self tanner for six weeks prior to any laser treatment. It’s because the self tanner just sits at the very top layer of the skin, so when the laser is looking for the pigment, it’s going to latch onto that. Self tanner can give you a burn.”
In addition, McGill recommends patients who experience cold sores to take Valtrex in advance of treatments.
Is the Recovery Time Longer?
While laser layering could make recovery time a bit longer, by just a day or two, it reduces the amount of times the patient will have to recover.
“You do two treatments, one visit, one recovery,” McGill says. “It does depend on your skin tone, and it does depend on the modalities that you use, but let’s say you’re going to have a five- to seven-day recovery anyway. By adding a second modality, sometimes you add one or two days of recovery, but you save yourself that other recovery that you would have had to do.”
That being said, providers like Goodman add additional modalities into their treatments to speed the recovery process even further. In the signature Bio-Stim treatment, she implements cryotherapy and epidermal growth factor-infused skin care products from her line RMéd, which can both quicken the recovery process.
“One of the biggest opportunities for people to experience not only better results, but also faster healing time, is to use growth factors,” she says. “We never want to treat the skin without helping to heal the skin.”
What Is the Recovery Protocol?
As with any laser treatment, after receiving multiple modalities, patients should keep the skin hydrated, ensure they are regularly applying sunscreen and avoid harsh ingredients.
“The biggest thing is avoiding active skin care, so no retinoids, no antioxidants like vitamin C, no acids like AHAs or BHAs,” says McGill, adding that she recommends patients use a gentle, non-irritating cleanser morning and night. “The absolute best thing that you can do for your skin, other than sunscreen when you’re healing, is Alastin [Skincare Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHex Technology, $236]. It is a wonderful healing product that has a wealth of data behind it.”
As used during treatment to improve recovery, Goodman gives her patients a protocol of RMéd products to take home, which include epidermal growth factors. The growth factor-infused products include the Renewal +++EGF Serum, $185, and the Radiance +++EGF Serum, $155.
Where Is Laser Layering Available?
Depending upon the patient’s needs and the location’s modalities, any expert provider should be able to implement laser layering in treatments. Aside from GoodSkin Clinics, which has locations in New York City and Los Angeles, other medical aesthetic clinics like Ject and SkinSpirit, which both have several locations nationwide, also offer this type of service.