HALO by Sciton
AVAILABLE AT VEGA BACK BAY
AVAILABLE AT VEGA BACK BAY
HALO® by Sciton is a hybrid fractional laser designed to improve sun damage, uneven pigmentation, fine lines, texture, and other visible signs of skin aging.
What makes HALO different from many fractional lasers is its ability to deliver both ablative and non-ablative laser energy during the same treatment. This allows your provider to customize the depth and intensity of resurfacing according to your skin, concerns, desired results, and acceptable downtime.
HALO can be used for more significant skin rejuvenation than lighter fractional treatments while maintaining a fractional approach that leaves surrounding areas of untreated skin to support healing.
HALO combines two wavelengths in a single treatment.
The 1470 nm non-ablative wavelength delivers energy into deeper layers of the skin without removing the surface.
The 2940 nm erbium:YAG ablative wavelength creates controlled microscopic channels in the skin’s surface.
Together, these wavelengths allow treatment at different depths while stimulating a controlled healing and remodeling response.
Because HALO is fractional, only a portion of the skin is treated during each pass. Surrounding untreated tissue helps support the recovery process.
This is a term patients encounter constantly with HALO, so I’d explicitly explain it.
Hybrid refers to HALO’s ability to deliver ablative and non-ablative wavelengths during the same treatment.
Fractional means the laser creates microscopic treatment zones rather than treating the entire surface of the skin.
This combination allows the treatment to address different depths of the skin while preserving areas of untreated tissue between the microscopic treatment zones.
Both HALO and MOXI are fractional Sciton lasers, but they occupy different positions on the resurfacing spectrum.
MOXI® is a non-ablative 1927 nm fractional laser. It is particularly useful for pigmentation, uneven tone, early photodamage, and patients seeking a lighter treatment with relatively limited recovery.
HALO® combines ablative and non-ablative wavelengths, allowing more intensive resurfacing and treatment at multiple depths.
A simple way to think about the difference:
MOXI → lighter resurfacing, prejuvenation and maintenance
HALO → more corrective resurfacing for established photodamage and texture
Neither is inherently “better.” The appropriate treatment depends on your skin and how much correction and recovery you want.
HALO and BBL® BroadBand Light can be combined when a patient has multiple components of photodamage.
BBL uses light energy to target unwanted brown pigmentation and vascular redness, while HALO provides fractional resurfacing to address texture, pigmentation, fine lines, and overall skin quality.
Combining the technologies allows your provider to address both unwanted color and textural changes as part of a more comprehensive rejuvenation treatment.
A topical anesthetic is generally applied before treatment to improve comfort.
During treatment, the HALO handpiece passes systematically across the skin while delivering fractional laser energy. Patients commonly experience warmth or heat during the procedure.
HALO incorporates cooling technology to improve comfort during treatment.
Treatment time varies according to the area being treated and whether HALO is combined with another procedure such as BBL.
Immediately following treatment, the skin typically feels warm and may appear red and swollen, similar to a significant sunburn.
Over the following days, the skin may develop a bronzed appearance and rough or sandpaper-like texture as microscopic treated tissue moves toward the surface.
This material should be allowed to shed naturally rather than being picked, scrubbed, or aggressively exfoliated.
The degree and duration of visible recovery depend on treatment intensity. More aggressive HALO settings generally produce greater downtime than lighter treatments.
Early improvements in brightness and tone may become apparent as the initial healing process resolves.
Changes in pigmentation, texture, and overall skin quality can continue developing over subsequent weeks and months as the skin undergoes remodeling.
Some patients undergo a single more intensive HALO treatment, while others benefit from a series or periodic maintenance treatments. Your treatment plan should be individualized according to the condition of your skin and your goals.
HALO provides considerable flexibility because the depth and density of its ablative and non-ablative components can be customized.
However, HALO should not be marketed as providing the same results as fully ablative resurfacing with essentially no downtime. Greater correction generally comes with greater recovery.
For patients with severe wrinkles, advanced photodamage, significant scarring, or substantial skin laxity, another treatment may be more appropriate.
That is much more credible than the current “ablative results with non-ablative downtime” language.
HALO is a hybrid fractional laser that incorporates both ablative and non-ablative wavelengths during treatment.
HALO combines a 1470 nm non-ablative wavelength with a 2940 nm erbium:YAG ablative wavelength.
Downtime varies according to treatment intensity. Redness, swelling, warmth, bronzing, and a rough skin texture are expected during recovery. More intensive treatments generally require greater recovery.
Generally, yes. MOXI is entirely non-ablative and is often selected for lighter resurfacing and maintenance. HALO incorporates an ablative wavelength and can provide more intensive fractional resurfacing.
Yes. BBL and HALO address complementary concerns and may be combined in appropriately selected patients. BBL primarily addresses unwanted pigment and vascular redness while HALO provides fractional resurfacing.
It depends on treatment intensity and your goals. Some patients choose a more intensive single treatment, while others benefit from multiple treatments or subsequent maintenance.
HALO may improve the appearance of selected acne scars by providing fractional resurfacing and stimulating remodeling. The appropriate treatment depends on the type and severity of scarring.
HALO is particularly useful for patients seeking more comprehensive correction of photodamage, pigmentation, texture, and visible signs of aging than they may achieve with lighter resurfacing treatments.
Because HALO is highly customizable, your Vega Vitality provider can adjust treatment depth and intensity according to your skin and desired recovery.
HALO may be performed alone or incorporated into a more comprehensive treatment plan with complementary technologies such as BBL.