New light and laser treatment advancements mean you have more options than ever. If you’ve been researching ways to treat sun damage, signs of aging, or uneven skin texture, you’ve probably come across Forever Young BBL® and the HALO® hybrid fractional laser.
Light-based therapies such as BBL and laser treatments are effective, noninvasive ways to address a range of skin concerns that don’t respond well to other facial treatments. Sun damage, dark spots, age-related lines, and acne often require more specialized treatments. When it comes to choosing HALO laser vs BBL, which treatment is right for you? The answer might be both.
How Do BBL Treatments Work?
Even though it’s often referred to as a laser treatment, BBL uses intense pulses of light energy (IPL) to heat the skin, targeting dark spots, pigmentation, and visible blood vessels down to the dermal layer and breaking the pigment into tiny fragments. These fragments rise to the skin’s surface, where they are eventually sloughed off.
During your procedure, the BBL handpiece moves across the treatment area as it delivers rapid pulses of light. The heat generated by the light energy triggers the skin’s natural healing process, stimulating collagen production. Collagen is one of the primary building blocks of firm, smooth skin. Our providers, including board-certified nurse practitioner Hillary Jewell, customize procedures by choosing the wavelength’s intensity to produce your desired results.
What Is HALO Hybrid Fractional Laser?
HALO revolutionized the field of laser skin resurfacing as the world’s first hybrid fractional laser. It combines ablative and non-ablative laser wavelengths during a single treatment, meaning we can customize the aggressiveness of the procedure to suit a patient’s concerns and lifestyle. If you want a more aggressive approach that involves more downtime, that’s possible. Or you can schedule a series of treatments with little to no downtime following each session.
HALO’s ablative wavelength removes surface skin, while the non-ablative laser simultaneously penetrates the deeper layers to stimulate collagen production. As a fractional laser, HALO delivers ablative energy in pinpoint channels without damaging the surrounding skin.
Who Is a Good Candidate for HALO and BBL Treatments?
During your initial consultation, we’ll assess your skin condition and concerns and determine the best treatment approach to safely achieve your goals. Candidates for HALO laser treatments typically:
- Want to minimize skin concerns such as acne scarring, age-related lines, and sun damage (learn more about laser treatments for sun damage in our earlier blog post)
- Are generally in good health and not on any medications that may affect their results
- Have realistic expectations about their potential results
- Don’t have active acne or open wounds
The BBL platform uses multiple light wavelengths to address several skin conditions in a single procedure. Good candidates for a BBL treatment are usually concerned about:
- Freckles, age spots, and other pigmented lesions
- Small blood vessels
- Cherry angiomas
- Acne
- Uneven skin tone
What Are the Differences Between BBL & HALO?
BBL and HALO treatments improve your skin’s appearance but address different concerns. BBL is considered a gentler treatment and requires little to no downtime. HALO is more powerful and requires a few days to a couple of weeks of downtime, depending on the aggressiveness of the treatment.
BBL treatments are best for concerns such as freckles, dark spots, redness, rosacea, acne, and certain types of sun damage. HALO laser treatment is usually a better option if you want to improve skin texture issues and target the skin’s deeper layers. It’s best for fine lines, aging symptoms, acne scarring, pigmented lesions, and enlarged pores.
What About a HALO and BBL Combo Treatment?
Our patients can achieve even more dramatic results when they combine BBL and HALO laser treatments. Sometimes, you can alternate between BBL and laser skin treatments for optimal results. Our providers assess your skin type and consider your skin goals to determine if you are a good candidate for combining treatments.
How Much Does HALO Laser vs BBL Cost?
HALO laser cost and BBL laser cost vary depending on factors such as the extent of your treatment, your provider’s experience level, and the location of your procedure. However, the average cost of HALO laser is $1,608, and the average cost of BBL treatment is $735. Again, this can vary widely. We will provide you with a detailed price estimate during your consultation so you know what to expect.
What Is Recovery Like After BBL and HALO Laser Treatments?
Because it’s a gentle treatment, BBL laser recovery is typically shorter than HALO laser recovery. Most patients experience mild redness and sensitivity in the treatment area after a BBL session. Depending on the nature and severity of your concerns, you may need 1 to 3 treatment sessions to get the best results from BBL.
The recovery after a HALO laser treatment can last a few days to more than a week. You can expect to experience some swelling, tightness, and peeling. Because of the laser’s hybrid technology, you may achieve excellent results after a single treatment that requires a longer recovery window. Alternatively, you can opt for less downtime and more treatment sessions.
Extending the Results of Your BBL and HALO Treatments
Your lifestyle and daily skincare routine can influence how long the results of your treatment last. After a laser or light-based treatment, stay out of the sun and don’t use tanning beds for the first few days, although it’s always best to avoid tanning beds. You should also use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily. Stick to gentle, professional grade skincare products until your skin heals so you don’t impact your results.
Request a Consultation
Discussing your concerns about your complexion or signs of aging with an expert is the best place to begin when considering BBL, HALO, and other laser skin rejuvenation treatments. You can use the online form to request a consultation or call our Eugene, Oregon, office at (541) 683-3234 to schedule an appointment.
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