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If Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston, and Angelina Jolie do it, you know it must be the age-defying answer to scars, uneven skin, coloration problems, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Thankfully, the Hollywood facial doesn’t carry a Hollywood price tag. The carbon peel helps your skin look visibly more youthful, clearer, and smoother by tightening pores and reducing scars and unsightly pigmentation.
So, how does the carbon laser facial work, and is it right for your skin type?
How Does the Carbon Laser Facial Work?
The rejuvenation treatment works by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin, leaving your skin lovely and plump.
For your clinician to recommend a carbon laser facial, you’ll first need to have a detailed consultation. Your therapist will carefully assess your skin, take time to understand your concerns and your medical history. They will then recommend a course of carbon peel treatments to make you look dewy and youthful again. A course is usually between three and five treatments, and you’ll notice a difference after your very first treatment. Collagen production is encouraged throughout your treatments, making your skin look visibly clearer, brighter, and smoother.
What’s Involved in the Treatment?
Before the treatment takes place, your skin is thoroughly cleansed and freed from any traces of makeup (just like during laser tattoo removal). Next, your clinician will apply a thin layer of a thick paste made of carbon and water over your face. This paste will reach skin temperature in approximately 20 minutes. As it dries, the carbon particles absorb impurities deep within your pores, exfoliate your skin, reduce any tenderness or inflammation from blemishes, and attach themselves to oil and dirt on the skin’s surface.
Introducing the Laser
A laser with a 1060nm wavelength frequency is passed over the surface of your skin which starts a chain reaction of short blasts. These little blasts force energy deep into the dermis layer of your skin, instantly absorbing impurities into the carbon mask. The heat activates the carbon and clears away all of the contaminants. The carbon activates collagen and elastin, which encourages and promotes the natural healing and plumping process to reduce the appearance of scarring, wrinkles, and fine lines. Acne sufferers will notice an immediate reduction in inflammation and shrinkage of any enlarged pores.
The last phase of the lunchtime relaxing treatment uses the Q-Switched laser. The laser fires a series of short pulses that break down the carbon absorbed by dead skin cells, impurities, and oils and disperses them.
Your skin will look porcelain-smooth in texture and tone and will leave you looking healthy and vital. The carbon peel can also lift and tighten your skin and provide additional moisture for a radiant complexion. It can even tackle nasty bouts of bacne. In a clinical study, a series of six carbon peels over 12 weeks resulted in 90% of acne lesions being removed and significant improvement in general skin condition.
The entire treatment only lasts half an hour or so, and the effects are noticeable immediately. The peel is likened to a tingling sensation and is very relaxing. You might even have a little lunchtime power nap.
Does the Hollywood Facial Have Any Side Effects?
There is little or no downtime for the carbon facial; there have been no reports of any skin problems, complications, or side effects. It’s a very safe procedure, but you might notice some redness right after your treatment caused by the heat that the laser generates to extract the impurities embedded in your skin. Your skin will return to normal in no time, and you’ll be able to head back to the office straight away.
If you have any immediate post-treatment worries, your clinician will recommend you keep your skin dry and avoid touching it to keep it clean. You can apply natural aloe vera gel if you feel that your skin needs to be soothed. Also, try and avoid wearing oily makeup for a couple of days post-treatment to avoid clogging your beautifully clean pores. If you need to wear makeup, use a light coverage, natural mineral foundation.
When Should I Have a Carbon Laser Facial?
You’ll notice the difference in your skin tone after just one treatment. But if you book a course of three or more facials, each treatment improves your overall healthy glow by improving your skin texture, cleanliness of pores, and reduction of scarring. The treatment helps regenerate your skin and boosts the production of your friend, collagen. Once you have started a program of treatments, you’ll want to keep them in your regular routine of skincare.
Should I Choose a Chemical Peel or Carbon Laser Facial?
A carbon peel is much more gentle on your skin. It is recommended for people with sensitive skin types prone to breakouts, acne, and eczema. The mask and laser together intensively draw out impurities without damaging the outer layers of your skin, whereas a chemical peel uses a fine acid composite that exfoliates and removes the outer layer of your skin to penetrate the epidermis layer. The chemical peel can cause redness and swelling, resulting in a more extended downtime to give your skin a chance to heal. The carbon laser encourages skin renewal and healing from the heat generated from the laser, whereas the chemical peel results come from a harsh chemical reaction.
Thankfully the treatments once reserved for Hollywood celebrities are available during your lunch hour. It’s a cost-effective way to have a beautifully plump, radiant, and baby soft skin complexion.
