I’ve been eager to tackle the tell-tale pigmented spots left from years of acne and basking in the sun without any sunscreen on. My goal? To achieve a complexion that’s smooth and even-toned without any invasive treatments. That’s when laser treatment sparked my interest, with its ability to stimulate the body’s own healing processes for rejuvenation.
The thought of laser triggering my skin to naturally produce a smoother, fresher surface was all the nudge I needed. I was ready to dive in and give laser a shot.
Come along on my journey at Total Wrapture for my very first laser resurfacing treatment! Experience what it was really like.
Decades of not wearing sunscreen takes its toll, even soft sunset light can cause damage.
I arrived at Total Wrapture Medi Spa about ten minutes before my appointment. They had already sent me my consultation forms ahead of time which I had filled in and submitted on my online account, so I was able to go straight to the consultation without sitting around filling in forms.
My consultation was with laser technician, Amy who told me she had been at Total Wrapture for over eleven years. She led me into a brightly lit room that exuded clinical precision. Dominating one corner was a white medical chair, next to which stood an impressive laser machine, complete with a wand and a dynamic handpiece. The whole setup had a futuristic vibe that instantly intrigued me.
The Skin Consultation
Amy pulled out a chair for me and we sat to have a chat.
She clarified a few answers from my forms, especially what type of skincare I was using at home. Thankfully, when I had booked my laser appointment, I received an email listing what products to stop using the week before my treatment. For me, it was acne wash that contained salicylic acid and a retinol night cream.
Amy explained that because those products gently exfoliate the skin, they make it more sensitive to laser treatments. Stopping a week before helps lessen sensitivity.
Amy examined my skin closely as she asked me about my skincare routine and skin goals.
What were my goals?
Amy asked me what I wanted to address with this laser treatment.
“My biggest annoyance is residual acne scars. When my acne heals, I’m left with brown spots that take forever to fade,” I replied.
She said this was a common reason why people get PicoSure laser treatments a few times a year.
“It just helps maintain a clear complexion.”
I felt a bit vulnerable saying the next reason I wanted laser. I think freckles are so adorable on other people, but I tend to hide mine with foundation. “I just prefer a smooth surface, you know?”
Amy completely understood. “This will definitely fade them. Go as smooth as you want!”
She added that a laser pigmentation treatment also evens-out skin tone for a more uniform canvas. I liked the sound of that.
Amy answered all my questions and told me what to expect for this treatment.
What about my fine lines?
“So I know this laser treatment addresses pigmentation,” I started, “But what should I book in the future to address texture? I’m starting to notice fine lines.”
I’m in my 30s, and starting to really notice those lines in photos when I smile.
“Actually, I can do a second pass using this same PicoSure laser, but with a different handpiece that goes a bit deeper!” Amy suggested.
“What does that do?” I asked
“It stimulates a deeper layer of your skin that responds by releasing its healing mechanisms. This produces more elastin and collagen.”
I thought for a second. “Ok, so that’s what’s happening when we develop wrinkles, right? The loss of collagen with age allows them to get deeper?”
(I was glad to have done some research on the spa’s blog beforehand.) Amy smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
“Exactly! And when you trigger more of this production, your skin becomes more supple and stretchy. It lessens the imprints of smile lines and helps smooth what’s already there.”
“Ok, yes please, let’s do that,” I was so excited to be able to target all these concerns in one sitting.
Amy giggled. “It will also tighten the surface of your skin which minimizes the appearance of large pores.”
That was the cherry on top.
The numbing solution application made me feel like a gently glazed donut.
To Numb or Not to Numb
She saw that when I had booked my laser appointment, I had also booked an add-on numbing service.
“I’m super sensitive,” I explained, “I like cry when I get tattoos.”
Amy nodded in understanding, “It’s not a painful treatment really, and it goes by pretty fast, but with numbing you’ll hardly feel anything.”
I sheepishly asked her if she personally uses numbing when she gets laser treatments.
“No, and honestly most people don’t, but if you know you’re particularly sensitive, numbing is a good option,” Amy responded.
The consultation was done!
Step One: Cleansing and Numbing
I lay back and relaxed as Amy cleansed my face and applied a numbing lotion. She explained that it was specially-formulated by the medi-spa’s medical director. Within minutes, I tested my skin and felt that it had gone quite numb.
“You can’t see this, but your face has turned a little red,” Amy reported about 10 minutes later.
“Really? Is that normal?” I was surprised because other than light numbness, I had no other sensation.
“Yes, that’s a completely normal response to the numbing formula,” she reassured me.
Laser energy triggers the dermis (lower layer of skin) to make it enter into repair mode and produce collagen to smooth-out skin.
Step 2: Laser it away!
We were ready to jump into laser action! Amy wiped off the numbing solution, cleansed my face, put eyewear on me (and herself) and grabbed the laser handpiece.
It made a light clicking sound as it passed over my face. That was an interesting sensation. It felt like I was being very lightly tapped as she moved it across my face, but I couldn’t feel any heat. I comfortably chatted. There was a weird smell, almost like party sparklers.
That part was done in less than ten minutes. Next, she changed the handpiece and came in for a second pass to address skin texture. It was almost the same sensation, except that it felt a little warm too. She positioned a fan to cool my face.
“That’s it, we’re done!” Amy announced.
I was a little pink after the PicoSure laser treatment.
Post-Treatment Aftercare
Amy sprayed a redness-reducing spray on my skin and applied sunscreen. She discussed what products I should use in the next few days when cleansing and moisturizing and what aftercare is.
Basically, I had to stay out of heat (saunas, hot tub) and treat my skin gently for the next week. No harsh chemicals.
And that was it!
As the numbing faded on my way home, I started feeling like I had a light sunburn. That was the extent of sensation.
I did, however, look very pink until the next day. Then it faded away.
Amy helped me pick out gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and quality sunscreen.
Results
Within a week, my skin was absorbing my daily skincare better than it ever had before and my skin had a gorgeous, dewy glow. Next, my freckles and acne scars started fading. A few days later, I could tell that my fine lines had softened and my pores looked tighter. These results kept improving as the weeks went by.
Amy had invited me to come back in 4-6 weeks for another treatment and suggested I get three treatments in total as a good “base” to see big changes.
“After that, we can do as many as you want until you get the results you want or you can come in a couple times a year for maintenance.”
I’m already so excited by the results I’ve seen and can’t wait for my next one! I’ll be taking lots of progress pictures to share in my next update. Thanks for following along!