Laser or Radiofrequency for the Face: Which One Answers What You See in the Mirror
Fractional laser works on the surface of the skin, radiofrequency on its support. How to tell which one answers what bothers you, and in what order.
Count back from your first December event. LaseMD Ultra is spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart: a series of 3 therefore takes 6 to 8 weeks from the first appointment to the last. The redness itself lasts about 24 to 48 hours.
Here is the calculation, what you'll see on your skin from one session to the next, and what the holiday season adds: the sun on trips, and a calendar that fills up.
Counting back, by number of sessions
We often suggest a series of 3 to 5 sessions, and the improvement in your complexion builds gradually over the sessions. Your exact plan is set at the consultation, based on your skin and your goals. In the meantime, here is what a 3 to 4 week rhythm gives:
| Your plan | Sessions | First to last appointment |
|---|---|---|
| A glow for a single event | 1 | One appointment |
| A starter series | 3 | 6 to 8 weeks |
| A longer series | 5 | 12 to 16 weeks |
To put that on your calendar:
- Note the date of your first party or your first family photo.
- Keep a margin after the last session, so the redness has time to settle. Its length is set at the assessment, based on how you react.
- Then count back by the length of your series, using the table.
- Keep the 3 to 4 week interval: it lets the skin recover, and it is adjusted to your reaction and your skin type.
If December is close and you haven't started
We get it: October flies, and nobody thought about their skin before the first gift to buy. A series of 3 needs 6 to 8 weeks, and a single session is still possible if your first event is closer. A glow is often visible within a few days, once the redness settles, but results vary from person to person.
What one session doesn't do is the gradual building of tone and texture, which plays out over several sessions. At the assessment, we tell you what is realistic for your date, and what is less so. A plan of one or two sessions before the first event, with the rest of the series in January, is a plan like any other: we build it with you.
Redness and timing: what you'll see
LaseMD Ultra is a non-ablative laser: it treats the skin without removing it. According to the Mayo Clinic, recovery after non-ablative laser resurfacing is very short. At our clinic, a session takes 45 to 60 min, with a numbing cream beforehand for your comfort.
| What you see | How long | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Redness and a sunburn-like feeling | About 24 to 48 hours | Keeping the skin hydrated, wearing sunscreen |
| Light flaking, sometimes | In the days that follow | Avoiding irritating active products for a few days |
| A clearer glow | Often within a few days, once the redness settles | Continuing the series, the complexion builds |
What weighs most on your calendar is the margin between the last session and the first event. We set it together.
December sun, and trips down south
A holiday trip to the sun is planned along with the sessions. We avoid tanning and direct sun exposure for about 2 to 4 weeks before and after each session. The skin must not be tanned at the time of treatment, and SPF 30 or higher is essential during recovery.
If you're leaving in December, tell us at the assessment, so we can place the sessions around the trip. If your summer tan hasn't quite faded, tell us that too: we look at the skin, not the calendar. For everyday sunscreen, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum.
What we tell you up front at the assessment
At the assessment, we look at your skin, then give you a plan that accounts for your dates. You leave knowing:
- the number of sessions to aim for before your first event, and what we do with the sessions that follow;
- the date of the last session, with the margin for redness;
- the price: $500 per face session, or $1,200 for the 3-session package, taxes extra;
- whether the treatment suits you, since pregnancy, breastfeeding, a skin infection or recently tanned skin are checked at the assessment.
The full details of the treatment are on the LaseMD Ultra page. If your concern is dull skin rather than an event, the dull complexion page covers the other treatments too.
Count back from your first December dinner: three sessions means six to eight weeks between the first and the last.
Questions we get asked
How many weeks before the holidays should you start face laser?
For a series of 3, count 6 to 8 weeks from the first to the last appointment, plus a margin for redness. Count back from the date of your first event. Your exact plan is set at the consultation.
Can you have a session the week of a dinner?
The redness lasts about 24 to 48 hours, sometimes with light flaking afterward. The margin between your last session and your event is confirmed at the assessment, based on how you react.
Should you avoid the sun before a trip down south?
Yes. We avoid tanning and direct sun for about 2 to 4 weeks before and after each session, and the skin must not be tanned at the time of treatment. Tell us your travel dates from the start.
How many sessions does it take to see a result?
We often suggest 3 to 5 sessions. A glow is often visible within a few days after the first, once the redness settles, and the complexion improves gradually. Results vary.
Sources
- Mayo Clinic, "Laser resurfacing." Read the page
- American Academy of Dermatology, "Practice safe sun." Read the page
- Cynosure Lutronic, Ultra 1927 nm laser product page, sold as LaseMD Ultra (manufacturer). Read the page
