CLARITY TONING (CT)
Laser treatment for Brightening of Pigmentations & Improvement of Uneven Skin Tone
What is CLARITY TONING (CT)?
Laser (Q-switched Nd:YAG) – SPECTRA XT (Lutronic)
- Lightening of brown skin spots
- Brightening of skin tone
- Evening out of skin tone
- Stimulation of collagen
Clarity Toning is one of our most sought-after and common procedures done at AEON.
Using Lutronic’s SPECTRA XT laser platform, a mild laser energy at the 1064 nm wavelength is emitted for improvement of brown spots, dark skin tone (for sun damage), and uneven skin tone. It is a NON-ABLATIVE laser which means that it does NOT burn the outer layer of skin, therefore preserving the outer layer of skin. There is very minimal pain and NO downtime for the recovery process.
The 1064nm wavelength energy is specifically absorbed by the melanin in the skin (brown color) to induce “breaking up” or “fragmentation” of pockets of pigmentations called melanosomes. After this fragmentation, the melanin is removed via your body’s natural immune system. This leads to lighter brown spots and overall skin brightness. Moreover, the energy to the surrounding dermis stimulates the formation of collagen that can result in tighter skin.
This type of “laser toning” method is more commonly done in Asian countries and involves the use of a Q-switched (QS) Nd:YAG laser at a lower intensity every 1-2 weeks. If done more frequently (such as a few times per week), patients may develop “white spots” or hyperpigmentation which are commonly permanent.
Due to it being a NON-ABLATIVE laser and done at lower intensities, it is very gentle on the skin. Any pain felt will be very minimal, leaving NO need for numbing cream. It is common to feel a slight warming of your skin and a light prickling feeling.
Your eyes will first be protected with metal goggles. Then our aesthetic doctor will begin treatment by gently applying the laser energy to your skin without any part of the making in physical contact with your skin. You will feel some heat and mild prickling sensations during the laser. You may experience a slight “burning smell” which is the facial hair and dead skin cells absorbing the laser energy. Remember that since it is a NON-ABLATIVE laser, your skin does not get “burnt” at all when done properly by our aesthetic doctor.
During each session, the laser is passed multiple times over the whole face with more concentration in the areas of concern.
After the treatment, you will be brought back to your private room for post-care treatment to cool and calm the skin before you leave the clinic.
Due to it being a NON-ABLATIVE laser and done at lower intensities, there is NO downtime.
You may experience some redness that should resolve within a few hours, but there is no requirement for you to stay indoors or avoid cosmetic application afterward. (Again, this is a NON-invasive treatment so no needles, no blood, no crusting after the treatment.) You can return to work, apply makeup and resume most of your activities immediately though it is advised to avoid exercise 1-2 days before and after the treatment. For best results, we recommend our clients to avoid excessive, prolonged sun exposure before and after the treatment.
There is no special aftercare needed in terms of topical applications. The most important thing to avoid is UV radiation from sun exposure. Especially immediately after the procedure, but even weeks or months after the procedure, it is advised to avoid excessive, prolonged sun exposure even with sunblock applied. Depending on your skin condition and sun exposure, you may develop darker pigmentations in the treatment areas. You are advised to apply sunblock every 1-2 hours when outdoors and avoid outdoor exposure especially during the peak sunlight hours of the day.
Treating pigmentations is a gradual process that requires multiple sessions and efforts to produce effective and long-lasting results. The number of sessions required depends on various factors including the severity of your pigmentations. Our aesthetic doctor will advise you more on the treatment course that is right for your skin condition during the consultation. Typically it takes between 6-10 treatments for the lightening results to be more obvious assuming that your skin is protected from extensive UV radiation and that the treatment is done at recommended intervals. Once your treatment goals are met, CT can be done at monthly intervals for maintenance purposes.
Due to the type of laser and the settings used for laser toning, it is one of the mildest laser treatments that can be done in a clinical setting. As with any procedure, there is always a risk of skin irritation which can lead to itchiness, redness or mild swelling after the laser. Prolonged sun exposure may lead to darkening of the pigmentations and “rebound” or darkening of the pigmentations is more possible when used to treat conditions like melasma.