By Julia Szabo
The post-pandemic summer had us all worshipping the sun more than usual, grateful for its healing, sanitizing, vitamin D quotient as well as its bronzing warmth. But by now, like a dehydrated autumn leaf, your skin may well be crying out for a vacation from its summer vacation. To the rescue: two next-gen skin rejuvenation treatments with catchy handles—MOXI and HALO—both offered by Southampton-based plastic surgeon Dr. James Brady.
If your level of sun damage is not severe and you’re interested in prejuvenation—staving off the visible signs of aging before they appear—then the MOXI laser is for you. Safe for all ages and skin types, it’s a great way to maintain your skin, prevent future damage and treat small areas of concern. “MOXI is the best treatment for younger patients, patients with darker skin color or patients who require a quicker recovery,” Dr. Brady explains. “Three MOXI treatments spread out a month apart are typically done for maximal results. Our state-of-the-art laser technology reverses sun exposure damage with absolutely minimal downtime.”
The sun’s powerful rays change the skin’s surface, and so do lasers used to correct sun damage. MOXI revitalizes and refreshes the skin’s appearance by correcting uneven pigmentation while improving tone and texture, and it does all this with a light touch, improving skin tone regardless of skin type.
How does the MOXI work? By delivering fractionated laser energy to create micro-coagulation zones, pulling out pigmented areas in the process. Your own body then picks up where MOXI left off, repairing those unsightly pigmented areas, and replacing damaged cells with fresh new ones. The benefits are astonishing: long-lasting results—as long as 10 years!—after just 12 to 15 minutes of treatment on the face, with zero downtime; patients resume normal activities as soon as they leave the doctor’s office. MOXI is ideal for patients without significant skin damage, who wish to maintain a healthy complexion over the long term.
If, on the other hand, you might be concerned that your skin gives away your age, then the HALO laser is for you. A hybrid of ablative and non-ablative wavelengths, it’s a triumph of technology: the world’s first hybrid fractional laser, delivering both wavelengths to the same microscopic treatment zone. Its dual-wavelength feature ensures that HALO penetrates deeper into the skin than MOXI does, for more dramatic results. The recovery period is longer (four to five days), so patients can go to work with light makeup.
Which one to choose? If your goal is to reverse years of aging, acne scars or other long-standing skin issues, HALO is your better option, targeting the skin at a deeper level than MOXI. Indeed, HALO is a complete skin revitalization treatment: In addition to significant removal of discoloration, satisfied patients see overall improvements in their skin, from a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, to reduced pore size, and greater skin reflectivity and glow.
“HALO is a better choice for more mature or visibly damaged skin, characterized by fine lines, uneven pigmentation and dull skin tone,” Brady concludes. “Downtime typically lasts four to five days.” But those few days will have you made in the shade: “Our patients have seen dramatic results with a single treatment, although we usually recommend a maintenance treatment within three to six months.”
James Brady, MD, Plastic Surgery, 686 County Rd. 39A, Southampton, 631.287.0711; jamesbradymd.com