By Natalie Ledbetter, CRNA
There are many new non-surgical cosmetic advancements that have come out in the last few years. This can make it difficult to keep up. How do you know which treatment is right for you and your skin concerns?
Two of the hottest new treatments in the aesthetics arena you may have been hearing about are Halo and Morpheus 8. What is the difference? What do they treat and how do you know which one to choose?
At L Aesthetics and Longevity, we treat a wide range of concerns from wrinkles to enlarged pores to stubborn pockets of unwanted fat. Our experts have many years of experience in the aesthetics industry, and we were one of the first offices in the Austin area to offer both the Halo and the Morpheus 8 procedures. Our experienced providers can assess your areas of concern and guide you to the treatment plan that is right for you. 
Both the Halo and the Morpheus offer excellent results. What sets them apart from each other? The Halo and the Morpheus both make tiny holes in the skin to stimulate the healing response. This healing response causes an increase in blood flow to the area and an increase in the production of collagen and elastin.
Halo
The Halo uses two different wavelengths of laser light to administer the holes in the skin. One column of laser light goes deeper into the tissue to stimulate deep tissue healing and collagen production, and another column of laser light is directed onto the surface to remove pigment and the top layer of skin cells. This dual wavelength allows the laser light to target both the surface of the skin and the deeper layers to address multiple skin conditions and concerns.
The Halo is safe for all skin types, but because it uses heat that is absorbed by melanin in the skin, Halo treatments on darker skin must be dialed down to prevent hypopigmentation. Due to the need for a gentler treatment, more procedures may be needed when treating darker skin.
The Halo is excellent for treating rosacea, small visible blood vessels, enlarged pores, lines and wrinkles, scars, and pigment issues like melasma, age spots, and freckles. Although many patients state that they notice a little skin tightening, we find that the Halo is not as good at tightening the skin as Morpheus 8.
The downtime for a Halo treatment is usually about five to 7 days which is somewhat comparable to the Morpheus treatment. The skin will look sunburned on the day of the Halo. Swelling and bruising may occur. The tiny brown dots that pop up about day 2 or 3 after a Halo make the skin look and feel dry and rough for a few days and can’t be hidden well with makeup.
If you have pigment issues, enlarged pores, rosacea, scars, or lines you want treated, but have minimal skin laxity, Halo may be the perfect treatment for you to address your concerns and give you that Halo glow.
Morpheus 8
The Morpheus is a radio frequency microneedling device that inserts needles into the skin and then administers a pulse of radio frequency (RF) energy deep into the tissue. This RF pulse generates heat in the skin causing immediate collagen contraction and setting off the healing cascade which leads to increased collagen and elastin production that lasts up to a year after treatment. The Morpheus 8 addresses lines and wrinkles, scarring, enlarged pores, rough skin texture, and sagging skin such as jowls. Because the heat can be directed up to 5mm in the face and much deeper in the body, Morpheus can be used to destroy fat cells and remodel areas of the face and body. Due to the heat being released beneath the dermis from the tip of the needles, Morpheus is safe for all skin types.
The downtime with Morpheus depends on the depth and density of the treatment administered. The face or treated area looks sunburned day of the procedure and there may be some swelling and bruising. Tiny brown dots from the needles will be visible for up to a week on the face and up to a month on the neck. Other body parts vary depending on the thickness of the tissue being treated. Make up can be worn after 24 hours to help hide the dots.
So, which one is right for me?
If you are young or blessed to have no skin laxity or pockets of unwanted fat and your concerns are more with pores, wrinkles, rosacea, blood vessels, pigment, or acne or other scarring, the Halo is probably the best option for you.
If you have dark skin or have any skin laxity (sagging skin, jowls, crepey eyelids, turkey neck) the Morpheus is probably your best bet. Morpheus also addresses enlarged pores, wrinkles, acne and other scarring, and pigment issues.
We have seen more dramatic skin tightening with the Morpheus and not only on the face and neck. Morpheus tightens skin on the stomach, above the knees, the butt, flabby arms and anywhere you have sagging skin. If you have small pockets of unwanted fat such as under your chin or in your lower cheeks (called buccal fat) Morpheus is superior to Halo to treat this as well as cellulite.
Now What?
If you are still uncertain as to which would be the best treatment for you, the Morpheus, or the Halo, or you would like more information, call one of the offices of L Aesthetics and Longevity and schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced providers. We are happy to assess your skin and body and listen to your concerns. We can then develop a plan based upon your needs and desires and help you get the skin and body that you want.