TL;DR: Halo day is calmer than most patients expect. You arrive at our Edina clinic, your provider takes a few minutes to confirm your goals and review your skin, and then a topical numbing cream is applied for about an hour. The actual Halo session itself usually takes around 30 minutes, and most patients describe it as warm with mild prickling rather than sharp pain, thanks to the integrated cold air system. You leave with a sunburn-like feeling, mild swelling, and a clear at-home plan. By day three to five, your skin will lightly peel, and a bright, refreshed glow comes through behind it. The full visit typically runs about two hours from start to finish.
Our Halo Laser appointment in Edina actually starts in the days leading up to your visit. Your provider has likely set you up with a short pre-treatment skincare regimen designed to optimize your results and reduce the chance of post-treatment pigmentation. If you are prone to cold sores or active acne, you may have been prescribed a short course of antiviral or acne medication to take in the days leading up to the appointment.
The morning of your visit, plan to arrive with a clean, freshly washed face. Skip retinol, exfoliating acids, sunless tanner, and any active topical treatments for at least 24 hours beforehand. Wear comfortable clothes you can adjust easily, bring a hat or hood for the ride home, and arrange to skip exercise and direct sun for the rest of the day. Most patients also take ibuprofen-free pain relievers (like acetaminophen) only if directed by their provider, since blood-thinning medications can increase bruising.
Arrival, Check-In, and Provider Consult
When you arrive at our Edina clinic, you will check in, settle into a treatment room, and meet with your provider for a focused pre-procedure consult. This is the time to talk through any updates since your last appointment, confirm your priority concerns (sun damage, fine lines, texture, pigmentation, scarring), and review the treatment intensity that has been planned. Your provider will look at your skin under proper lighting, take baseline photos if appropriate, and walk through what the session will feel like in real time.
If you have any last questions, this is the moment to ask. Comfort, pain tolerance, downtime expectations, and aftercare logistics are all fair game. A clear conversation here makes the rest of the appointment smoother.
Numbing, Imaging, and Skin Prep
Once your treatment plan is confirmed, your skin is cleansed thoroughly, and a topical numbing cream is applied to the full treatment area. This sits for approximately one hour and is the longest single step of the day. Most patients use this time to relax, listen to music, or scroll on their phone. The numbing process is what makes a precise, dual-wavelength Halo Laser Treatment comfortable to receive, and it is one of the reasons our team builds the full session timeline around this step rather than rushing through it.
During the numbing window, your provider also enters your custom parameters into the Halo system. Sciton’s Halo uses a tunable hybrid fractional approach, meaning the depth and intensity of both the ablative 2940 nm and non-ablative 1470 nm wavelengths can be precisely adjusted for your skin. The ablative wavelength resurfaces damaged skin at the surface, while the non-ablative wavelength heats deeper tissue to stimulate collagen production. Working together, they improve texture, tone, pigmentation, and fine lines with a customizable balance between results and downtime.
Step-by-Step of the Laser Procedure
When the numbing cream has fully taken effect, the cream is gently removed, your skin is cleansed again, and protective metal eye shields or specialized laser eye protection are placed to keep your eyes safe throughout the procedure. A Zimmer cold-air system is connected to the handpiece to keep the skin cool and your comfort high. Most patients describe the sensation as warmth and mild prickling, similar to small pinpoints of heat on the surface of the skin, never sharp or piercing.
Some patients notice a faint smell similar to singed hair during treatment. This is completely normal and simply reflects the laser interacting with microscopic tissue in the skin.
The handpiece moves systematically across the treatment area in overlapping passes. Your provider monitors the laser’s measurement and energy delivery in real time, watching for the moment when the system has delivered the prescribed treatment density across every zone. The face is the most common treatment area, and a full-face session typically takes about 30 minutes from first pass to last.
A Sample Timeline of Your Halo Day
| Stage | What Happens | Approximate Time |
| Arrival and Check-In | Greeted, brought back, treatment room | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Provider Consult | Goals confirmed, skin assessed, photos taken if needed | 10 to 15 minutes |
| Topical Numbing | Numbing cream applied and allowed to work | About 60 minutes |
| Laser Session | Halo passes performed with cold-air comfort | 30 minutes |
| Post-Treatment Care Instructions | Aftercare review, products handed off | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Total Visit | Door to door | About 2 hours |
The Hours Immediately After
When the session ends, expect your skin to feel warm, tight, and look noticeably pink, similar to a moderate sunburn. Mild swelling is normal and most pronounced in the first 24 hours, especially around the cheeks, eyes, and forehead. Your skin may also appear slightly bronzed during the first day as treated pigment begins moving toward the surface. This is an expected part of the healing process. Some patients also feel a low buzz of heat that quietly dissipates over the next hour or two.
Before you leave, your provider walks through the aftercare plan, recommends or hands off any medical-grade post-care products, and confirms your follow-up appointment. Most patients are cleared to drive themselves home, though some prefer to bring a friend or family member, especially if numbing cream was applied around the eye area.
Heading Home and the First Few Days
The most important thing to do at home is to keep your skin hydrated, clean, and protected. A few day-one rules:
- Use only the post-treatment cleanser and moisturizer your provider recommends, applied with clean hands
- Avoid hot water, steam, saunas, and intense exercise for at least 24 to 48 hours
- Sleep with your head slightly elevated the first night to reduce swelling
- Skip makeup until your provider clears it, typically around day two or three
- Apply mineral sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) once your provider confirms it is safe, usually within the first 48 hours
By day two or three, you will likely see small dark dots called MENDS, which stands for Microscopic Epidermal Necrotic Debris. These are a normal part of the Halo healing process and signal that the skin is shedding old, damaged cells. Peeling and a sandpaper-like texture usually peak around day three to five, and the new skin underneath will look brighter, smoother, and more even by the end of the first week.
Most patients feel comfortable working from home the next day. Those whose jobs involve public interaction often choose to schedule treatment toward the end of the week, so the majority of visible peeling occurs over the weekend.
Why Patients Choose Skin Rejuvenation Clinic for Their Halo
Skin Rejuvenation Clinic has been recognized as one of the top Halo practices in the world, and we sit in the top two percent of providers globally. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Elizabeth and Dr. Mark Hagberg, our team has been performing this hybrid fractional laser since its earliest days on the market. That depth of experience is what allows our providers to match the right energy levels, the right pass density, and the right pairings to your individual skin from the first session forward, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Patients across Edina, Bloomington, and the wider Twin Cities have trusted us with their laser resurfacing work for two decades, and the day-of experience is built around that same standard of care.
Schedule Your Consultation at Skin Rejuvenation Clinic
If you are ready to learn what Halo could do for your skin, the most useful next step is a consultation. Our team can assess your skin in person, walk through realistic outcomes, and help you decide whether Halo, MOXI, or a combination plan delivers the result you are after.
Reach out to schedule a consultation in Edina. We will look at where your skin is now, what you want to address, and what the right plan looks like to get you there.
