The skin that photographs beautifully at a December party rarely happens the week of the party. Laser results build over a series of sessions and settle over the weeks that follow, which is why the people who look effortless in their holiday photos tend to start in the fall. If you want brighter, smoother, more even skin by the time the invitations arrive, now is the moment to map out your plan. Three of our most requested laser treatments, BBL, MOXI, and HALO, can get you there, and the timing is on your side.
Why Fall Is the Right Time to Start
Fall and winter have long been the preferred seasons for laser skin treatments, and the reason is practical. Treated skin becomes temporarily more sensitive to light, so lower sun exposure in the cooler months reduces the risk of irritation and hyperpigmentation while protecting the results you are investing in. BBL in particular is not performed on recently tanned skin, which makes the post-summer stretch ideal. There is also the matter of math. Because these treatments work best as a short series spaced several weeks apart, starting in the fall gives your skin time to complete the plan and calm down before your first gathering. Every plan begins with a complimentary VISIA skin analysis, which maps what your skin actually needs instead of guessing.
The Lasers Behind a Holiday Glow
No single laser suits every face, which is part of why your consultation is vital. Here is how the three work, and what each one asks of your calendar.
BBL® for Sun Damage and Redness
BBL, short for BroadBand Light, uses intense pulsed light rather than a single laser wavelength to clear the brown spots, redness, and uneven tone that a Minnesota summer tends to leave behind. During treatment, pigment rises to the surface and darkens, then washes away over roughly a week as fresh skin takes its place. Downtime is minimal, and you can wear makeup the next day. Results build with a series, and your provider sets the right number based on what your VISIA imaging reveals. BBL laser treatments are available at all of our Skin Artisans locations: Edina, Minnetonka, and Woodbury.
MOXI™ for a Gentle, All-Season Glow
MOXI is a non-ablative fractional laser that refreshes skin tone and texture with very little downtime. It targets early sun damage, uneven pigment, and dullness, and because it stays gentle enough for all skin tones and all times of year, it has become the favorite for patients who want a brighter complexion without disrupting their week. Most people see the best results after a short series of sessions spaced several weeks apart. You’ll find MOXI laser treatments at our Edina, Minnetonka, and Woobury locations, so the brightening you want stays close to home no matter which suburb you call yours.
HALO® for a Deeper Reset
HALO is the original hybrid fractional laser, delivering ablative and non-ablative energy in the same pass. That combination makes it the heavier hitter of the three, well-suited to fine lines, rougher texture, and more stubborn sun damage that a lighter treatment only softens. Most patients reach their goals in one to two sessions, with a few days of redness and a sandpaper-like feel as the skin renews. The payoff is the lasting luminosity our patients call the HALO glow, which keeps improving over the following weeks as new collagen forms. HALO is also offered at all three Skin Artisans locations.
Comparing BBL®, MOXI™, and HALO®
| Treatment | Best for | Typical downtime | Usual series | Plan-ahead note |
| BBL® | Brown spots, redness, uneven tone | Minimal, with potential “coffee ground” spots that wash off after a week | A series, spaced weeks apart | Best started once a summer tan has faded |
| MOXI™ | Early sun damage, tone, texture | A day or two of redness and a week of light flaking | A short series, spaced weeks apart | Easy to fit in before the holidays, can even be started in summer |
| HALO® | Fine lines, texture, deeper sun damage | A few days of redness and swelling with a week of light peeling | One to two sessions | Leave a buffer before events |
How These Treatments Work Together
Because each laser solves a different problem, they often do more as partners than as solo acts. Pairing BBL with MOXI is one of our most effective combinations for overall renewal, since BBL corrects surface pigment and redness while MOXI smooths tone and texture. For patients who want a more dramatic reset, BBL and HALO can be sequenced across a plan. The right mix depends on your skin, your downtime tolerance, and your December calendar, which is exactly what your provider will sort out after reviewing your VISIA results.
Your Fall-to-Holiday Timeline
Here is the simplest way to think about it. Start now, in the fall, with your VISIA analysis and your first session, so your series has room to work. Move through the remaining sessions over the following weeks, keeping each appointment on schedule, since the spacing is part of what makes the results last. As the holidays approach, shift to lighter maintenance and skip any deeper resurfacing in the final stretch, because you want calm, settled skin in your photos rather than skin that is still renewing. Booking early also spares you the seasonal crunch, when the most popular appointment times tend to disappear first. A little lead time is the whole secret.
Why Trust Skin Artisans for Your Holiday Glow
Skin Artisans was founded in 1991 by the board-certified plastic surgeons of Edina Plastic Surgery, making us one of the first medical spas in the Midwest and giving our laser work a foundation in real skin science. More than three decades later, that expertise is evident. Our providers are licensed and certified as laser safety officers, so the person holding the device understands how different technologies behave on different skin. We have been voted Best Med Spa in Edina several years running, every new patient receives a complimentary VISIA skin analysis, and you’ll find the same standard of care at our Edina, Minnetonka, and Woodbury med spas.
Book Your Appointment
Give your skin the lead time it needs, and walk into the holidays looking like the most rested version of yourself. Book your appointment at the location nearest you, starting with the complimentary VISIA analysis that shapes the whole plan.
Edina: (952) 767-3163
Minnetonka: (612) 930-1111
Woodbury: (651) 252-1999
