I wanted to report back on my BBL + MOXI experience! I had my face, neck, and chest treated.
First, to explain: BBL is not quite what you’re thinking… It’s broadband light, basically a stronger version of IPL, used to target pigment, uneven tone, and sun damage. Next is MOXI, a fractional laser that uses heat to address skin concerns like texture, fine lines, and enlarged pores. MOXI is non-ablative, so it doesn’t remove an entire layer of skin, which makes your downtime pretty minimal.
I decided to try it because I felt like my routine was stale. At my age, it makes sense to start regularly incorporating treatments like lasers, in addition to my microneedling and chemical peels, instead of relying entirely on skincare. I think I’ve just been looking for the right one.
My biggest concerns were just general dullness, uneven skin tone, and a few sun spots that were starting to hang around.
I was numbed for a full hour before we started. BBL came first, followed by MOXI, which was definitely the spicier part, but honestly, pain never got above maybe a 3/10 for me.
I was given really extensive aftercare instructions explaining exactly what to expect and when, and pretty much everything my provider told me would happen did… down to the skin around my mouth cracking first from all the constant movement!
By the time I got to my car, pain was up to a 6.5/10. It was burning. It was uncomfortable. I was chanting “beauty is pain” on the drive home.
The MOXI MENDS (microscopic epidermal necrotic debris) definitely got me. Days 2–4, I walked around looking like someone sprinkled coffee grounds all over my face. When they say your skin will have a sandpaper texture, they are 100% correct. I didn’t quite believe it and assumed it was just a dramatic way of warning people that their skin would be really dry. Can confirm: it was sandpaper indeed.
But by day 4, as you can see in the photos, I looked mostly back to normal again - just with much glowier skin!
Overall, the downtime was really easy and very predictable.
Even as temps climbed back up to 105° and I was basically afraid of the sun, GlyMed’s SPF Oil came in clutch. I’m about a week out now, and I’m already really happy with the results. I may continue to see even more improvement over the next few weeks! …pretty nice bonus.