FAQ BB Glow

BB Glow is a face treatment that will improve skin tone and texture. It gives the appearance of a sheer tinted moisturizer and can help reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. It also stimulates skin rejuvenation and collagen production leaving your skin hydrated and glowing! We use tinted serums that infuse nutrients and light colour into the upper layer of the skin, the epidermis. 

BB Glow has many excellent benefits including:

• Skin brightening

• Even skin tone

• Antiaging

• Collagen production

• Skin hydration

• Minimizes the appearance of pores 

• Non comedogenic  (won’t clog pores/cause blackheads)

• Improves skin circulation

• Minimizes the appearance of scars 

• How is it done?

  BB Glow is done with a microneedling type device, but instead of using standard microneedles, shorter nano needles are used to infuse growth factors and hyaluronic acid superficially into the epidermis of the skin. We then use the same device to infuse a plant-based tinted serum to help even out skin tone and give a sheer temporary “tinted spf” type coverage that lasts up to 4 weeks.

  We recommend you come with a clean face. We will start the procedure by cleansing your face and applying a mini chemical peel to remove any dead skin cells. We then colour match you. We then infuse stem cell serums and hyaluronic acid without pigment to prep the skin. Then we needle in the tinted serums. We finish with a hydrating sheet mask and red light therapy. The whole process takes approximately 1.5 hours.

• Does it hurt?

  No. It is virtually painless as we are using a very fine grouping of short needles and are only going superficially or shallow into the outer layer of the skin or the epidermis. We do not find the use of numbing necessary.

• Will this replace my foundation?

  If you desire full coverage of foundation then, no, this will not give you the same opaque coverage you desire. This is a very sheer glow (think tinted spf or BB cream). It will not hide obvious skin imperfections the way makeup would. In addition, although we can add contour to the face, it will be very subtle therefore you make still need to add highlight/bronzer with makeup if you desire a strong contour.

• How many sessions will I need?

  1 session will provide a noticeable result, however, since the pigment is being placed into very superficial layers of the skin, it will shed out within 4 weeks. We recommend that to get the full effect, you get 3-6 sessions spaced 2-3 weeks apart. This will build a nice “foundation” base. To keep up with this look, a maintenance appointment is recommended evert 3-4 months.

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• Is there any downtime?

  Many find that they can resume most daily activities immediately after. The skin might have a rosey/pinkish hue depending on skin sensitivity. However, we recommend that you avoid direct sunlight and sweating for 24-48 hours. You may apply mineral powder foundations 6 hours after your treatment. We recommend you do not wash the area for 6 hours post treatment and refrain from scrubs, chemical peels, retinols, or other abrasive face treatments for 1 week post procedure.

• Can I still tan?

  You will want to avoid direct sunlight for 24-48 hours. Although it will be safe to resume sun exposure after 48 hours, we always recommend that you apply spf of 30 or more and wear at hat when possible.

• How do you pick the colour shade?

  Our experts will colour match based on your skin tones. However, if you would like to be a shade or 2 darker on the face (such as to compensate for spray tans etc) or a shade or 2 lighter, then let your technician know at your appointment and we can adjust the pigment.

• Is there titanium dioxide in the pigments?

  Yes, there are small amounts of titanium dioxide in the pigments. However, because it is implanted superficially into the epidermis, it will not cause any colour change over time as it will shed out within 4 weeks of the first treatment or within 6 months of multiple treatments. Because of this ingredient, you will want to refrain from laser face treatments that target skin pigmentation.

• Can I use retinol and other face products after my treatment?

  You may resume most skincare routines 7 days post treatment, however, using products such as retinol, which cause faster cellular turnover, will reduce the longevity of your treatment. The same is true with pigment lightening products such as Vitamin C, Hydraquinone etc. The more treatments you do to speed up cellular turnover, the faster the pigment from your treatment will fade.

• Who is a candidate?

  This procedure is ideal for anyone who is happy with their skin overall and wants to make minor improvements to their skin tone to wear less or in some cases, no make up. This will not hide large imperfections or severe discoloration. If you have major skin concerns you would be better to seek out a medi-spa such as Glo Antiaging here in Calgary or consult a dermatologist.

• Who is this not suitable for?

  You are not a suitable candidate if you have the following conditions:

  • Active skin cancer

  • Active acne/breakouts (we can not needle over any active pimples)

  • Pregnant/ nursing should consult with their physician prior (It is less invasive than traditional microneedling and no numbing agents are used)

  • On Accutane (or other like drugs containing Isotretinoin. Must be off at least 6 months prior to treatment)

  • Have active cold sores (will be needling around the mouth so if you are prone to cold sores, you may want to discuss taking an antiviral such as Valtrex with your doctor)

  • Active skin infections

  • Active skin disorders such as eczema/psoriasis (when under control this treatment is generally safe, however, it may cause a flair up. Its always best to talk to your doctor/dermatologist prior to having any skin treatments done if you are actively being treated for any skin conditions)

  • Anyone undergoing a series of laser face treatments for hyperpigmentation (this should be done once laser is completed. Laser can be resumed approx. 1 month after a single treatment or if a series of BB Glow is being done, we recommend waiting 6 months from the last one to resume laser treatments. Always tell your laser technician if you have had this treatment done)

  • Recent injectables in the face (excluding lip filler as we do not go over the lips) Please wait 2 weeks after getting facial fillers (cheeks, chin etc) to receive BB Glow. If planning to get facial fillers after your treatment, we recommend waiting 2 weeks.

  • Prone to keloid scars

  • Undergoing chemotherapy (please provide doctors note)

  *Please note, since our pigments are plant based we recommend doing a patch test if you have strong skin sensitivities or have plant based allergies. A patch test can be performed for $50 which will go towards your session if proceeding.

• Things to know before your procedure:

  • Avoid excess sun exposure/burns 24 hours before your procedure.

  • Discontinue topical retinols 7 days prior to your procedure

  • We can not go over active breakout/lesions

  • Must be off Accutane (or discontinued a minimum of 6 months)

  • May not have active cancer (you may get this treatment done while undergoing cancer treatments if you provide a doctors note)

  • If you have severe plant-based allergies, a patch test is recommended

  • Ask your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

  • Laser face treatments should not be done within 2 weeks prior to your treatment

  • Most face treatments may be resumed 1 week later, but if you are receiving treatments such as laser for pigmentation of any sort (ie hyperpigmentation) it is best to wait until all BB Glow product has sloughed off (min 4 weeks from last treatment, but up to 6 months) and you should let your skin care specialist know that you have received BB Glow.