TIXEL

Tixel is a skin treatment that utilizes heat to improve the appearance of the skin. By creating minor injuries on the skin's surface, it stimulates the production of collagen, resulting in smoother-looking skin. Unlike CO2 laser treatment, Tixel is less uncomfortable and involves minimal downtime. This innovative approach involves a small, heated tip with 81 needle-like pyramids that gently apply pressure to the skin, generating tiny holes without penetrating the skin, ultimately promoting increased collagen production.

- Avoid excessive UV exposure, including tanning beds and spay or self tanners, for 7 days before your first appointment

-Avoid direct sun tanning strong enough to cause sunburn in the 1 month prior to the treatment

-Avoid all other skin treatments and procedures 2 to 4 weeks prior to your treatment.

-Do not take nutritional supplements or herbs that increase photosensitivity such as St. John’s Wort.

-Stop low dose Accutane 7 days before your treatment. If using normal dose of Accutane, you must be off the medication for 6 months.

-Avoid antihistamine and anti-inflammatory drugs one week prior to treatment. These negate the effects of the treatment.

-Stop glycolic acid, retinols, Retin-A, hydroquinone or topicals that then the skin 3-5 days before your treatment.

-If you are prone to cold sores (oral herpes simples), take your prescribed medication (Famvir, famcyclovir, Valtrex, valacyclovir, acyclovir) as written by your PCP in the 48 hours prior to your treatment.

-Before your appointment, cleanse your skin with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser, and do not apply any skin care products, including moisturizer or makeup. Additionally, do not wear contact lenses to your appointment.

During the treatment, you may experience an uncomfortable but extremely tolerable prickling sensation. A local numbing agent will be applied to ease discomfort.

Post treatment, your skin will remain warm for three to four hours but will dissipate significantly within the first hour. Redness and swelling may be present immediately after the treatment with most swelling noticeable the morning after, under the eye area. This can last between two to three days. While most redness resolves during the first week, a rosy ‘glow’ can remain for several weeks.

Your skin may feel tight, dry and itchy during the week post treatment. It often begins to bronze, peel and flake about three days after treatment. You may notice the skin has a ‘sandpaper’ texture a few days afterwards.

Tixel is not a light-based treatment like IPL. Instead, it utilizes heat applied directly to the skin in a controlled manner to create a superficial fractional coagulation sites. This system transfers less heat to the surrounding tissues than IPL, so it is safe to use in patients with dark skin and melasma.

Primarily, Tixel is non-invasive, whereas microneedling treatments with and without RF are invasive. Additionally, both providers and patients report more visible tightening and wrinkle reduction with Tixel when compared to microneedling and RF microneedling. Unlike microneedling, there is no bleeding and patients report that Tixel is more comfortable, and there is no “unpleasant buzzing.” Compared to RF microneedling, patients also report that Tixel is less painful. Additionally, Tixel transfers notably less energy/heat to the surrounding tissue than RF microneedling, making Tixel safe to use with melasma patients.

Tixel is not a laser. At higher settings, providers report similar results to their fractional ablative lasers. With the Tixel, the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin) remains intact, making it an easier recovery with significantly less downtime. Patients have no oozing or bleeding and report significantly less swelling. Additionally, Tixel patients can apply sunscreen and makeup just 24 hours post-treatment, allowing patients to return to normal activities quickly and without visible wound healing.

Because the outermost layer of the skin remains intact after Tixel treatment, downtime is minimal. Of course, lower settings result in less downtime than more aggressive settings. Individual responses will vary based off settings used, patient genetic factors, compliance with post-care instructions, and overall skin health. Typically, patients are advised that they may have up to 3 days of mild swelling (especially around the eyes) and roughness to their skin for 5 to 7 days. Patients may wear makeup after 24 hours, and most return to normal activity (including social interaction and work) within hours post-treatment.

For skin rejuvenation, we recommend 3 treatments, scheduled once every 4 to 6 weeks, followed by one to two maintenance treatments within the year. If you are treating a more difficult issue, like acne scarring, or you are using lower settings, it may take more treatments.

Anyone who:

-Has skin cancer or lesions at the treatment area

-Has active skin infection in the treatment area including acne, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, active herpes simplex

-Has an allergy to lidocaine or tetracaine anesthetic

-Is using topicals that may cause irritation within the last two weeks e.g. peels, retinol, Efudex, corticosteroids

-Is pregnant or breastfeeding

-Has epilepsy

-Has systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) – increased light sensitivity

-Has a history of dermal light sensitivity/rash

-Has used Accutane in the past six months

-Is taking medications or supplements that cause light sensitivity

-Has had excessive sun exposure in the past two weeks

-Has applied fake tan in the past two weeks

-Has permanent dermal filler or has any planned dermal filler procedures 2 weeks pre/post appointment

Visit our treatment pricing page to view Tixel treatment pricing.

-Avoid scratching or exfoliating during the healing process

-Cease using any active skincare products for the first week and use the aftercare kit provided to you

-Avoid sun exposure for two to four weeks and always wear SPF 50+