The carbon peel, also known as the Hollywood Peel or Black Doll Facial, is a popular laser treatment for finer pores, less shine and a fresh complexion. On this page you will find out how the treatment proceeds step by step, what the laser with 1064 nm triggers in the skin, how quickly the effect becomes visible, how long it lasts and who the peel is not suitable for.
It also covers the questions from a studio's point of view: which laser is needed, how much time and material a session takes and which mistakes you should avoid. The SIACSKIN devices you will get to know are the PICOLO S, the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL.
How does a carbon laser peel work step by step?
A carbon peel takes place in four steps: cleanse, apply the carbon lotion, let it dry and remove it with the laser. First the skin is thoroughly cleansed and degreased. Then a thin, even layer of carbon lotion is applied to the face, which has dried after around 10 minutes and sits in the pore openings. Client and practitioner wear eye protection. The laser then passes over the skin strip by strip at 1064 nm, with a large spot and low energy, until the black layer has disappeared. Finally come cleansing, soothing skincare and sun protection.
In total this takes 20 to 30 minutes. The PICOLO S, the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL from SIACSKIN list the carbon peel as an application and all work at 1064 nm.
What happens in the skin during a carbon peel when the laser hits the carbon particles?
The carbon particles absorb the laser light almost completely, heat up abruptly and burst. With the very short pulses of a Q-switched laser, this creates a small pressure wave. It carries away loose corneocytes, sebum and deposits from the pore openings, and an extremely thin layer of the stratum corneum is removed. At the same time the carbon gives off heat to the upper layers of the skin. This mild thermal stimulus prompts the connective tissue cells to form new collagen over weeks. The skin remains intact throughout and no wound is created.
The work is done at 1064 nm because dark carbon absorbs this wavelength strongly, whereas the pigment of the skin absorbs comparatively little. The PICOLO S, the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL deliver 1064 nm with very short pulses.
Does a carbon peel help with large pores, sebum and oily skin?
Yes, the carbon peel shows its clearest effect on oily skin with visible pores. The lotion settles in the pore openings, and the laser blasts it out together with sebum and keratin plugs. Emptied pores immediately look smaller and the skin is less shiny. The heat can dampen sebum production for a time and, with every session, firms the tissue around the pore. Pore size is, however, partly inherited: pores become finer, they do not disappear, and without top-ups they fill again.
Alongside the carbon peel, the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL also explicitly list pores as an application. With the Skin Analyzer Pro, which assesses pores and sebum, the condition before and after the course of treatment can be compared.
Is a carbon peel a good idea for acne and blemish-prone skin?
A carbon peel makes sense for blemish-prone skin with blackheads and for mild acne, but not for severely inflamed acne. The treatment removes sebum and keratinised material from the pores, in other words exactly what blackheads and spots develop from. Afterwards many skins become oily again less quickly and look calmer. Acne, however, has hormonal and inflammatory causes. The peel complements a therapy, it does not replace it. No laser pulse belongs on open, pus-filled or nodular inflammation, where medical treatment takes priority.
Alongside the carbon peel, the PICOLO S and the PICOLO L also list acne scars as an application. This allows you first to calm the complexion and later to work on the scars with the same device.
Does a carbon peel give a more even skin tone and more glow?
Yes, a fresher, more even complexion is the effect most people see after the very first session. The glow arises because the dull uppermost layer of the stratum corneum is removed and the smoother surface reflects light better. Dull areas and superficial irregularities therefore look more balanced. A carbon peel does not bleach the skin, however, and it is not sufficient for deeper-lying pigment spots or melasma. These need targeted pigment treatments with their own settings.
A practical point about the PICOLO lasers: alongside the carbon peel, the PICOLO S, the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL also list pigment spots as an application. If a pigment problem becomes apparent at the glow appointment, the treatment stays on the same device.
How quickly does a carbon peel work and how many days before an event should you have it done?
You see the first effect straight after the treatment, and for an event an appointment 2 to 5 days beforehand is ideal. Immediately afterwards the skin looks smoother and more matt, and slight redness usually subsides within a few hours. In the days that follow the complexion looks its best and make-up can be applied more evenly. Finer pores and a firmer skin texture, by contrast, only build up over several sessions. Important before a wedding or photo shoot: never schedule the very first treatment directly beforehand, but test the skin's reaction a few weeks earlier.
For such appointments a Q-switched laser at 1064 nm is sufficient. The PICOLO S is SIACSKIN's entry-level device for this, and the PICOLO L is the choice if you also treat pigment regularly.
How long does a carbon peel last and how often should it be repeated?
The freshening effect of a single session lasts around 2 to 4 weeks, which is why a carbon peel is planned as a course of treatment. The usual course is 3 to 6 sessions at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks, with very oily skin tending towards the shorter rhythm. For maintenance, one session every 4 to 8 weeks is usually enough afterwards. How long the result lasts depends on sebum production, skincare, sun protection and hormones. More often than every 2 weeks does not make sense, because the skin needs time to renew its stratum corneum.
For studios this rhythm is attractive because it builds a regular clientele. The PICOLO S is the entry-level device and is specified for 5 million shots. With a full appointment diary, the PICOLO L with cooling via water, air and compressor is a good fit.
Does a carbon peel hurt and is there any downtime?
A carbon peel is easy to tolerate and as a rule involves no downtime worth mentioning. Most people describe a warm tingling and a slight pinching when the carbon particles burst, along with an audible crackling. A numbing cream is not necessary. The upper lip, the sides of the nose and the forehead are more sensitive. Afterwards the skin is often slightly red and warm, which usually subsides after a few hours. Crusts or heavy peeling are not part of the normal course. Make-up is generally possible again the next day, while sport and sauna are better left until 24 hours have passed.
On the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL, the AI sets the parameters automatically. That helps to select a suitably low energy for this gentle treatment.
Who is a carbon peel suitable for and who should avoid it?
A carbon peel is suitable for oily and combination skin with visible pores, blackheads or a dull complexion, especially when no downtime is possible. You should avoid it with sunburn or a fresh tan, with herpes, open or severely inflamed areas, during pregnancy and during treatment with isotretinoin or photosensitising medication. Very dry, sensitive skin and pronounced redness seldom benefit. Permanent make-up and tattoos in the treatment area are left out, because the laser reacts to dark colour pigments.
Whether the skin is suitable is shown by an analysis beforehand, for instance with the Skin Analyzer Pro, which assesses pores, sebum and redness. Treatment is then carried out, for example, with the PICOLO S or the PICOLO L, both of which list the carbon peel as an application.
Is a carbon peel also possible on dark skin types?
Yes, a carbon peel is also possible on darker skin types if the work is done cautiously. The 1064 nm wavelength is absorbed considerably more weakly by the skin's melanin than shorter wavelengths, and the energy ends up mainly in the carbon that has been applied. Nevertheless, dark skin responds to heat more quickly with pigment spots, both darker and lighter ones. The rule is therefore: low energy, a large spot, a test patch first, intervals of 4 weeks rather than 2 and consistent sun protection. Freshly tanned skin is not treated.
The PICOLO S, the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL all work at 1064 nm. On the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL, the spot can be set from 2 to 10 mm and the repetition rate from 1 to 10 Hz.
Can you have a carbon peel in summer and how long do you have to avoid the sun?
Yes, a carbon peel is also possible in summer, as long as the skin is not freshly tanned beforehand and is protected afterwards. Because no wound is created, the treatment is less dependent on the season than ablative lasers. The stratum corneum is thinner afterwards, however, and the skin more sensitive to light. So plan for no sunbathing, no sunbeds and no self-tanning products in the treatment area for around 2 weeks beforehand. Afterwards, avoid direct sun for about a week and apply sun protection factor 50 daily. An appointment directly before a beach holiday is poorly timed.
In summer in particular, when the skin produces more oil, demand is high. For the carbon peel, the PICOLO S and the PICOLO L work at 1064 nm, a wavelength that places comparatively little strain on the skin's pigment. For protection afterwards, SIACSKIN offers the Suncream Sensitiv SPF50.
Which treatments can a carbon peel be combined with?
A carbon peel combines well with treatments that act at greater depth or on other targets, usually staggered over time. In the same appointment, a thorough extraction beforehand and a soothing mask afterwards are a good fit. Light treatments for redness and blemishes or RF microneedling for acne scars are scheduled at an interval of 2 to 4 weeks. You should not combine it on the same day with fruit acid peels, microneedling or ablative lasers. Retinol and acids in the home skincare routine are paused for a few days before and after.
At SIACSKIN, two devices complement the carbon peel with the PICOLO L: the DERMAFORCE BBL PRO for redness, acne and pores and the EUPHEUS M8 for acne scars and tightening.
Which laser do you need for a carbon peel: a Q-switched Nd:YAG or a picosecond laser?
For a carbon peel you need a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm, and a picosecond laser is not necessary for this. What matters is that the pulse is short enough to shatter the carbon particles rather than merely heat the skin. Q-switched lasers in the nanosecond range do this reliably. Picosecond pulses have an even more mechanical and less thermal effect, but their advantage is seen above all with tattoos and stubborn pigment. Also important are a large spot, a repetition rate of 5 to 10 Hz for swift working and finely adjustable energy.
The PICOLO S and the PICOLO L are Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers in the nanosecond range. The PICOLO XL is the picosecond laser with 280 ps and is the right fit when the carbon peel runs alongside tattoo removal.
Is the carbon peel worthwhile as an entry-level treatment in a beauty salon?
Yes, the carbon peel is a rewarding entry-level laser treatment because it takes little time, needs few materials and clients come back regularly. A session is completed in 20 to 30 minutes. The consumable is essentially the carbon lotion, a few millilitres per face. As there is hardly any downtime, the barrier to trying it is low, and the course of treatment plus maintenance generates predictable revenue. Who may carry out which treatment is regulated differently from country to country.
The PICOLO S is SIACSKIN's entry-level device for the carbon peel. Those who also plan regular pigment and tattoo treatments are better placed with the PICOLO L. The PICOLO XL is intended for practices with a focus on tattoo removal, where the carbon peel runs as an additional treatment.
What are the most common mistakes with a carbon peel?
The most common mistakes are lotion applied too thickly or unevenly, energy that is too high and intervals between sessions that are too short. If the layer is too thick or still damp, the heat is distributed unevenly, with a risk of redness and pigment spots. More energy does not bring a better result, only irritation. Often forgotten: leave out the eyebrows, hairline and beard, because dark hairs are singed, and permanent make-up reacts to the laser. Added to this are missing eye protection, treatment on tanned skin, no extraction for the carbon dust and no sun protection afterwards.
On the PICOLO L and the PICOLO XL, the AI sets the parameters automatically. Clean preparation remains manual work and belongs in every induction training session.
