--- title: "Clear + Brilliant®" --- This is the treatment for skin that is not damaged, just not what it was. Tone that has gone flat, texture that catches the light wrong, pores that look larger than they used to, [early lines](/conditions/wrinkles-and-fine-lines/) that were not there two years ago and [mild sun damage](/conditions/sun-damage/) from a life spent outdoors here. The laser treats your skin in thousands of microscopic columns and leaves all the skin in between completely untouched. That untouched skin is what heals the treated columns quickly, which is the entire reason this costs you a few days instead of a few weeks. Nothing is taken off the surface, so you are not raw and you are not hiding. It is a series rather than a single visit. Four to six treatments is typical, each one adding another layer of improvement, and people generally come back for a round of it once or twice a year. It is the most straightforward entry point into laser treatment we offer, and it is the one people start with when they are not ready to lose two weeks. **What Clear + Brilliant is good at** - Brightening dull, flat tone so skin catches the light properly again - Smoothing texture you can feel with your fingers more than you can see - Making enlarged pores look smaller and more refined - Softening the earliest lines before they set in - Improving mild sun damage on skin that is not yet heavily weathered - Fitting into a normal week, which is why people actually finish the series People come in having read about four different treatments and no idea how they relate. They are rungs on a ladder, and the honest job of a consultation is telling you which rung you are on. RungWhat it doesWhat it costs youA HydraFacialCleans, exfoliates and hydrates the surface. Upkeep, and you look better that afternoonNothing. An hourClear + BrilliantActually changes tone, texture and pore size, gently, over a seriesA few dry days per sessionBrown spots and red veinsTargets pigment and vessels specifically, which a gentle laser does notA week or two of spots darkening and flakingA CO2 laserResurfaces properly. Deep lines, real scarring, heavily weathered skinA week or more of genuine recovery Clear + Brilliant is the rung most people are actually on and the one most often skipped, because it is easy to be sold either something that will not change anything or something that costs you two weeks you cannot spare. If what you have is scattered brown spots, this is not the treatment and we will tell you. If what you have is deep, set-in damage, this will not reach it and we will tell you that too. "Suitable for all skin types" is the sentence every page selling this treatment uses, and it is doing a lot of work. A laser is safe on a given skin at given settings, chosen by someone who has looked at that skin. More pigment in the skin means more of it absorbs the energy, and settings that suit one person can leave another with light or dark patches that take months to fade. That decision is a dermatologist's, and here it is made before you book rather than while you are lying down. The same goes for a tan. This is a coastal town and half the people who ask about lasers here have been in the sun in the last two weeks. Treating tanned skin raises the risk of exactly the marks you came in to avoid, so if you arrive with color we will move you rather than treat you. And we will tell you when this is not the treatment. It is a gentle laser and gentle has a ceiling. Deep lines and set-in scarring want [a CO2 laser](/treatments/smartskin-laser-skin-resurfacing/) and a real recovery, and scattered brown spots want [a different tool](/treatments/ipl-photofacial/) altogether. Being sent to the right rung first time is cheaper than working up the ladder by trial and error. **Clear + Brilliant is probably a good fit if:** - Your skin looks dull or flat rather than damaged - Texture and pore size bother you more than lines do - You have early lines and would rather stay ahead of them than chase them later - You cannot lose a week and have been putting off laser treatment because of that - You are willing to do a series rather than expecting one visit to do it **We will steer you somewhere else if:** - You are tanned or sunburned right now, from the sun, a bed or a bottle - What you have is deep lines or set-in scarring, which needs a stronger laser - Your main concern is brown spots or broken veins, which want a different tool - You are pregnant, or taking a strong acne pill, or recently finished one - There is an active infection or broken skin in the area Not sure which of those you are? That is what the consultation is for, and it is the reason we do not sell laser treatment over the phone. For the first few hours you look flushed, like you have been out in the wind. Over the next day or two your skin feels dry and faintly rough, a bit like fine sandpaper, and may look slightly bronzed. That clears on its own by day three or four and what is underneath is smoother. **In the first week, do** - Wear broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day without exception [1] - Keep moisturizer on and let the roughness clear on its own - Use a gentle cleanser and nothing else for the first few days - Drink water and expect your skin to feel thirsty **In the first week, don't** - Scrub, exfoliate or pick at rough skin - Go back to retinoids or acids until we clear you - Sit in the sun, use a sunbed or apply self-tanner - Book a sauna, a hot workout or a hot tub on the first day Call us about blistering, real pain or any sign of infection. We would far rather hear from you. Clear + Brilliant works on tone, texture and early change rather than on damage that has already set in. Pick a concern to see how we approach it. Clear + Brilliant is priced per session, and most people are booking a series of four to six rather than a single visit. We quote you the whole series at your consultation, including what upkeep looks like over a year, rather than one number that grows once you have started. We do not discount our way into a treatment. If a gentler option would serve you, or a stronger one would serve you better, that is the one you will be offered. **Q: Does it hurt?** Numbing cream first, then a warm prickling sensation as the handpiece passes over. Most people find it comfortable and describe the heat rather than the pain. A full face is done in about half an hour. **Q: How much downtime is there really?** A few hours of looking flushed, then two to four days of skin that feels dry and slightly rough. You can wear makeup the next day and nobody at work is going to ask. That is the honest version, and it is the trade that makes this treatment worth it. **Q: How many sessions will I need?** Four to six is typical, with your provider setting the interval after looking at your skin. Each one adds to the last, and you get the number and the price for the whole series before you book the first. **Q: Will it fix my brown spots?** Not the way a treatment aimed at pigment will. This evens out overall tone rather than targeting individual spots, so if what bothers you is scattered sun spots, a different tool is the better answer and we will say so at your consultation. **Q: Is it safe on darker skin?** It can be, and the settings are the reason rather than the marketing. More pigment in the skin means more of it absorbs the energy, so the settings have to account for that. That is a decision a dermatologist makes after looking at your skin, and it is a good reason to have laser treatment done in a dermatology practice. **Q: How long does the result last?** Months rather than years, and most people repeat the series once or twice a year. Daily sunscreen is what decides how long you keep it, more than anything else you do. [1] 1. American Academy of Dermatology Association. "How to select a sunscreen." Broad spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, water resistant. [https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/shade-clothing-sunscreen/how-to-select-sunscreen](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/shade-clothing-sunscreen/how-to-select-sunscreen) · Medical Organization Content on this page is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Clear + Brilliant® is a registered trademark of its owner. Redness for several hours, mild swelling on the first day, and dry, rough, flaking skin for a few days afterward are expected. Blistering, infection and lasting light or dark patches are uncommon but possible, and the risk rises on skin that is tanned or sunburned at the time of treatment and on skin that carries more pigment. This treatment is not suitable during pregnancy, while taking a strong acne pill, or where there is an active infection in the area. Individual results may vary. Cosmetic consultations are $125, paid at booking and credited toward the cost of treatment. ```ld+json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/#service", "name": "Clear + Brilliant®", "url": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/", "description": "Clear + Brilliant is a gentle laser for tone, texture, pores and early lines. It treats your skin in thousands of tiny spots and leaves the skin in between untouched, and it never takes the surface off, which is why the appointment runs about thirty…", "provider": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Coastal Dermatology + Aesthetics" }, "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/clear-brilliant-hero-1024x512.webp", "width": 1024, "height": 512, "caption": "Clear + Brilliant laser treatment at Coastal Dermatology + Aesthetics" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/#webpage", "name": "Clear + Brilliant®", "url": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/#service" }, "lastReviewed": "2026-08-01", "reviewedBy": { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/providers/dr-christine-kilcline/#provider", "name": "Dr. Christine Kilcline", "url": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/providers/dr-christine-kilcline/" }, "mentions": [ { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Laser surgery", "sameAs": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q847796" } ], "about": [ { "@type": "MedicalSpecialty", "name": "Dermatology", "sameAs": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q171171" } ], "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ ".geo-summary" ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": { "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Home" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Treatments", "item": { "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/", "@type": "CollectionPage", "name": "Treatments" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Clear + Brilliant®", "item": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Question", "name": "Clear + Brilliant®", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Clear + Brilliant is a laser treatment for skin tone, texture, pore size and early lines. It treats the skin in thousands of microscopic spots and leaves the surface layer intact, so recovery is measured in days. Coastal Dermatology + Aesthetics performs it at its San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria offices. A typical series runs four to six treatments." }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/#webpage" }, "url": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/treatments/clear-brilliant/" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Review", "reviewBody": "Crissa is a wonderful addition to the practice, can't wait to return.", "itemReviewed": { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://coastaldermaesthetics.com/#organization", "name": "Coastal Dermatology + Aesthetics" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karin J." }, "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": 5, "bestRating": 5 } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does it hurt?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

Numbing cream first, then a warm prickling sensation as the handpiece passes over. Most people find it comfortable and describe the heat rather than the pain. A full face is done in about half an hour.

" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much downtime is there really?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

A few hours of looking flushed, then two to four days of skin that feels dry and slightly rough. You can wear makeup the next day and nobody at work is going to ask. That is the honest version, and it is the trade that makes this treatment worth it.

" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How many sessions will I need?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

Four to six is typical, with your provider setting the interval after looking at your skin. Each one adds to the last, and you get the number and the price for the whole series before you book the first.

" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will it fix my brown spots?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

Not the way a treatment aimed at pigment will. This evens out overall tone rather than targeting individual spots, so if what bothers you is scattered sun spots, a different tool is the better answer and we will say so at your consultation.

" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is it safe on darker skin?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

It can be, and the settings are the reason rather than the marketing. More pigment in the skin means more of it absorbs the energy, so the settings have to account for that. That is a decision a dermatologist makes after looking at your skin, and it is a good reason to have laser treatment done in a dermatology practice.

" } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does the result last?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "

Months rather than years, and most people repeat the series once or twice a year. Daily sunscreen is what decides how long you keep it, more than anything else you do. [1]

" } } ] } ] } ```