How BBL and microneedling helped me reset my relationship with pigmentation, texture and sun damaged skin
Before 30, I wasn’t exactly religious about SPF. My fair skin, dark hair, maybe a little Irish somewhere in the mix, loved the sun a little too much. Freckles and sun-kisses everywhere. Back then, it felt harmless, even charming. What I didn’t realise was how much those little marks would stick around, how what once read as harmless freckles could later feel like uneven tone, early signs of damage. Silly, perhaps, but once those niggling feelings take hold, they don’t let go.
Show people my ‘before’ photos now and they might laugh. The pigmentation was light: a scattering of freckles, some leftover acne marks that had dominated my skin concerns for nearly fifteen years, some inflammation from whatever combination of chemicals had gone wrong. Once that chapter was finally under control, I was ready to tackle the next thing. So when the team at About Face suggested a course of BBL treatments paired with Dermapen microneedling, my response was simple: you’re the experts—do whatever you want.
The process itself was straightforward. Each appointment began with a consultation and thorough skin prep, followed by the treatment and finished with calming serums and strict aftercare instructions—mostly about hydration and, of course, sun protection. BBL, or BroadBand Light therapy, uses pulses of light to target pigmentation, redness, sun damage and uneven tone, while stimulating collagen. Dermapen microneedling creates tiny micro-injuries that improve texture and residual scarring. Together, the treatments address tone and texture, complementing each other naturally.
The sensations are surprisingly tolerable. BBL feels like a quick elastic-band snap, sharp but brief, while microneedling is more intense, though numbing cream does most of the work. Afterwards, skin feels warm and slightly flushed, like a mild sunburn, but recovery is quick and normal activities resume within a day or two.
The results aren’t instant, but they are clear. Pigmentation lifted within days (as in, freckles got darker and then days later they were gone), tone evened out, and overall brightness improved. Texture became smoother, and makeup began sitting differently. It wasn’t a transformation so much as a refinement; my skin simply looked healthier, fresher, more consistent.
I would recommend this to anyone dealing with sun damage, mild pigmentation, acne scarring, or uneven tone, or for those wanting to refresh their complexion without injectables or more invasive procedures. Consistency and aftercare, the About Face team emphasised, are key.
I finished my treatments just in time for summer, which meant being extra vigilant about sun exposure. And as such I spent much of the holidays seeking shade, armed with SPF, and a renewed promise to take better care of my skin. And yes, I know makeup artists and beauty creators now spend precious minutes drawing freckles back on each morning—proof that beauty trends are cyclical and taste is subjective. For me, the goal was never to erase character, only to feel comfortable in my own skin again. And I can promise you, now I really do.
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