I first experienced the Lyma laser while lying prone on Ivan Pol’s facial bed . Pol, known as “The Beauty Sandwich” for his stacked method of caring for the skin, burnished the handheld laser en suite like a cowboy in a Spaghetti Western. Because I trust him with my face (actually, my entire body)—I finally wondered if this was the tool for me.
Until mid-2022, the Lyma Laser was one of those whispered-about “Europe only” experiences. That’s because the technology involved with the device, comparable to a medical-grade laser technology that you'd get in a derm’s office, had to be cleared by the FDA before going on sale stateside. My experience with lasers is practically null, I’d only tried a snappy pulsed dye laser to treat some broken capillaries on my cheeks—pain level three.
So when the Lyma arrived, meant to be used at home and all across the face, I couldn’t imagine spending time at home self-zapping. But when the whispers about the device turned into a loud chatter, I decided to give it a try. The Lyma Laser claims to help with any complaint you could possibly have about your visage—wrinkles, elasticity, texture, and tone—in just 12 weeks.
Admittedly, it has a price tag to match the high-caliber claims, coming in at around $2,700 (this includes the two skin-care products, a mist and a gel, which should be used in tandem). Celebrities are obsessed, including actor Carey Mulligan, who bought one for herself as a prize for winning an Oscar (an OSCAR) . Even the unboxing my Lyma felt like an extravagant experience alone—sleek plastic boxes and long pamphlets (I didn’t read a single one, except for noting that I needed to fully charge before using it).
While I waited, I watched videos on how to use the device. First, I sprayed the 100% concentrated oxygen mist on clean, dry skin. Next, I placed the glide gel on top of it—which felt texture-wise akin to conductive gels I've used with devices in the past (though, it should be noted that no conducting happens when using this device).
After a week of use, I was enjoying the warm daily glow of the Lyma. I would use the device for about 15 minutes each morning, running it along the same pathways I typically used to massage my face—giving myself what felt like a two-in-one laser and massage treatment. I had ditched the gel, swapping in a face oil instead since a smooth glide was key to the device.
While I wasn’t really noticing difference in my skin yet, I enjoyed mindfulness of the experience, taking the time to simply focus on my skin and not rush through my routine. By week three, I transitioned my 15-minute laser-and-massage down to 10 minutes, using the last five minutes of my routine as a spot treatment on areas of sun damage and acne scars. To me, this is one of the more interesting ways to use the device overall.
Currently, the most dramatically effective way to treat hyperpigmentation (think sunspots, melasma, or anything of the sort) is a laser, whether it be a series of Moxie sessions or singular hardcore Clear & Brilliant. Either way, you're looking at numbing, peeling, redness, and downtime. But Lyma claims to be able to fade these marks without any downtime or pain, so it was worth a try.
Week five was when I started to notice a difference in my skin. Or, other people started to give me compliments and asked what had changed—and this was the only thing I could point to. The device had traveled to three countries with me (it’s a great time-fill and a new way to weird out your seatmate during a cross-continental flight) and I definitely think it helped with post jet-lag face.
My sunspots had started to slightly fade, and overall my skin just looked plumper and brighter. At home, I have a glamorous under-the-sink graveyard of skin-care tools . Vibrating pucks, radio-frequency spheres, and suction cups were brought home with promises of a new routine (and a tighter, brighter, face).
Thirteen weeks in and the Lyma is still firmly part of my morning routine. And there it will stay as long as the sun spots continue to fade and the compliments keep coming..
