BBL Hero & MOXI: Why We Combined Two Lasers in One Platform
Most clinics carry one laser device. We carry two — BBL Hero and MOXI — combined on a single Sciton JOULE platform at our Centennial and Alamosa locations. Here's why that combination matters and how to know which treatment your skin actually needs.
If you've been researching laser and IPL treatments in Denver Metro or the San Luis Valley, you've probably encountered a confusing mix of brand names — BBL, IPL, MOXI, Halo, Fraxel, Lumecca, Forever Young. Most clinics carry one of these and tell you it's the right one for everything.
That isn't accurate. Different lasers do different things. The right treatment depends on what's actually going on with your skin — sun damage versus texture, brown spots versus fine lines, redness versus uneven tone. The clinics that get good results aren't the ones with the most marketing. They're the ones running the right device for the right skin concern.
At Defiance Health, we run BBL Hero and MOXI together on Sciton's JOULE platform — one machine, two distinct laser technologies — at both our Centennial and Alamosa locations. Both Jessica Lara, PA-C and Randi Asbell, APRN are trained on the platform and perform treatments. This post explains what each device does, when to use which, and why we combined them.
What is BBL Hero?
BBL stands for BroadBand Light. It's Sciton's version of IPL (intense pulsed light) — but the "Hero" version is significantly more advanced than standard IPL.
BBL Hero delivers controlled pulses of broadband light energy into the skin. The light is absorbed by specific targets in the skin called chromophores — primarily melanin (which gives sun damage and brown spots their pigment) and hemoglobin (which gives broken capillaries and rosacea their redness). Once absorbed, the light energy heats those targets and breaks them down without damaging surrounding skin tissue.
The "Hero" upgrade matters because it changes what's possible clinically:
- Speed and area coverage — BBL Hero treats large areas significantly faster than standard IPL, which means we can comfortably treat the face, neck, chest, arms, hands, and legs in a single visit.
- Higher peak power with comfort — the Hero handpiece delivers more energy per pulse with sapphire-cooled contact, which means better clinical results with less heat sensation during treatment.
- Forever Young BBL protocol — BBL has published research from Stanford showing that regular BBL treatments can shift gene expression in skin cells toward a younger pattern. This is the basis for the "Forever Young BBL" maintenance protocol many of our patients follow.
What BBL Hero actually treats well
- Sun damage and brown spots (lentigines, sun freckles)
- Diffuse redness and rosacea
- Broken capillaries (telangiectasias)
- Uneven skin tone
- Mild to moderate skin aging (preventive maintenance)
What BBL Hero is not the right tool for: deep wrinkles, significant texture issues, acne scarring, or actinic keratoses (precancerous lesions need different treatment, often medical). For those concerns, we either use MOXI or refer to a different protocol.
What is MOXI?
MOXI is a non-ablative fractional laser. That sentence contains two important words.
"Fractional" means the laser delivers energy in microscopic columns — not over the entire surface of the skin. Imagine the difference between watering a lawn with a sprinkler (covers everything but lightly) versus poking small holes with a needle (each hole is significant but most of the surface is untouched). Fractional lasers create thousands of micro-columns of treatment. The untreated skin between columns drives the healing response, which means faster recovery and lower risk than treating the entire surface.
"Non-ablative" means the laser doesn't remove the top layer of skin. Older laser resurfacing devices (CO2, fully ablative Erbium) burn off the surface, which produces dramatic results but requires 1-2 weeks of significant downtime. Non-ablative lasers heat the deeper layers without removing the surface — much shorter recovery, but typically requires multiple treatments to reach equivalent results.
MOXI's specific wavelength (1927 nm) is calibrated to address texture, fine lines, and discoloration with minimal downtime. Most patients are red and slightly swollen for 1-2 days, then back to normal makeup wear within 3-4 days. That's a very different recovery profile than older laser resurfacing.
What MOXI actually treats well
- Fine lines and early wrinkles
- Skin texture (rough, dull, uneven surface)
- Melasma (often when other treatments would worsen it)
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
- Acne scarring (particularly newer scars)
- Tone irregularity in skin types where BBL is contraindicated
What MOXI is not the right tool for: surface-level brown spots and broken capillaries respond better to BBL. Deep static wrinkles often need ablative resurfacing (Halo or Erbium) for best results.
BBL Hero vs MOXI: side by side
When to combine them
This is where the JOULE platform actually changes treatment options. Because BBL Hero and MOXI are integrated on the same device with the same patient consultation, we can use them together in ways that aren't practical when they're separate machines at separate clinics.
The most common combinations we run:
Photo-rejuvenation series
Patients with both pigmentation and texture concerns often get the best results from a sequence: BBL Hero first to address surface pigment and redness, followed by MOXI 2-4 weeks later to address texture and fine lines. The BBL clears the canvas; the MOXI refines it. Together they produce results neither could achieve alone.
Same-day combination treatments
For patients with limited time or who want comprehensive results in fewer visits, BBL Hero and MOXI can be performed on the same day in many cases. Recovery is more pronounced when combined, but downtime is still significantly less than legacy ablative lasers.
Maintenance protocols
Patients on Forever Young BBL (1-2 BBL Hero sessions per year for ongoing skin health and the gene-expression benefits) often add an annual MOXI session to address accumulating texture changes. This is the long-term maintenance pattern many of our patients settle into after their initial treatment series.
What we tell patients about expectations. Laser and IPL work — but both devices need 3-5 sessions to show their best results, and skin continues to improve for months after the final session. Patients hoping for a single dramatic transformation are often disappointed. Patients who commit to a series and follow proper sun protection between sessions are often surprised by how much their skin changes.
How we approach laser treatment at Defiance
The reason we're writing this post the way we are — explaining what each device does and where its limits are — is because the laser market is full of clinics overpromising results that single devices can't deliver. Our approach is the opposite.
Every laser patient at Defiance starts with a consultation where we evaluate your skin, discuss your goals, and recommend the protocol that actually addresses your specific concerns. Sometimes that's BBL Hero alone. Sometimes that's MOXI alone. Sometimes it's a combination, or a different treatment entirely (Exion RF microneedling, for example, addresses some concerns better than either laser).
What we won't do: recommend the device we have if it's not the right device for your skin. This is the same philosophy we apply to hormone therapy and medical weight loss — the right plan, built from real evaluation, not the plan that's easiest to sell.
Frequently asked questions
How much do BBL Hero and MOXI treatments cost at Defiance?
Pricing varies by treatment area and whether you're combining devices. Single-area BBL Hero treatments typically start around $400, full-face around $600-$800. MOXI is similar — single-area treatments typically start around $500, full-face around $700-$900. Treatment packages and combination pricing are discussed at your consultation. See full pricing →
Which is better for sun damage — BBL Hero or MOXI?
For surface-level sun damage (brown spots, freckles from sun exposure), BBL Hero is typically the first-line treatment. For deeper sun damage that's also showing as texture changes (rough skin, fine lines), a combination of BBL and MOXI usually produces the best results.
Can I do laser treatment if I have darker skin?
Skin type matters significantly with both devices. BBL Hero works best on lighter skin types (Fitzpatrick I-IV) — darker skin requires careful settings and sometimes alternative treatments because of the risk of pigmentation changes. MOXI is safer for a wider range of skin types, but every laser treatment requires individual evaluation. We discuss this at consultation and recommend what's actually safe for your skin.
How long is recovery?
BBL Hero recovery is minimal — most patients have mild redness for a few hours, then a "coffee grounds" appearance on treated brown spots that flake off over 5-7 days. Most people return to normal activities and makeup the next day. MOXI recovery is slightly more pronounced — pink and slightly swollen for 1-2 days, with most patients comfortable returning to work and makeup within 3-4 days.
Do you offer BBL Hero and MOXI at both Centennial and Alamosa?
Yes. The Sciton JOULE platform with BBL Hero and MOXI is available at both our Centennial (Denver Metro) and Alamosa (San Luis Valley) locations. Both Jessica Lara, PA-C and Randi Asbell, APRN are trained on the platform and perform treatments.
What's the difference between BBL and IPL?
"BBL" (BroadBand Light) is Sciton's branded version of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) technology. The principle is the same — broadband light targeting pigment and vascular structures in the skin — but BBL Hero specifically refers to Sciton's high-power, fast-coverage upgrade with sapphire cooling. Different IPL devices (Lumecca by InMode, M22 by Lumenis, Forever Young BBL by Sciton) have different specifications, energy outputs, and cooling systems. We chose BBL Hero based on clinical performance, the published Stanford research, and the integration with MOXI on the JOULE platform.
Considering laser or IPL at Defiance?
Schedule a consultation to discuss whether BBL Hero, MOXI, or a combination is right for your skin. Available at our Centennial and Alamosa clinics.
Book a ConsultationUpdated May 2026. Written by the clinical team at Defiance Health, Centennial & Alamosa, Colorado.