ClearLift Laser: What It Does and How Many Sessions You Need

What does ClearLift laser do to your skin?

Dr Oli Curwen uses ClearLift laser to boost collagen and elastin in the deeper layers of your skin, and to break pigment into tiny particles. Elastin is the protein that lets skin spring back. The surface of the skin is left intact, so there is no downtime.

He is a GMC-registered doctor, and ClearLift is one of his laser treatments at UNTIL Soho.

“The ClearLift laser is a wonderful laser handpiece,” he says. It targets both collagen and pigment, “boosting collagen and elastin formation while blasting pigment into tiny molecules that can then be extruded.”

ClearLift Pro, the version he uses, is one of the four Alma Harmony tools he uses. His laser page explains the other three, which are used for acne, thread veins and pigment.

Does ClearLift tighten skin?

Gentle tightening is one of the things Dr Oli uses ClearLift for. The maker, Alma, describes a controlled wound beneath the surface that leaves the top layer of skin intact. Alma says that as it heals, the skin makes new collagen, contracts and tightens.

Dr Oli uses it for “a nice gentle collagen boost, gentle tightening, restructuring, surface issues”. For skin that has become loose, his skin laxity page sets out the other options.

How does ClearLift reach beneath the skin?

Each ClearLift pulse is a very short burst of laser light that sets off a tiny shock wave under the surface of the skin. Alma calls this a photoacoustic effect. A 2026 study, whose lead author had research support from Alma, describes lasers of this type as building up little heat.

Is ClearLift safe for darker skin?

The risk of dark marks after ClearLift is low, says Dr Oli. In his words, it has “a really low risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation”, and “ClearLift Pro can be used safely for all skin types.”

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the temporary dark patch that can follow an injury to the skin, and it is more common in darker skin.

The 2026 study treated skin types III and IV, so it did not test the darkest skin. Dr Oli checks your skin type at your consultation and sets the laser for it.

How many ClearLift sessions do you need?

The number of ClearLift sessions is individual to each patient, and Dr Oli sets it at your consultation. It depends on what you come in with. “It’s all quite individual to the patient,” he says.

One of his patients, a man of 48, came in with dull, pigmented skin from sun damage. He didn’t really know what to expect, and Dr Oli hoped the laser would even out his skin tone. After three sessions, he noticed both changes: the collagen boost and the lighter pigment.

“The treatment does take a while and is subtle,” he says. “But his main thing was actually people were complimenting his skin, rather than it being something that he’d noticed.”

After a course, Dr Oli suggests 1 to 2 top-up sessions every 6 months, for both the collagen boost and pigment.

A 2020 study used three sessions, and the 2026 study used four.

When will you see results from ClearLift?

ClearLift results take about 6 weeks to show, while the top layer of skin renews. “The results take about 6 weeks to come through, as we’re waiting for the epidermis to go through a full skin cycle,” he says. “And then the new, healthy, glowy skin will start to peek through.”

The epidermis is the top layer of your skin. A study of normal skin measured its full turnover at about 39 days, between 5 and 6 weeks.

Who is ClearLift for?

Dr Oli recommends ClearLift for nearly anyone with signs of ageing. “ClearLift is incredibly safe, and I would really recommend it for nearly anyone who has signs of ageing,” he says. “It will help reduce those fine lines and wrinkles, while providing a much more even and healthy skin tone.”

Dr Oli says nearly everyone is suitable for ClearLift, with the settings chosen for their skin.

He does not treat during a suntan or recent sunburn on the area, a skin infection or cold sore there, or with a history of keloid or raised scars. He also waits through pregnancy and breastfeeding. He also checks for medicines that make skin sensitive to light.

What are the side effects of ClearLift laser?

ClearLift has no downtime, and redness is the usual side effect of laser treatment. Tanned or sunburnt skin is more likely to change colour. In the 2026 study, nobody had downtime, and the 2020 study found no significant adverse effects.

His laser page sets out how to prepare, including 4 weeks out of the sun, and daily SPF 50 afterwards.

How do you start a course of ClearLift?

A ClearLift course starts with a laser consultation with Dr Oli. The steps are:

1. He checks your skin and your skin type.
2. He sets your number of sessions.
3. You have your sessions at UNTIL Soho.
4. Results show at about 6 weeks.
5. You top up with 1 to 2 sessions every 6 months.

His safety guide explains how he looks after you.

Frequently asked questions

Is there any downtime after ClearLift?

No. At Dr Oli Aesthetics, ClearLift has no downtime, so you can fit a session into a lunch break. The surface of the skin is left intact. Wear SPF 50 every day afterwards, and avoid hot showers, saunas and hard exercise for 24 to 48 hours.

Does ClearLift hurt?

Alma, the maker, describes ClearLift as virtually painless. In a 2020 study, 16 women had three sessions each, and the researchers called the treatment practically painless. They also found no significant adverse effects.

Can ClearLift be used on darker skin?

Dr Oli says ClearLift carries "a really low risk" of dark marks after treatment, which are more common in darker skin. ClearLift Pro is usually the most suitable laser for darker skin. He checks your skin type at your consultation and chooses the settings for your skin.

Where can I have ClearLift with Dr Oli?

Dr Oli Aesthetics carries out every ClearLift session at UNTIL Soho, 111 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DT, where the Alma Harmony laser is kept. The consultation fee comes off the cost of your treatment, and your written plan shows how many sessions you need.