Secret Pro and Skin Type: Who Can Have This CO2 Laser and RF Microneedling Treatment

One of the questions we hear most often about Secret Pro is a simple one: will it work for my skin? It is a fair thing to ask. For years, resurfacing lasers came with a caveat that anyone with a deeper skin tone learned to expect, which was that these treatments were designed with fairer complexions in mind and could be risky on anything darker. That reputation has softened as the technology has matured, and Secret Pro is a good example of why.

Secret Pro brings together two very different technologies in one platform. There is a fractional CO2 laser that resurfaces the surface of the skin, and there is radiofrequency microneedling that works deep in the dermis to rebuild collagen. Because the two do different jobs and behave differently on pigment, the answer to the skin type question is more nuanced than a flat yes or no.

The short version is that Secret Pro can be used across Fitzpatrick skin types one to six, which covers fair Caucasian skin, olive and Asian skin, and black skin. What changes from one skin type to another is not whether you can have treatment, but how it is delivered and by whom. Here is how it works and what it means for you.

The two technologies inside Secret Pro

Most resurfacing devices do one thing. Secret Pro does two, and the combination is what makes it flexible enough to suit such a wide range of skin. Understanding the difference between the two modes is the key to understanding the skin type question.

Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing

The CO2 laser is the resurfacing half of the platform. It delivers energy in a fractional pattern, which means it treats microscopic columns of skin while leaving the tissue in between untouched. Those tiny channels of controlled injury trigger the skin to repair itself, shedding old, sun-damaged cells and laying down fresh collagen as it heals. The islands of intact skin around each column speed that healing along.

CO2 energy is absorbed by water in the skin, and it does its best work on texture, fine lines, enlarged pores, dullness, scarring and sun damage. It is the tool you reach for when someone wants a genuine change in the quality and finish of their skin rather than a subtle tweak. The trade-off is that it involves some downtime and, importantly for this discussion, it interacts with pigment in a way that matters for darker skin tones.

Radiofrequency microneedling

The second technology is radiofrequency microneedling. Fine insulated needles create channels into the skin, and radiofrequency energy is released from their tips to heat the deeper dermis. That heat is what drives dermal remodelling, tightening existing collagen and stimulating the production of new collagen and elastin over the following weeks and months.

The crucial point is that radiofrequency energy is not absorbed by melanin. It bypasses the pigment in the surface of the skin altogether and deposits its energy at a set depth in the dermis. In practical terms, that makes it colour-blind. This is why the microneedling side of Secret Pro can be used confidently on skin types that would once have been considered off limits for energy-based treatments. It is the part of the platform that opens the door to darker complexions.

Which skin types can have Secret Pro?

To talk about skin type properly, it helps to use the same scale that doctors use. The Fitzpatrick scale runs from one to six and sorts skin by how much melanin it contains and how it responds to the sun. Type one is very fair skin that always burns and never tans. Type six is deeply pigmented skin that rarely burns. Types four, five and six are the deeper tones that carry more melanin, and it is these that need extra thought with any laser.

Secret Pro can be offered across all six of these skin types. That is a genuine strength of the platform, and it is why we are able to say yes to patients who have been turned away from other resurfacing treatments in the past. What differs is the balance of the two technologies and the settings used.

Fairer skin, types one to three

On skin types one to three, the CO2 laser comes into its own. There is less melanin in the surface of the skin to compete for the laser's energy, so the resurfacing can be pushed to deliver a more noticeable change in texture and tone with a lower risk of pigment problems. These are the skin types where the CO2 side of Secret Pro is at its most effective and where we can be more ambitious with what it achieves.

Deeper skin, types four to six

On darker skin, the picture is different but by no means closed. The extra melanin in the skin absorbs some of the laser's heat, and that raises the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is a patch of darkening that can appear after any inflammation or injury to the skin. It is not dangerous, but it is unwelcome, and avoiding it is a priority.

The way we manage this is to be more careful and more superficial with the CO2 laser on a skin type four, using lower energy and lower density and building up gradually rather than going in hard on the first visit. For the deepest skin tones, the radiofrequency microneedling often does most of the work, because it delivers its collagen-building effect without engaging the melanin that makes laser risky. The result is that patients with darker skin can still get meaningful remodelling and tightening, just through a route that respects how their skin behaves.

Why a doctor-led approach makes the difference

There is a reason we stress that Secret Pro at Wellface is delivered by a doctor rather than handed to a therapist. Skin type is exactly the kind of variable where experience and clinical judgement change the outcome. The machine is capable, but a device is only ever as safe as the person setting the dials.

Treatment with Secret Pro is prescribed, which means every setting is chosen deliberately for your skin and written down. The dose used around the delicate skin of the eyes is not the same as the dose over the cheeks, the jawline, the neck or the abdomen. Each of those areas has different skin thickness and different tolerance, and each gets its own recorded settings. That record matters. It lets us look back after your first session, see exactly how your skin responded, and make an informed decision about whether we can push a little further next time or whether the approach we took was already right for you.

That careful, documented method is what allows the treatment to be offered safely across the full range of skin types. A conservative first pass on a skin type four, reviewed and adjusted, is far safer than guessing. It is the sort of considered practice that separates a genuinely tailored treatment from a one-size-fits-all setting.

What a session and recovery involve

Before any treatment, you will have a proper consultation where your skin is assessed, your Fitzpatrick type is established and your goals are discussed. For darker skin types in particular, this is also where we talk through pre-treatment skincare and sun avoidance, both of which help keep the risk of pigmentation down.

On the day, numbing cream is applied so the treatment is comfortable. The sensation people describe is warmth with some prickling, which passes quickly once the session ends. How long you spend depends on the area being treated and the combination of technologies used.

Downtime depends heavily on which part of the platform is emphasised. The radiofrequency microneedling tends to leave the skin pink with tiny pinpoint marks that settle within a day or two. The CO2 laser asks more of your skin. Expect redness, a sandpaper-like roughness and some flaking or peeling over the following days as the surface renews itself, with the timeline depending on how deep the resurfacing went. Diligent aftercare makes a real difference here. Keeping the skin clean and well moisturised, avoiding heat and sweat for the first day or two, leaving any flaking to shed on its own and being strict with a high-factor sunscreen all help the skin heal cleanly. Sun protection is not optional after resurfacing, and it matters even more on deeper skin tones where the pigment can be provoked by exposure.

Results build over time rather than appearing overnight. You may notice a fresher surface as the skin recovers in the first week or two, but the deeper collagen remodelling from the radiofrequency continues quietly for weeks and months afterwards. Many people have a short course of sessions spaced out to get the fullest effect.

Common questions about Secret Pro

Is Secret Pro safe on black or Asian skin?

Yes, with the right approach. The radiofrequency microneedling side of the platform does not target melanin, so it can be used across all skin types, including the deepest tones. The CO2 laser is used more cautiously on darker skin, at gentler settings and more superficially, to keep the risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation low. Having the treatment carried out by a doctor who understands how your skin type behaves is the single most important safety factor.

How is Secret Pro different from ordinary microneedling or a derma roller?

A derma roller creates tiny channels in the skin mechanically to stimulate a healing response, and it works entirely at the surface and upper layers. Secret Pro's microneedling adds radiofrequency energy delivered from the needle tips into the dermis, which drives a much deeper and more controlled collagen response than needling alone. On top of that, Secret Pro also carries a fractional CO2 laser for surface resurfacing, so it addresses both the texture on top and the structure beneath in a way a roller simply cannot.

Will it hurt?

The treatment is done after numbing cream has been applied, so most people find it very manageable. You will feel warmth and some prickling during the session, and the skin can feel hot for a short while afterwards, similar to mild sunburn. Any discomfort settles quickly.

How much downtime should I plan for?

It depends on how much of the CO2 laser is used. A treatment weighted towards radiofrequency microneedling may only leave you pink for a day or two. A deeper CO2 resurfacing means several days of redness, roughness and light peeling. Your doctor will tell you what to expect for your specific plan so you can time it around work and social commitments.

How soon will I see results?

Your skin will look and feel fresher once the initial healing settles, usually within a week or two. The deeper benefit, the new collagen and the remodelling, keeps developing over the following weeks and months, which is why the improvement tends to look better and better rather than fading.

Book a Secret Pro consultation at Wellface

Skin type should never be the reason you are told no. With Secret Pro, it simply shapes how the treatment is planned and delivered, and that planning is exactly what our doctors are here to do. If you would like to know whether Secret Pro suits your skin, and what it could do for your texture, tone and firmness, come and talk it through with us.

You can arrange a consultation at Wellface in Cobham, Esher or Wimbledon, where one of our doctors will assess your skin properly and build a plan around it. Get in touch to book, and we will take it from there.