A year ago, I tried an anti-aging aesthetic treatment – Secret DUO – and looked years younger within a week. Fast forward to 2025, I’ve gone through four treatments and am updating this post to share my latest thoughts.
If you wonder, I still love and will continue with this treatment. Read on to find out more about Secret Duo, a treatment that combines RF microneedling with Erbium Glass Laser to reverse the signs of aging.
Are you looking to improve the overall firmness of skin, minimize the appearance of wrinkles and/or reduce acne scars or enlarged pores? If you answer YES to the above, Secret DUO is one treatment you would want to know more about.
Update May 2025: This post was first written in Apr 2024, and last updated to include latest opinion.
What is Secret DUO aesthetic treatment?
Secret DUO is an FDA-approved treatment that comprises two steps in its treatment. The first being Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling which delivers RF energy at various depths (0.5mm to 3.5mm) using medical-grade needles. The needles are intended to cause controlled micro-injuries to stimulate collagen production.
The second step of Secret DUO is the 1540 nm fractional Erbium Glass Laser, which targets the skin’s inner layer using fractional laser beams. These laser creates controlled micro-injuries in the dermis and stimulates collagen production.
Benefits of Secret DUO anti-aging treatment
Together, the two-step treatment of Secret DUO aims to deliver the following benefits:
- Skin tightening
- Non-surgical face lifting and skin resurfacing
- Wrinkle reduction
- Pore reduction
- Acne scars
- Tone and texture improvement
- Spider veins
- Stretch marks
Among these benefits, the ones that interest me most are skin tightening, wrinkle and pore reduction. But I gained more, which I’ll share later when I unveil the results. 🙂
Prior to that, let me show you how it’s like going through Secret DUO treatment.
Secret DUO: Let the anti-aging treatment begin
(Here, you read about my first experience, recorded in 2024. I’ll sprinkle 2025 updates within too)
Upon arriving at Cutis Medical Laser Clinics, the staff spent the first hour cleansing my face and sharing things I needed to know about the treatment.
Fan – the clinic staff – whom I have known for more than a decade was very thorough when she went through the potential side effects as well as the dos and don’ts post-treatment.
She also applied numbing cream, which I thought is an important step to minimize discomfort, especially since many needles will be poking the skin at the same time.
Step 1: RF Microneedling
Dr. Sylvia Ramirez – my favorite aesthetician doctor – started the microneedling procedure. It was a walk in the park and almost pain-free throughout.
I only felt some mild stinging at two spots – above my upper lips and upper cheeks. On a scale of 1 to 10, the part with some sensation was probably a 1/10.
How deep did the needle go? Dr Sylvia shared that my upper cheeks were treated at 1.8mm while my lower jaws received deeper poking at 2.5mm.
Update 2025: Pain could vary among individuals, and also dependent on your skin condition (and needles depth prescribed). In my experience, the pain is mostly bearable (up to 2 or 3/10) since numbing cream is applied.
Any blood?
Having watched videos on microneedling procedure, I was expecting blood on my face. But nope! Not a single drop. My face just looked pinkish or tanned.
Dr. Sylvia explained that Caucasians have higher tendency to bleed due to thinner skin.
Step 2: Continue with Erbium Laser
The second treatment was not invasive and quite easy to go through. I only felt warm sensation from the laser beam. Dr. Sylvia described it as floating over my skin, and this laser would reduce redness and promote healing.
End of Secret Duo Treatment @ Cutis Medical Laser Clinics
All in all, both treatments were completed within 40 minutes. The staff handed me a bag containing a bottle of vinegar water, cleansing wipes and a sample size of Dr. Sylvia Vital Repair Cream.
Seeing how pink my face was and the insecurity of not having any makeup on, I headed home immediately.
My advice is to avoid scheduling any social activities after the treatment or even for the next 3 days or so. Read on as I share more post-care tips and FAQs in the next section.
FAQs on SECRET DUO treatment
Q1: Can you apply makeup after treatment?
Apply light makeup after 2 to 3 days.
Q2: Can you use your normal skincare products?
Stay away from harsh skincare products. In fact, the clinic gave me vinegar water which was to replace my facial wash.
I was also advised to stay away from all my usual skincare products and use the prescribed Dr. Sylvia Vital Repair Cream for at least the first 3 days.
Q3. Can you apply sunblock?
I was advised to stay away from sunblock for the first 3 days. Of course, this also meant I had to stay indoor and avoid the sun.
Q4. Can you exercise after Secret DUO treatment?
Avoid any exercise until the skin has fully healed or for the first 3 days post-treatment.
Q5. How long is the downtime?
The skin may appear red with mild swelling in the first few days. Based on my experience, my skin looked normal by Day 2. To me, the downtime was more on not being able to wear makeup or sunscreen on Day 2. 🙂
However, do prep for skin flaking to begin around Day 4 and 5. If you are vain, you may feel slightly self-conscious on these 2 days (typically a Mon to Tue for me when I do my treatment on a Fri).
Q6. When can I start seeing improvements? How long can they last?
According to the clinic, you can expect to see continuous improvement for six months after treatment. Within a month, patients are likely to experience improvement in elasticity, firmness, smoothness, and texture. Read my day-by-day account below.
Day-by-Day Recovery Account: Secret DUO
Day 1 (Fri): Pink but no pain
By the time I reached home, there was no pain or discomfort. But the face was still pink and patchy.
I showered as usual, replacing my facial wash with the vinegar water provided. To my pleasant surprise, my face didn’t sting at all.
In fact, the vinegar water (which I was advised to store in the fridge) felt really cooling and comfortable.
Day 2 (Sat): Looked Normal
I slept very well. It was as if I had nothing done to my face except for the slight pinkiness. As I had to stay away from my own skincare, sunblock and makeup, I only went out in the evening.
My man said I looked the same and he couldn’t tell that I had been poked by multiple needles the day before.
Day 3 (Sun): I can feel the Micro Scabs
Micro scabs that were invisible to the eyes had formed. The skin felt rough and I could see tiny dots of scab, but only if I zoomed in on the photos taken.
Although I was told to avoid sunblock, I decided to take the risk as I really wanted to go out and it was a hot and sunny day. The mineral sunblock I’d on hand – Suncut Prodefense Whitening UV Sunscreen Essence – came in handy as I read that we should apply physical sunblock instead of chemical ones after microneedling.
Day 4 (Mon): Back to Work
I started using my own cleanser – Ceptaphil Cleanser – in place of the vinegar wash. Though I could see micro scabs when I zoomed in on the photos, it wasn’t visible unless someone was standing super super close to me.
It was also great that I could officially start applying makeup. My favourite BB cream was able to cover the scabs and patchiness. Therefore, being at work or in social setting didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
By night fall, the flaking was more obvious. I started appreciating Dr. Sylvia Vital Repair Cream as it provided sufficient moisture to my peeling skin, but yet felt comfortable without excess grease. The face felt velvety smooth and I really enjoyed using the cream.
Update 2025: Rate of healing may vary. For example, in one of the four treatments I had, moderate peeling began on Monday (Day 4). And I felt a bit self-conscious.
Day 5 to Day 7: Flaking of Skin
In the next three days, skin felt and appeared dehydrated. The skin started flaking and micro scabs started coming off.
Black micro dots (scabs) nearer the ears were the last to go away, as there’s less movement in that area to trigger peeling.
One Week Later: Everything back to normal
Everything resumed normalcy on Day 8 – skin hydration level and all. Skin flaking and patchiness were gone.
I could also start seeing the benefits promised by Secret DUO, such as smaller-looking pores and firmer skin. On Day 9, I wrote this in my beauty diary “Feel like doing more sessions.”
Day 10 to 14: Compliments Received
From Day 10 onwards, I started receiving unsolicited compliments. My man said I looked “glowy” and more “tender”. Wow, what does it mean to look tender? I’m not a chicken or steak. Upon clarification, he said I looked younger. 🙂
Great!
The next day, one of my colleagues asked if I did something to my face. She said I looked “more radiant and nice….smoother”. The effect must have been so pronounced as she started enquiring earnestly on the details, such as what I did, where I did it, how much it cost etc.
Update 2025: Such unsolicited compliments came every time I did the Secret Duo treatment. Therefore, any social discomfort or inconvenience is worth it!
Before-After Secret Duo Treatment (Static)
How about some before-after photos? These would be comparing Day 1 (before treatment) with Day 17 post-treatment photos.
Front Profile
You can see the left nasolabial seemed fainter.
My skin also appeared a tad brighter. The “radiance” effect was even more pronounced during my first Secret Duo treatment (for info, this is the second session, done about two months after the first).
Left Profile
Look at the curvature of my left cheek against the background. Can you see that the curvature in the AFTER photo is more rounded? What else do you notice?
Right Profile
Do you notice a slightly fainter laugh line? Still quite a subtle change, right?
In the next section, I’ll wear a smile and see if we can notice any difference?
Before-After Secret Duo Treatment (Smile)
Let’s check out if there are any noticeable difference on smiling photos (before vs Day 17).
Front Profile (Smile)
If the improvement in the laugh lines weren’t obvious in the earlier (static) photos, I thought they looked quite obvious now. Definitely much shallower in depth.
Left Profile (Smile)
Once again, shallower laugh line and brighter skin noticed.
Right Profile (Smile)
Look at the edge of my lips. Can you see that my laugh line was shortened by a cm or so.
Results of Secret Duo Treatment@Cutis Medical Laser Clinics
The most noticeable difference from photos is the improvement in laugh lines. Outside of photos, I also noticed better skin tone (like the dead skin has been exfoliated to reveal newer and brighter skin).
Skin firmness has definitely improved too. Being almost pain-free and with short downtime makes this an easy treatment to squeeze in over the weekend.
Update 2025: Secret Duo is my staple aesthetic treatment
One month after my most recent (4th) Secret Duo treatment, I see a significant improvement in skin firmness – the collagen boost is so obvious and I felt like I’ve shaved at least 5 years off my age.
I also see a reduction in pore size, such that “glowy” foundation that I used to dislike (as they highlighted my pores) is now usable.
To add, the skin also looked radiant – it’s as if a thick layer of dull, dead skin were lifted off to reveal “newly-born” skin.
I’ve witnessed the following benefits promised:
- Skin tightening
- Non-surgical face lifting and skin resurfacing
- Wrinkle reduction
- Pore reduction
- Acne scars
- Tone and texture improvement
More questions on Secret DUO aesthetic treatments
How many Secret DUO sessions do I need?
The recommended number of treatments for optimal results is three to five, scheduled a month apart.
How much does Secret DUO treatment cost?
I understand that each session at Cutis Medical Laser Clinics costs about $1,000. Getting a package can be cheaper on a per session basis, e.g. 2 sessions for $1,830 and 4 sessions for $3,460.
That’s all to this beauty aesthetic post. Hope you’ve found the information educational and useful. Click the button below to get notified on newly-published honest reviews.
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The first two treatments were provided complimentary for editor’s consideration in documenting the treatment experience. The clinic did not mandate publication as a requirement in exchange for receiving the complimentary trial. Subsequently, the editor paid to continue the treatment beyond 2024.
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