How a Dermatologist Gets Real Glass Skin (It's Not What You Think)

Want glass skin without the guesswork? Harvard- and MIT-trained board-certified dermatologist Dr. Tia Paul   / dr.tiapaul   reveals the laser treatments, skin-brightening ingredients and professional procedures that actually deliver results — no Botox, fillers or gimmicky skincare required. Dr. Tia Paul is the founder of Balanced Skin Dermatology   / balancedskindermatology   in Newport Beach, California, a trusted advisor to over 40 global skincare brands and a skin-of-colour specialist with more than 400,000 social media followers. In this episode, Dr. Paul breaks down the exact "skincare pyramid" framework she uses with her own patients for a brighter skin game plan that won't shock your skin or your credit card. 1:00 Meet Dr. Tia Paul: Harvard- & MIT-trained dermatologist 2:00 Why Dr. Paul designs her own laser protocols 4:00 The Fitzpatrick Scale explained — and why it's outdated according to Dr. Paul 6:00 Skincare bias: why darker skin tones are often underrepresented in dermatology 8:00 What should replace the Fitzpatrick Scale? 9:00 Outdated skincare rules & the "less is more" approach 10:00 The skincare pyramid: building your skin game plan 11:00 Facials, chemical peels, Botox & microneedling — where they fit 13:00 Hyperpigmentation: the No. 1 sign of ageing most people ignore 14:00 PicoSure laser & treating pigmentation 16:00 Carlene's laser journey & personal before/after results 17:00 Dr. Paul's real glass skin revealed — zero makeup, no filter 18:00 New laser technology with minimal downtime 20:00 When to go beyond skincare to professional treatments 21:00 Skin brightening 2026: hydroquinone, tranexamic acid & alternatives 22:00 Laser 101: what exactly is a laser? 24:00 Ablative vs. non-ablative lasers explained 25:00 CO2 laser: risks, downtime & who it's actually right for 28:00 Morpheus8 & RF microneedling vs. laser — what's the difference? 30:00 The Wild West of aesthetics: who should be doing your laser? 31:00 Xerf: the new skin-tightening device everyone's talking about 32:00 Xerf vs. Ultherapy & Thermage — pain, downtime & results 33:00 Xerf before & after: what to realistically expect 36:00 Xerf: Dr. Paul's personal experience on herself 37:00 How much does Xerf cost? 38:00 Lasers on skin of colour: myth-busting with Dr. Paul 41:00 What is laser stacking — and why it gets the best results 42:00 Vascular lasers: BBL and broadband light explained 43:00 BBL vs. (Excel V) for redness & broken capillaries 44:00 DermaV: the newest vascular laser with built-in cooling 46:00 LYMA laser — is the $5,000 at-home device worth it? 47:00 The one at-home device Dr. Paul actually uses herself 48:00 PicoSure Pro: what it costs and how to ask for it 49:00 BlueSonil: where wellness meets aesthetics 50:00 Where to find Dr. Tia Paul Disclaimer: Please note the discussion in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Links & Social Media: Get all product and episode details: https://breakingbeautypodcast.com/epi... 🇺🇸Shop, and follow, our USA Amazon storefront for even more deals! https://www.amazon.com/shop/breakingb... 🇨🇦Shop, and follow, our Canadian Amazon storefront for even more deals! https://www.amazon.ca/shop/breakingbe... Join the Breaking Beauty community: Instagram:   / breakingbeautypodcast   Tiktok:   / breakingbeautypodcast   Facebook Group:   / 1401081996684767   Substack Signup: https://substack.com/@breakingbeautyp... Podcast Hotline: 1-844-227-0302 Hosts: Carlene Higgins: https://www.instagram.com/carlenehigg... and Jill Dunn:   / jilldunnbeauty   Produced by Dear Media Studio: https://dearmedia.com/ More about our podcast: “If you're going to trust anyone's beauty expertise, make it Breaking Beauty's founders, Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins” - ELLE.com Get ready with us! We’re Jill and Carlene, two longtime beauty editors who have seen it all and swatched it all, and now we’re here to tell you what’s good every single Wednesday. Tune for epic guests like Makeup By Mario, skincare guru Dr. Shereene Idriss and breakthrough people who are moving the needle in beauty today: everyone from celebs like Hailey Bieber and Tracee Ellis Ross to creators like Jackie Aina and Mikayla Nogueira. Plus, don’t miss our monthly #DamnGood reviews of trending drugstore and spendy finds that are worth the $$$ – you’re glowing already!