Pores, fine lines, and acne scars are usually better addressed by combining several treatments in a deliberate order than by relying on a single laser. One such combination pairs Icon XD, a non-ablative fractional laser, with an exosome skin booster and Laser Genesis — a setup designed to keep irritation down while raising the overall completeness of pore care. This article walks through what each of the three stages does and the order in which the treatment proceeds.
What kind of laser is Icon XD
Icon XD is a fractional laser that delivers fine microbeams in a stamping motion, like pressing a seal onto the skin. Unlike ablative fractional lasers that remove the skin surface, this non-ablative approach keeps surface damage to a minimum, so discomfort and recovery burden are considerably lighter, while the micro-thermal stimulation can be expected to help soften pore size and improve acne scarring. Adding exosomes, which carry regenerative signals, and Laser Genesis, which conditions the dermal environment, creates a set-up in which each treatment covers what the others leave out.
The full treatment proceeds in three stages.
- Creating absorption channels with MTS
- Applying exosomes together with Icon XD passes
- Finishing with Laser Genesis
It always starts with a one-on-one consultation with the doctor
Whatever the treatment, the starting point is consultation. A treatment that worked well for someone else may not suit your skin, so at SKINIQUE Clinic the doctor personally examines the skin and listens to what you hope to achieve before any treatment begins. This is the stage where suitability is judged and the overall direction is designed.
Once the treatment is decided, numbing cream is applied with the expected level of discomfort in mind. Because easily overlooked areas such as around the nose are also included in the treatment field, the numbing cream is applied evenly across the entire face without gaps.
Stage 1 — MTS opens a path for the active ingredients
The first stage uses an MTS roller fitted with fine needles to create microscopic channels in the skin. These open channels help the exosomes applied next to sink into the skin rather than sit on the surface, and the micro-stimulation itself triggers a self-repair response that encourages collagen and elastin production.
Some people use MTS devices at home, but home rollers differ from clinical ones starting with needle length, so penetration depth is limited. More importantly, it is difficult to judge on your own whether MTS stimulation suits your skin's current condition, or how the depth should be varied to match the differing skin thickness of each area.
In a medical setting, the intensity can be adjusted to the state of the skin so that absorption channels are secured without excessive irritation, and as the micro-injuries heal, the texture around the pores can settle and inflammation can subside as well.
Stage 2 — Where exosomes meet Icon XD
Once the MTS rolling is finished, exosomes are applied while Icon XD passes continue. The exosome booster contains human adipose-derived stem cell conditioned media along with various growth factor proteins, niacinamide, and adenosine; beyond hydration and tone care, it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help calm skin sensitized by breakouts and support recovery. Because regenerative ingredients are layered onto skin immediately after laser stimulation, the character of the two treatments fits together naturally.
With sufficient numbing cream beforehand, Icon XD is generally tolerable without much difficulty, and the redness right afterward tends not to last long. That said, recovery speed and perceived discomfort vary from person to person. What matters at this stage is an energy setting matched to the skin and thorough coverage that leaves no area out. At SKINIQUE Clinic our principle is a dense, purposeful treatment aimed at improvement rather than a perfunctory once-over.
Stage 3 — Finishing with Laser Genesis
The last step is Laser Genesis. It is a laser that improves the dermal environment to encourage collagen synthesis, and because it is used across a wide range of skin concerns — including pores stretched by aging — it is sometimes nicknamed the all-purpose laser. In this combination it plays one additional role: calming the redness and mild swelling that can follow the higher energy of Icon XD.
Laser Genesis feels no stronger than a gentle warmth throughout the session, but doing its job depends on taking enough time over the passes. A treatment rushed through in a few minutes and one given proper time can differ in outcome, so wherever you have it done, it is worth checking this point.
Wrapping Up
The Icon XD, exosome, and Laser Genesis combination is a program that stacks three roles in order — opening absorption channels, delivering laser stimulation together with regenerative ingredients, and calming the skin while improving the dermis — to care for pores, scarring, and texture together. Irritation and downtime tend to be modest, but results and reactions vary between individuals, so the first question is whether this configuration suits your skin. Costs are listed on our price guide, and you are welcome to ask about a combination suited to your own pore concerns through our chat consultation.
This article was written by Dr. Park Tae-hyung, Chief Director. He is the Chief Director of SKINIQUE Clinic and serves as an academic director of the Korean Society for Laser Dermatology and Trichology. First published October 10, 2024 · Last reviewed August 23, 2026
This article is general medical information. Skin condition and response to treatment vary between individuals. Whether and how to be treated should be decided through an in-person consultation.