The *New* Rules of Skin Brightening, Laser “Stacking” and Why Everyone is Freaking Out Over Xerf with Dermatologist Dr. Tia Paul

About this episode

Dr. Tia Paul discusses innovative skin brightening techniques and laser treatments for achieving optimal skin health.

What if your best skin ever had nothing to do with Botox, fillers or even fancy skincare? This week we welcome Dr. Tia Paul , a Harvard- and MIT-trained, board-certified dermatologist—and major skin laser aficionado. As the founder of Balanced Skin Dermatology and Aesthetics in Newport Beach, California, Dr. Paul treats everything from acne, hyperpigmentation, eczema and psoriasis to skin cancer and she has earned over 400K followers on social media. Tune in to find out how to achieve glass skin the non-gimmicky way, as Dr. Paul reveals everything to know about the most effective at-home brightening solutions, how-to navigate the world of professional lasers, and the “pyramid” framework she designed for a brighter skin game plan that won’t shock your skin or your credit card. In this episode, we discuss: Hydroquinone, tranexamic acid, azelaic acid, niacinamide — the new rules for skin brightening skincare in 2026 Lasers 101 — the difference between ablative and non-ablative lasers, vascular lasers and why the term “laser” itself is one of the most misused words in the beauty industry What is laser “stacking” and why Dr. Paul says that combining technologies is where you get the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jill Dunn, Carlene Higgins

Guest: Dr. Tia Paul

Topics covered

• skin brightening
• laser treatments
• dermatology
• skincare
• acne treatment
• hyperpigmentation
• skin of colour

Keywords

• skin brightening
• lasers
• Xerf
• hydroquinone
• tranexamic acid
• azelaic acid
• niacinamide
• Fitzpatrick scale
• acne
• hyperpigmentation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Balanced Skin Dermatology and Aesthetics

Places: Newport Beach, California

More episodes of Breaking Beauty Podcast

• Miranda Kerr’s 2026 Reset: Her High-Tech Beauty Routine, 6-Minute Arm Sculpting and the “Baller” Reason Why She’s Not Launching Any New Skincare This Year · June 10, 2026 · 58 min
• #DamnGood K-Beauty Special! What to Buy (And What to Skip) at the New Olive Young Flagship · May 27, 2026 · 50 min
• The Beauty Founder Giving Away His Fortune, “Looksmaxxing” Gone Too Far and the One Body Oil You Need This Summer · May 20, 2026 · 53 min
• 17+ Unfiltered Skin Truths with Esthetician Joanna Czech · May 13, 2026 · 1h 1m
• What Makes a Viral Perfume? Tips for Long-Lasting Scent, Perfume Layering and an In-Person, Custom Fragrance Atelier with The 7 Virtues’ Barb Stegemann · May 6, 2026 · 57 min
• Solo Episode: The Devil Wears Lancôme? Movie Marketing Gone Wild, Jo Malone Zara Drama and Can Acne Ever be “Sexy”? · April 29, 2026 · 26 min