Side effects and downtime all depend on the level of your Tixel treatment. Most clients experience redness and swelling for three to five days. A micro-crust will form after full and medium ablative treatments before eventually falling off to reveal your youthful, rejuvenated skin. This "micro crust" is part of the process and not as scary as it sounds! Open channel treatments typically come with minimal swelling or redness and have 24 hours of downtime.