The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Advantages of the Pearl [TM] Laser - Friday, October 03, 2008

A Pearl laser treatment is an excellent way to treat sun damage, wrinkles, fine lines, and skin texture problems. It can be used not only on the face, but also the neck, hands, upper chest and upper back. Usually one treatment is enough, although some people have a second treatment. It depends on your individual skin issues.

The Pearl laser is offered by Cutera, Inc., a manufacturer of lasers and other light-based aesthetic systems. It has a wavelength of 2790 nm, which is less invasive than the older skin resurfacing lasers. Of the older lasers, some are ablative, meaning that they remove the top layer of skin to stimulate new cell growth; and others are non-ablative, meaning that they bypass the surface and stimulate the deeper layer directly. The Pearl laser offers the best of both worlds.

How the Pearl Laser Works

A safe amount of the skin's top layer (epidermis) is removed (ablated) by vaporization. Some of the epidermis is left in place and forms a natural protective layer while the skin regenerates. The laser's heat does not burn, but it does break molecular bonds and evaporate the water inside each cell. Between ten and thirty microns of epidermis are removed. At the same time, the Pearl laser's heat is sent into the deeper skin layer, the dermis, where collagen is produced.

Young skin has plenty of collagen which forms a matrix with elastin to support the skin and keep the surface smooth. As we age, the body produces less collagen. The Pearl laser treatment stimulates increased collagen growth.

After three or four days the top level of skin peels off to reveal new skin with a more youthful glow. During this time you would use moisturizing lotions or creams. Over the following few weeks new collagen is produced beneath the skin surface. It enhances the skin's smoothness by giving it more support from below.

Summary of Advantages

• One or two treatments are enough, each between ten and twenty minutes
• Downtime is short -- just three or four days, instead of the weeks required of older deep-peel lasers
• Collagen production is increased for longer-term rejuvenation
• Pore size is reduced
• Areas of discoloration are faded to give you a refreshed evenness of color
• Skin texture is made more youthful and fresh
• Lines and wrinkles are smoothed out

Besides offering skin treatments we also offer a wide variety of top-of-the-line skin care products. Please contact our office if you would like to learn more about the Pearl laser skin rejuvenation, and whether it would be a good option for you.