Laser Peel Basics

Frequently asked questions

What are the advantages of the laser over a chemical peel?

A chemical peel done in the hands of someone skilled and experienced in doing them can produce similar results to a laser peel at lighter depths. Unlike a chemical peel which involves placing liquid of varying strength on the face, the laser uses a carefully programmed precisely controlled beam of light to remove a precise depth of skin. At the skin surface the chemical peel has very precise control over the depth and the edge of the peel. In some ways a chemical peel on the surface of the skin may be more accurate than the laser. For more severe surface irregularities and deeper wrinkles the laser has advantages. The healing time and chances for a problem can be greater with the laser but the results resurfacing and tightening the skin favor the laser. Control at deeper depths is very difficult for even the best persons doing a chemical peel to duplicate at the deeper depths. The cost for a chemical peel is generally less than a laser peel. re*be strongly supports our partner Dallas Dotson of Okoboji Skin Care who has the expertise to deliver quality chemical peels. If she feels your needs exceed what a chemical peel can offer please let us look at you.

Does it hurt?

It can but this is controlled by applying a topical facial cream that numbs the skin. This is done in the clinic 30-45 minutes before the procedure. We also use tumescent anesthesia to control the pain of the Profractional(tm) laser Taking Tylenol if this medication is appropriate for you an hour or so before the treatment can help. We have a cooling machine that will reduce the sensation greatly. Most people can tolerate the pain with little difficulty resulting in an effective and safe treatment.

Is it expensive?

Not really especially when compared to the alternatives such as a surgical face lift. The cost depends on what we peel and also how deep a peel your skin will require. The range is between 625 - 2250 for re*be patrons and will vary on the depth of the peel, the amount of tightening needed, including the eyelids etc. Consultations for cosmetic laser peels are complimentary. Deeper peels will cost more and the recovery is somewhat longer.

Do I have to have my picture taken for a laser peel?

We would prefer you did. We will treat you with or without before and after photographs. Unless you include permission to use your photos even cropped portions of them should not appear on our site or ads. The photographs we take are used by us in this clinic to take care of you. They will be the best way to monitor your progress and make any needed adjustments to your treatments. We will not take any photographs without your permission. We will not use the photographs for any reason without your permission. We may want to show portions of your photographs to other clients so they can see our treatment results. We may want to show portions of your photographs to other doctors so they can compare our treatments to theirs. We may attend scientific meetings or publish scientific papers to explain our treatments to other doctors with similar clinics. We may want to display portions of your photographs on our website do show interested persons our results. If we do, you will be asked again for your permission to do so, even if you have given permission earlier when you signed your consent for treatment form.

What about a laser peel for men?

Men do have laser peels. Generally men have much more reason to have a laser peel than women. Wearing makeup is considered odd by our society and most men will not be successful when trying to cover up uneven color or wrinkles. Fixing permanently a blemish or spot or uneven face tones with a laser peel is often satisfying, especially for a man and those around him. Men who suddenly find themselves back in the dating world or in competition with younger men at their jobs are usually glad they took the time to enhance their appearance. The men who have had laser peels at re*be® have had scars on their face or scalp that the cannot cover with beards. These scars are from acne as a young adult that has left disfiguring scars or from old injuries.

What areas can be treated?

Laser peels can be done on any skin areas. This treatment is mostly done for the face but the hands and upper chest produces nice results as well. Some areas are difficult and also dangerous to peel especially the chest. The skin here is thin and if you are a physician and just getting started doing laser peels please be careful and gentle with the upper chest. This is some of the thinnest skin of the entire body. A peel that goes too deep will heal very slowly and can produce difficult scars in this area. Stretch marks are treated with laser peels and laser resurfacing. Perfection is not possible but most of them will improve. Old burn scars and old surgical scars also improve with laser peels but we make adjustments in the technique as needed.

What kind of anesthesia do you use?

After taking your photographs before the procedure your face will first be aggressively cleaned with a microdermabrasion. Next a numbing cream will be applied to your skin and let sit for about 20 minutes or more. We use tumescent anesthesia with a combination of Lidocaine and epinephrine and sodium bicarbonate to numb your tissue. We gently numb up your face with the same gauge tiny needle we use to put in Botox® The needle goes under the skin and if we slowly insert it into the tissue of your face starting with an area that we nave numbed with the previous injection it does not hurt too much. if you are having your eyelids peeled also we will put some numbing medication to block the nerves around your eyes. This is a very dilute local anesthesia in much lower concentrations than your family doctor or dentist might use. By diluting the local anesthesia we can use it to treat a much larger area and volume of tissue than would otherwise be possible. It is this tumescent local anesthesia that makes the procedure much safer than a similar procedure done in the hospital operating room under general anesthesia. Keeping the procedure in well-equipped doctor's offices is safe because of this anesthetic technique. It is estimated to be 1000 times safer than general anesthesia. Reduced anesthesia costs make the procedure more affordable as compared to the alternatives in the hospital. We do not encourage the use of sedatives but if you have had experience to need them in the past for other things we will provide you with some.

Does the doctor do the procedure?

Yes. There may be clinics where a laser peel is done by a person who is not a doctor but not at re*be® A laser is a surgical knife and quite powerful. A laser peel is a surgical peel and should be done by persons with a background in wound healing and training with the laser. There are a very few clinics in the country that are very busy and a nurse or nurse practitioner may administer your tumescent local anesthesia but even in those clinics, the doctor usually does the laser peel. At re*be® in Okoboji currently Dr. Kolegraff administers your tumescent anesthesia and does the procedure.