The Sciton™ MicroLaser Peel is one of our most popular aesthetic laser services. Below find Andrea's feelings about her treatments, and then read more about this very effective aesthetic procedure.

"One day I realized that I was staring age 40 in the face—literally. I looked in the mirror and saw a 40-year-old woman. How did this happen? And how could I have the wrinkles of a 40-year-old woman, but the acne of a 14-year-old girl? It didn't seem fair, but that's exactly what I was looking at in my mirror. I felt like I looked just awful.

My resolve kicked in, and I was determined to do something about my skin. I considered having a chemical peel—a friend of mine had had one, and she looked great. However, not only was a chemical peel pretty expensive, but it also took about 4 weeks of recovery time. My friend missed 3 weeks of work. I certainly couldn't afford to miss three weeks of work.

Then I found the Dry Creek Laser and Aesthetics and asked about having a MicroLaser peel. I learned that if I had a MicroLaser peel, I would only be out of commission for 3 – 5 days. And to make things even better, it was affordable!

Now one year later, I have had two peels, and I absolutely love my skin! The MicroLaser peel was not very painful; and I only needed three days of recovery time, so I didn't have to miss much work at all. In fact, I had the MicroLaser peel on a Friday afternoon and was back to work on Tuesday.

The MicroLaser peel made my skin look more vibrant, and it erased some of those tiny lines. Plus, I know that the MicroLaser peel helped clear up my embarrassing adult acne. My aesthetician recently said, "That laser peel did wonders for your skin!" I actually love my skin right now—I don't think I've ever said that before!"
Andrea G., Salt Lake City, Utah

What is the MicroLaser Peel?
The epidermis (the outer-most layer of skin) functions as a physical barrier to protect the deeper dermis and to retain the skin's hydration. It is also often the source of fine lines and discolorations in aging skin. The MicroLaser Peel precisely ablates (or removes) the outermost layers of the skin, from 10 to 20 microns, helping to decrease many of these lines and discolorations. The MicroLaser Peel can be performed on almost any area of the body; the most popular are face, neck, cleavage, hands, and shoulders/upper arms. You will love how your skin looks and feels after undergoing a MicroLaser Peel

How does the MicroLaser Peel differ from traditional laser peels? From microdermabrasion and chemical peels?
Traditional laser peels are capable of removing significant layers of the epidermis, usually requiring aggressive anesthesia and a weeks-long recovery period. MicroLaser Peels only remove 10 to 20 microns of the epidermis. This means they can be performed with only a mild, topical anesthetic, and recovery time is usually only a few days. MicroLaser Peels can safely remove more of the epidermis than microdermabrasion or chemicals, and MicroLaser Peels are extremely precise. Your technician can tell you exactly how many microns of epidermis will be removed.

How many MicroLaser Peels should I have performed?
The number of peels you choose to undergo will depend on the current condition of your skin. Typically, the procedure is repeated two to four times, spaced four to six weeks apart.

What changes can I expect in my skin in the weeks after undergoing Microlaser Peels?
You will notice an immediate change in skin texture and tightness—you will love how your skin feels. It will become smoother, healthier, and more vibrant. You will also notice fewer fine lines and discolorations, and these will continue to decrease with future MicroLaser Peels. Dermal changes from fibroblast activity may begin to be observed between three to six months after treatment.

What will happen immediately pre-treatment?
You will be asked to wash the area to be treated with a cleanser containing salicylic acid, which will remove everything on your skin, including all makeup, moisturizer, and sunblock. A technician will then cover the area to be treated with a thin layer of anesthetic cream to numb your face. Thirty to 45 minutes later, just prior to your treatment, the technician will remove the cream. Your face will feel slightly numb. Most of our patients report little or no pain during the procedure, even when they receive the procedure on skin not treated with numbing cream.

The MicroLaser Peel takes approximately 20 minutes, but with the pre-treatment and post-treatment procedures, you will need to allow two hours for the procedure.

What should I expect immediately post-treatment?
The desired response from the MicroLaser Peel is erythema (redness) and possible light edema (swelling) within a few minutes of laser application. The redness and swelling (often similar in appearance to sunburn) will increase with the depth of your Peel. As soon as the MicroLaser Peel is completed, you will receive an Omnilux™ light therapy treatment to encourage healing. You will lie for 20 minutes underneath the Omnilux™ Revive (red) light. This treatment is not painful, and most patients find it very soothing. Bring relaxing music, if you wish, for our CD player.

After the Peel and the Omnilux™ procedures, a technician will cover the treated area with Vaseline. If you have the MicrolLaser Peel performed on your face, we suggest you wear a shirt that buttons in front. If the area to be treated is below your neck, you will be given a hospital gown to wear instead of your shirt, and you will be sent home wearing a disposable paper gown.

Please remember that you will leave our clinic with red skin covered with cream, maybe dressed in a paper gown—don't plan to go anywhere but home after the treatment. If your drive home will take more than a few minutes, plan to wear a wide-brimmed hat in the car to shade the treated area.

How long is the healing process? The healing process takes approximately two to four days, though patient response can vary: the more healthy your skin, the faster the healing time. Generally, this procedure can be performed on Friday, and you can return to work the following Monday.

You will probably notice the redness, swelling, and sunburn sensation in your treatment area for up to twelve hours after treatment. Swelling should be present only as a short-term response. You may choose to sleep sitting upright the first night after the procedure to help avoid the swelling of facial tissues.
Peeling and flaking usually occur after 24-48 hours, and on the second day, the redness will begin to fade. On the fourth day, the redness will be diminished and easily covered by makeup.

For more information, call our office or visit the Sciton™ website: www.sciton.com