Is the Obagi Blue Peel Worth the Cost of the Anesthesia?

asked 1 year ago by Lexington4443 in Lexington
Latest answer by Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS
Question viewed 539 times
Tags: age 35-44, lines, female, anesthesia, costs, large pores

I am 42 years old and my plastic surgeon has recommended the Obagi Blue Peel for the lines beginning to form on my face & my enlarging pores. He says it is extremely painful and it must be done under anesthesia. He has tried local sedation in-office, but the patients experience very much discomfort. I will have to pay $500 on top of all of the other expenses (use of surgery suite, doctor's fee, etc.). I need to know if this is going to be worth all of the trouble.

6 answers to Is the Obagi Blue Peel Worth the Cost of the Anesthesia?

Obagi and Anesthesia

A physician generally can getter greater depth with sedation than without. Having said that, we would offer other treatment options that might be possible if that type of depth is needed. We have not needed anesthesia for our chemical peels. Consult with your surgeon to ensure you understand all options available.

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS
West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

Obagi blue peels do not need anesthesia

I have been doing trichloroacetic acid peels, including Obagi Blue Peels as well as deeper peels, for over 25 years and none of my patients have ever felt that anesthesia was necessary. Blue peels are relatively simple to do and I charge $600 for the peel. There should be no other associated charges.

Mitchell Schwartz, MD
South Burlington Dermatologic Surgeon

dorsetstreetdermatology.com

Anesthesia for Obagi Blue Peel?

I agree that you should not pay for the extra expenses involved with anesthesia, OR, etc for an Obagi Blue Peel. That said, it is likely that with sedation, the cosmetic surgeon can likely achieve a greater depth than without any sedation. In fact, I believe that Dr. Obagi does use sedation for his peels in his Beverly Hills practice. But in my opinion, it likely would not justify the higher cost for the vast majority of patients who may not have the financial means... more

Lawrence Kass, MD
Saint Petersburg Oculoplastic Surgeon

Do not pay for Anesthesia for a Blue Peel

I have overseen thousands of Blue Peels performed in our Med Spa. There is mild discomfort and we often times will use a cooling device. This device blows chilled air onto the face and really helps with the temporary discomfort. Pre-medication with oral Valium is often times very helpful. Lastly, topical placement of an anesthetic one hour before the treatment is nice. The peel itself is going to give you a nice result. I am worried that this particular office may lack... more

Charles Virden, MD
Reno Plastic Surgeon

Obagi blue peel pain can depend on concentration and coats

In my experience most blue peels can be performed with no sedation or oral sedation however it depends on 3 things. TCA concentration, how many coats are applied and patient tolerance. If a patient needs a higher concentration and more coats, sedation will certainly be more comfortable for you.

Albert Dabbah, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Obagi Blue Peel and Anesthesia

In most cases Obagi Blue Peels and other trichloroacetic acid peels can be performed with topical anesthetics and/or sedation (oral or IV). If you have an unusually low pain tolerance, you could consider general anesthesia but I have found my patients do fine with topical anesthesia and a light sedative.

Vincent D. Lepore, MD
San Jose Plastic Surgeon

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