Pearl Laser - Is This Treatment Effective?

I have used the Pearl for over a year now (not the Pearl fractional).  It is excellent for modest sun damage, allowing removal of brown blemishes and homongenizing skin color.  It may give a little skin tightening.  However, it is not strong enough for deep wrinkles or established expression lines.

We have both the Pearl and Pearl Fractional Lasers in our office and our patients have been very pleased with the results.  Pearl is great for evening out skin tone, color, superficial sun damage and minor textural improvement and Pearl Fractional is great for patients that want to address more fine lines and wrinkles, acne scarring, texture, collagen stimulation, sun damage, pores.  Though recovery takes about a week the improvements continue for months following the procedure.  We have treated many, many patients and staff members over the past few years and one of the best endorsements for the procedures is that their family and friends are anxious to come for treatment as well after seeing the results.

 

Dr. Grant Stevens                 

The Pearl comes in two types. There is a fractional pearl and a non-fractional pearl. This can be confusing because it is not always specified which one people are referring to. The non-fractional pearl is a 5-7 day downtime procedure designed to help with fine lines, large pores, and sun damage. It is a lighter, quicker to heal, treatment. I use this one for the woman in 30s to 40s, with no need for the deeper fractional treatment. I also think it works great on the neck, chest & hands.

We are big fans of the Pearl Fractional Laser in our Knoxville office. I have had it for about 6 months and have been extremely pleased with the results our patients are seeing. *It is easy to get confused about Cutera's Pearl lasers. This is because they have two Pearl Lasers, the newest version one is fractional and the original Pearl is not.
The Pearl Fractional is great for: Improving significant sun damage and deep, dermal imperfections with a single treatment (The original Pearl laser addresses more superficial lines and sun damage and usually requires more than one treatment.)
Pearl Fractional is not for: Darker skin tones and those whose schedules won't allow about five days social downtime.
Pearl Fractional is a new, fractional, single treatment laser designed to improve deep imperfections due to aging and sun damage. It is FDA approved. The Pearl Fractional procedure volumizes skin by creating new collagen and offers the best balance of safety and patient experience with recovery time.
Pearl Fractional can be used on the entire face. It is uniquely effective in the delicate periorbital (around the eyes) and perioral (around the mouth) areas. These areas often show the first signs of aging and can be the most challenging to treat.
Pearl Fractional is different from other lasers because it uses a new laser wavelength to offer both immediate and long-term anti-aging benefits. Unlike other fractional technologies, Pearl Fractional provides an ideal combination of volumizing results and rapid recovery.
Most people have heard of fractional lasers but many are confused about what exactly that means, and why it is a good thing. The term "fractional" does not have anything to do with the strength or the wavelength of the laser. Fractional therapy describes a treatment that affects only a fraction or small percentage of the skin.
During the procedure, the laser uses heat to create tiny holes, the size of a pore, deep in the skin thus ensuring maximum results in one treatment. (pictured right) This fractional treatment selectively removes columns of sun-damaged tissue leaving surrounding skin intact. This stimulates the growth of healthy, new skin, full of fresh collagen, plumping the skin from below, repairing photodamage and other skin imperfections. The healing time is shortened because the laser is fractional.
I perform the Pearl Fractional in our office under local anesthesia. The procedure itself takes about 45 minutes for the full face. Some patients with a particular area of concern may request the area to have extra treatment. This is common around the mouth and around the eyes. Other patients combine Pearl Fractional with Limelight IPL to get rid of hyperpigmentation and deep dermal imperfections all at once!
You can expect to see improvement one week after Pearl Fractional. The best part is that you will continue to notice improvement for three to six months as new collagen continues to grow and your skin volume increases.
After your treatment you will be instructed to apply ointment to the skin for four to five days and should limit sun exposure and wear protective clothing. To give yourself plenty of time for recovery, you should plan to take a week relaxing at home. Depending on your treatment, you may apply make-up in about five to seven days.