Laser Peel: What to Expect

If you have considered having a laser peel performed at a plastic surgeon's office, here are some things you should expect before, during, and after your procedure.

You should know that this procedure is actually referred to by several names. You may hear it referred to as laser resurfacing, skin resurfacing, or a CO2 laser peel. They are all referring to the same cosmetic surgery. The purpose for this laser peel procedure is to repair damage, scarring, or wrinkling of the skin. It is most often performed on the face.

You will need to consult with one or more plastic surgeons to understand if a laser peel will help you achieve the results you are seeking. There are risks, costs, and recovery times involved. You need to be sure you are well informed before you make your decision. I hope that my first hand knowledge and experience will help fill in that last piece of reality for you in your decision making process regarding having a laser peel.

Before the procedure
Your doctor will prescribe several medications for you. Some of these you will begin to take even before your laser peel procedure. They will help prepare your body and skin for the laser peel, help prevent infections during and after, and help with the recovery process as well. Also, it is a good idea to write down your medication schedule for the next week or so. Honestly, I had to prepare a small spreadsheet to track the many different pills I needed to take. Then I could check them off as I took them and I would not lose track. Don't be surprised if your medication schedule looks something like this:

Pill A: One pill (3) times per day, starting the day after surgery, continuing for 4 days total.

Pill B: One pill (1) time per day, starting the morning before your surgery, continuing for 7 days total.

Pill C: One pill (3) times per day, starting the day before surgery, continuing for 3 days total.

Cream A: Apply to all treated areas (2) times per day, starting 7 days before surgery, continuing until the day of surgery.

Cream B: Apply to all treated areas several times per day, starting the morning after surgery, continuing for several weeks or until your doctor instructs you to stop.

Confusing! You don't want to be trying to figure this out when you are in a drug-induced stupor.

The day of my laser peel, I was instructed to fast until my afternoon appointment. This is common with many types of medical procedures, so I was not too alarmed. My appointment was delayed by almost 3 hours, however, and I became seriously weak and irritable by the time I was able to have my laser peel that evening.

I put on a hair cap and my doctor marked up my face with a black marker showing all areas to be treated during my laser peel. It would be the majority of my face, not including my forehead. I was having this treatment to reduce dark red scarring from years of acne. In hindsight, I wish I would have had him also treat my forehead since it also seriously reduces wrinkling. That would have been a nice bonus for me.

During the procedure
I was given an IV and within moments I drifted to sleep. The sedation used is considered "light" in that it will keep you under just enough, but not completely out cold. I vaguely remember hearing the different voices of the doctor and the nurses. I also remember feeling a few pings of the laser on my face. It felt much like getting snapped really hard with a rubber band. Ouch! At one point, in a dream-like state, I felt the finger monitor on my hand. It must have been bothering me so I started moving it around. There was some vague mumbling by a nurse and then I think my sedation medication was pumped up just a notch. The next thing I knew I was being awakened by the nurses. I had bandages covering my face and a lot of slimy cream as well. I was only half awake but I remember them giving me a bouquet of flowers to take home with me. This seemed oddly out of place at the time, but I really enjoyed those beautiful roses over the next several days.

After the procedure
My husband was there to help me to the car. We drove home with my two children in the car. I remember my daughter crying because I looked "pretty freaky". I had tried to prepare them for what it would be like, but it really scared her. I went home and slept on the couch, propped up and with a towel under my head so my slimy face wouldn't touch anything important. The next morning, I awoke and looked at myself in the mirror. My laser peel had left me with white bandages covering my face along with a white fish-net style ski mask to hold the bandages in place. A thick layer of clear cream was the icing on the cake, so to speak. I would be wearing this attractive ensemble for the next few days.

Using my medication spreadsheet, I made sure to not miss any of my pills. I would also cake on that clear cream several times per day. Although I looked like I was in dire pain, my face was not painful at all. (Except maybe for those who had to look at me.) This is because the laser peel not only removes several layers of skin, but also your nerve endings.

A few days into my recovery, I was able to remove the ski mask and bandages. It was difficult to "clean" my skin at all due to the heavy cream covering it. I used the special cleanser recommended by the doctor to get most of it off. I was frightened to see all of the weird "acne" that was hiding under there. Thankfully, these blemishes went away over the next few days as my skin was able to be cleansed and start breathing again. I did continue to use the cream, but not in such a thick coating as the first few days.

One of the first couple of days I had a slight "accident." My hand slipped while trying to grab something and my thumb nail jabbed my cheek. I felt the pressure of it, but it was not painful at all. After a few seconds I realized I was bleeding profusely from my wound. Thankfully it was very small so I knew I would be fine. It took several minutes to stop bleeding since there was barely anything there to help stop it. This was a bit unsettling and reminded me to be very careful with even the little things.

After about a week or so, I was able to start wearing some makeup again. I was almost feeling normal except for the severe redness of my skin in the treated areas. You will need to wear some serious sun screen, and avoid any and all sun exposure for as long as you can. This is brand new skin you will have and it is more tender than a newborn baby's skin.

My opinion changed several times during my recovery. At first I could still see the red scarring I was trying so hard to minimize. I thought my laser peel was a waste. A couple of days later it would seem like my skin was almost flawless. I'm not sure why or what was changing, but it did take several months to fully see the results. My skin will never be perfect, but I am quite pleased with the results of my laser peel. For all the pros and cons of a laser peel, is it worth it? The true "success" test of any procedure is: Would I do it again? Yes, without hesitation.