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Pearl Laser Delivers Promising Results

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By GAYLE GUYARDO

News Channel 8 Morning Anchor

Published: September 13, 2008

I recently had the chance to watch a News Channel 8 viewer experience cutting-edge laser technology now available in the Tampa Bay area.

Mary Jane Reymers greeted me outside a treatment room at Tampa Laser & Esthetics Spa. Even with her face covered in numbing cream, Reymers was beaming with excitement. In just under an hour, she expected years of aging to be wiped off her face, thanks to the FDA-approved Pearl laser.

Pearl is showing promising results in smoothing away fine lines, erasing sun and aging spots and leaving patients with even, taut skin.

Pearl, by Cutera, is different from traditional lasers like Erbium and the carbon dioxide (CO²) laser. They require several treatments over several months, and those repeat swipes add up. The average patient could end up spending $2,000 before seeing the desired results.

The old technology also requires some wound care and down time, which most people just don't have.

There is debate among medical professionals as to whether Pearl is worth the investment, when a chemical peel could yield similar results. But most studies confirm that Pearl is more accurate than a chemical peel. Pearl has a computer-guided scanning device that can be programmed to remove specific layers of tissue uniformly. Doctors can treat a variety of conditions at different depths, ranging from age spots to deep wrinkles and even scars.

Clara Creighton, who runs Tampa Laser & Esthetics, is one of the first medical doctors to bring Pearl to Tampa. "Pearl satisfies our need to laser the entire epidermis with one swipe," she says.

Creighton has been tracking patients and told me all of them are having minimal pain and a fast recovery after the procedure. "You can have it done on a Friday and probably be back to work the following Monday," she says.

I watched as Creighton treated Reymers, and when the laser passed over her face, she never flinched. Indeed, the patient was chatting throughout the entire treatment.

With the laser technology of the past, that would hardly be the scenario. I've personally sat in on sessions, and I've had some treatments myself. I had to be sedated nearly five years ago, when I tried the first generation of laser resurfacing to arrive in the area.

I've been monitoring Creighton's Web site and spotted specials as low as $500 for a single treatment. And remember, most patients need only one. Creighton says she keeps her prices competitive so her patients can avoid going under the knife for as long as possible.

Reymers is in her 50s, and she told me she is trying to avoid anything too extreme. When her treatment was over, her face was very pink with slight swelling. I told her I'd be in touch soon.

A few weeks later, we met for a cup of tea, and when I walked up to the table, she was glowing.

Now the big question is, how does one preserve that newfound youthful look?

Creighton says you have to live a healthy lifestyle. Drink lots of water, avoid cigarettes and too much alcohol and always wear sunscreen. (So the technology is new, but the basics haven't changed.)

I will continue to bring you the latest in breakthrough technology. You'd be surprised at what's arriving in the Bay area.

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