BOCA RATON, Fla. – Every year, an estimated 400,000 American men and women undergo laser treatments to approve the appearance of their skin, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
"People are very interested in these procedures, but many are anxious about the pain," said plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Pozner.
Pozner came up with a procedure he calls the Arctic peel.
"What we experimented with was figuring out what was the most aggressive treatment we could do just using cold air anesthesia," said Pozner.
The blast of cold air following the heat of the laser allows Pozner to go four to five times deeper than a microdermabrasion treatment without the need for topical numbing cream.
"The air reduces skin temperature by about 20 degrees. After we're done with the actual treatment, the patient continues to blow the cold air on their face for another 10 minutes to help the skin cool down," said Pozner.
Along with the cold air, Pozner said the Arctic peel combines two specific lasers.
"One was a very light 10-micron peel, which took off the outer layer of skin. Then, we took the pro-fractional laser, which is a fractional erbium laser, to punch holes into the skin," said Pozner.
That combination stimulates collagen production, smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles.
"You kind of feel like you're radiating heat in the face a little bit, but there's really no pain," said patient Georgette Evans.
Evans came to Pozner hoping to reduce the discoloration in her skin caused by sun damage.
"I see a big difference from the beginning in terms of the clarity of my skin," she said. "It just looks smoother. It looks fresher."
Evans had four treatments at a cost of $350 each.
The Arctic peel is not recommended for patients with deeper lines and wrinkles or extensive pigmentation problems.