Erbium YAG Laser

Think: pink, glowy, and a little bit like you just got back from a very intense vacation. Some redness and mild swelling right after your session is completely normal — your skin just went through a renovation, not a spa day. Depending on your treatment depth, you may also experience some peeling or flaking in the days that follow (that's the damaged skin making its exit, which is exactly the point). It's not your most glamorous week, but what's coming out the other side absolutely is.

It depends on how deep we go. A lighter treatment might have you back to your regularly scheduled life in 3–4 days.

A more aggressive pass — the kind that's tackling deeper lines or significant sun damage — could mean 5-7 days of laying low.

Either way, we're talking some redness, peeling, and a brief period where dry shampoo and oversized sunglasses are your best friends.

We'll give you a clear picture of what to expect at your consultation so there are no surprises on your calendar.

Not right away. While your skin is actively healing, makeup is off the table and your skin needs that breathing room to do its thing.

Once you've cleared the initial healing phase (usually around day 5–7 depending on your treatment depth), we'll give you the green light.

When you do go back, think clean, mineral-based formulas only. Your freshly resurfaced skin has earned the good stuff.

We're not going to lie to you — you'll feel it.

But "hurt" is a strong word. Most people describe it as a warm, prickly sensation, kind of like a sunburn in real time.

We apply a strong topical numbing cream beforehand to take the edge off, and the treatment itself moves quickly, so any discomfort is short-lived. You will just feel heat for about an hour post treatment.

Plan for 90 mins including 45 mins of numbing time.

That depends on what you're working with. Some people hit their goals in a single session. Others, especially those tackling deeper lines, scarring, or significant sun damage, see the best results from a series of 2–3 treatments spaced 4–6 weeks apart.

We'll map that out together at your consultation.

You'll notice progress within the first week as the peeling clears and fresh skin emerges. But the real wow moment? That comes around 4–6 weeks out, when your collagen has had time to rebuild.

Results continue to improve for several months post-treatment.

This is an important one. Erbium YAG is generally well-tolerated across a range of skin tones, but it does require careful consideration for deeper complexions due to the risk of pigmentation changes.

We assess every patient individually and will always give you an honest answer on the settings we will have to adjust to and what that means as far as results or number of sessions needed or if perhaps a different laser is a better fit, like the LaseMD Ultra.

Not anytime soon. Freshly resurfaced skin and UV exposure are not friends. You'll need to stay out of direct sun during healing and commit to SPF religiously for a couple of weeks after.

Both are gold-standard resurfacing options, but they have different personalities. CO2 goes deeper and delivers more dramatic results — with more downtime to match.

Erbium YAG runs cooler, causes less thermal damage to surrounding tissue, and offers a gentler recovery without sacrificing real results. For many patients, it's the sweet spot between effectiveness and livability.