Jason Emer, MD, FAAD, FACS
Deep Laser Resurfacing On Darker Skin: How Dr. Emer Uses Erbium Without Hyperpigmentation
The rebirth procedure combines deep fractional erbium with surface resurfacing and immediate plasma aftercare, designed to work on all skin tones when the protocol is followed exactly.
Dr. Jason Emer MD · FAAD · FACS
The practice's own photographs
Patients of the practice, from Dr. Emer's published before and after gallery. Each case is one patient. Individual results vary.
Dr. Emer performs deep erbium laser resurfacing on ethnic skin tones using fractional and surface erbium with immediate plasma and cooling aftercare, a protocol designed to prevent the hyperpigmentation that makes other practices refuse the treatment.
Your plan starts with Dr. Emer.
Schedule ConsultationReserve online. West Hollywood and New York.
From the filmed session
What Dr. Emer did · RE:SKN
ProFractional erbium creates deep channels through the dermis to release blood and remove scar tissue; erbium runs colder than CO2, critical for darker skin; cheeks where scars were worst received the deepest settings.
“So all the blood is coming up through little channels. You want the blood, it actually helps the healing process.”
Dr. Emer, in the film
TRL Contour erbium resurfaces the entire top layer, feathered into the hairline and jaw to eliminate visible cut-off lines; every spot covered meticulously to prevent uneven healing.
“Every spot needs to be meticulously done with this laser. Otherwise, you could risk causing little lines or cut offs.”
Dr. Emer, in the film
Patient's own blood plasma mixed with exosomes, stem cells and PDRN applied immediately while skin is bleeding; clots the blood, starts repair before inflammation sets in.
“All the areas we've processed is now mixing with the live blood and we find this makes them heal a lot faster.”
Dr. Emer, in the film
Cooling device applied after plasma to bring skin temperature down, reduce pain and prevent the heat that triggers pigment changes in darker skin.
“We want to cool him down so that we can get him ready for healing and it make it substantial without a lot of pain.”
Dr. Emer, in the film
Why patients fly in
Dr. Emer uses erbium laser on darker skin tones with the right prep, settings and aftercare; erbium runs colder than CO2, making it safer for ethnic skin when the protocol is followed exactly.
“This is an herbium laser which is a little bit colder than CO2. So, it can be used on all different skin types.”
Bio rain (patient's own plasma with exosomes, stem cells, PDRN) is applied while the skin is still bleeding, clotting the blood and starting repair before inflammation can cause pigment changes.
“If he did this laser and did not do a lot of this afterare, there's a very high chance he could get hyperpigmentation or not heal well.”
Deepest settings on the cheeks where scars were worst, lighter on the rest of the face, feathered into hairline and jaw so there are no visible cut-offs when healed.
“We're making sure we blend into the hairline and along the jaw. This is called feathering.”
Glacial cooling applied immediately after plasma to bring skin temperature down, reduce pain and prevent the heat that triggers complications in darker skin.
THE THINKING BEHIND THE TREATMENT
Follow Dr. Emer’s approach through the stages described in this case.
Back to the video ↗The patient in this video has ethnic skin tone and acne scars deep enough to require the treatment most practices would refuse.
Dr. Emer performed rebirth: deep fractional erbium first, creating channels that release blood and remove scar tissue, then surface erbium to blend and smooth the top layer. The cheeks, where the scars were worst, received the deepest treatment. The rest of the face was feathered into the hairline and jaw so there are no visible lines when healed.
Depth, heat and aftercare controlled at every step to prevent the complications darker skin is told to expect.
Immediately after the laser stopped, Dr. Emer applied bio rain, the patient's own blood plasma mixed with exosomes, stem cells and PDRN. That mixture clots the blood, cools the skin, and starts repair before inflammation can set in. A cooling device followed, bringing the skin temperature down and reducing pain.
“So all the blood is coming up through little channels. You want the blood, it actually helps the healing process.”DR. JASON EMER · FROM THE VIDEO
The blood you see in the video is intentional. The plasma aftercare is what makes the protocol safe on darker skin. Without it, the risk of hyperpigmentation would be too high to justify the depth.
The blood coming through the channels is part of the healing process, and Dr. Emer applies what he calls bio rain immediately: the patient's own blood plasma mixed with exosomes, stem cells and PDRN. That mixture clots the blood, cools the skin, and starts the repair before inflammation can set in.
A cooling device follows, bringing the skin temperature down and reducing pain. Without this exact aftercare sequence, the risk of hyperpigmentation on darker skin would be too high to justify the treatment. With it, the protocol works on all skin tones.
Erbium laser resurfacing designed for darker skin / Patient story
The patient in this video has ethnic skin tone and acne scars deep enough to require the treatment most practices would refuse.
Dr. Emer performed rebirth: deep fractional erbium first, creating channels that release blood and remove scar tissue, then surface erbium to blend and smooth the top layer. The cheeks, where the scars were worst, received the deepest treatment. The rest of the face was feathered into the hairline and jaw so there are no visible lines when healed.
Immediately after the laser stopped, Dr. Emer applied bio rain, the patient's own blood plasma mixed with exosomes, stem cells and PDRN. That mixture clots the blood, cools the skin, and starts repair before inflammation can set in. A cooling device followed, bringing the skin temperature down and reducing pain.
The blood you see in the video is intentional. The plasma aftercare is what makes the protocol safe on darker skin. Without it, the risk of hyperpigmentation would be too high to justify the depth.
Deep resurfacing lasers are routinely withheld from darker skin tones because the risk of hyperpigmentation is real. Dr. Emer uses them anyway, on patients with ethnic skin, because he built a protocol that controls the variables that cause the damage: depth, heat, feathering, and what happens in the first minutes after the laser stops.
The patient in this video has darker skin and deep acne scars. The treatment is rebirth: deep fractional erbium followed by surface erbium, then immediate plasma and cooling. The blood you see is intentional, the plasma is processed from his own blood, and the cooling device is part of the plan, not an optional comfort step.
Erbium is colder than CO2, which matters on darker skin. Dr. Emer uses it in two passes: deep fractional erbium first, creating channels that release blood and remove scar tissue, then surface erbium to blend and smooth the top layer.
The depth is adjusted by area. The cheeks, where the scars were worst, received the deepest treatment. The rest of the face was blended and feathered into the hairline and jaw so there are no visible cut offs or lines when healed.
How rebirth is built
Depth, heat and aftercare controlled at every step to prevent the complications darker skin is told to expect.
Channels are created deep in the skin to release blood and remove scar tissue. Erbium is colder than CO2, which matters on darker skin.
The top layer is resurfaced and feathered into the hairline and jaw so there are no cut offs or visible lines when healed.
The patient's own blood plasma mixed with exosomes, stem cells and PDRN is applied while the skin is still bleeding, clotting the blood and starting repair.
A glacial cooling device brings the skin temperature down and reduces pain, completing the aftercare sequence that prevents hyperpigmentation.
The treatment, explained
Also called deep laser resurfacing, fractional erbium laser, laser resurfacing for ethnic skin, laser resurfacing for darker skin, acne scar laser treatment, ProFractional erbium, TRL Contour laser, RE:BIRTH protocol.
Signature procedures
Peptides / biologic optimization
Peptide and biologic protocols for recovery, body composition and longevity, with epigenetic testing. RECODEX™ peptides are available to purchase through the practice after consultation.
Why Dr. Emer
Deep resurfacing on darker skin is routinely refused because the risk is real. Dr. Emer built a protocol that controls the risk.
Two decades of laser work, a global patient base, and outcomes on skin tones other surgeons turn away. Dr. Emer performs every procedure himself and has refined the rebirth protocol to work on all skin types when the prep, settings and aftercare are followed exactly.
Patients come to him when they have been told their skin is too dark for aggressive resurfacing, or when previous treatments left hyperpigmentation or uneven texture. The difference is not the laser. It is the plan around it.
Erbium is colder than CO2 and can be used on ethnic skin when the settings and aftercare are right.
Bio rain is applied while the skin is still bleeding, starting repair before inflammation can set in.
The glacial device brings skin temperature down immediately, reducing pain and preventing the heat that triggers pigment changes.
The right prep before the laser is what allows deeper settings without complications on darker skin.
Asked plainly, answered plainly
Yes. Dr. Emer performs RE:BIRTH on ethnic skin tones using erbium laser, which runs colder than CO2, with immediate plasma and cooling aftercare designed to prevent hyperpigmentation. Candidacy depends on your skin type, the condition being treated, and whether you can commit to the pre-treatment prep and aftercare protocol. That is determined during consultation.
Erbium laser runs colder than CO2, making it safer for darker skin tones when the settings and aftercare are controlled. Dr. Emer uses erbium for RE:BIRTH because the lower heat reduces the risk of hyperpigmentation in ethnic skin. The protocol combines deep fractional erbium with surface erbium, or in some cases a combination of erbium and CO2, depending on the patient's skin and goals.
The RE:BIRTH protocol is designed to prevent hyperpigmentation, but the risk is never zero on darker skin. Pre-treatment skin care, exact laser settings adjusted by zone, and immediate plasma and cooling aftercare are what control the risk. Dr. Emer has refined this protocol over two decades of laser work on all skin tones. If you skip the prep or aftercare, the risk goes up.
Bio rain is the patient's own blood plasma processed with exosomes, stem cells and PDRN. It is applied immediately after the laser while the skin is still bleeding. The plasma clots the blood, cools the skin and starts repair before inflammation can set in. On darker skin, this immediate aftercare is what prevents the hyperpigmentation and poor healing that make other practices refuse deep resurfacing.
RE:BIRTH is painful. Nerve blocks are used during the procedure to manage pain while the laser is running. Immediately after, the glacial cooling device brings skin temperature down and reduces pain. This is an aggressive resurfacing treatment, not a light procedure. Pain management and recovery expectations are discussed during consultation.
RE:BIRTH has significant downtime. Immediately after treatment, the skin is raw, bleeding and looks like a burn. Redness, peeling, swelling and healing follow. The exact timeline depends on the depth of treatment your skin requires, which is determined during consultation. Deeper settings on areas with worse scars mean longer healing in those zones.
Yes. The patient in the video has ethnic skin tone and deep acne scars. Dr. Emer used the deepest settings on the cheeks where the scars were worst, lighter settings on the rest of the face, and feathered the treatment into the hairline and jaw to prevent visible lines. The immediate plasma and cooling aftercare prevented hyperpigmentation. Candidacy and treatment depth are determined during consultation based on your scars and skin type.
Most practices refuse deep resurfacing on darker skin because the risk of hyperpigmentation is real if the protocol is not controlled. Dr. Emer performs RE:BIRTH on ethnic skin tones because he has built a protocol around the variables that cause complications: erbium instead of CO2, exact settings by zone, immediate plasma aftercare while the skin is bleeding, and cooling to prevent the heat and inflammation that trigger pigment changes. The difference is not the laser. It is the plan around it.
Book a consultation to learn whether deep resurfacing is right for your skin tone and your goals.
Schedule ConsultationWest Hollywood and New York City