The Aerolase Neo Elite in Edmonton
What the device actually is, in plain language, before you book it anywhere
If you have been researching laser in Edmonton you have probably run into a wall of brand names: Neo, Neo Elite, NeoSkin, NeoClear, Nd:YAG, 1064. Most clinic pages list them without explaining any of it, which makes comparing clinics almost impossible.
This page explains the technology and the naming. If you would rather skip to which skin concerns it suits, how many treatments each one needs and what a course costs, that is on the laser treatment in Edmonton page.
The names, decoded
Nd:YAG
Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet. It is the crystal inside the device that generates the laser light. You will see it on laser systems from many different manufacturers, so on its own it tells you the type of laser, not the brand.
1064nm
The wavelength that crystal produces, measured in nanometres. This is the number that matters most, because wavelength determines how deep the energy travels and what it interacts with along the way.
Neo, Neo Elite
Aerolase's platform names. The Neo Elite is the current generation of the platform.
NeoSkin, NeoClear
Treatment protocol names used on that platform, not separate machines. This is the single biggest source of confusion when comparing Edmonton clinic pages: two clinics advertising different Neo names may be running the same device.
The useful takeaway when comparing clinics: ask the wavelength, ask who operates the device, and ask whether you are assessed before treatment. Those three answers tell you more than any brand name.
Why 650 microseconds is the interesting part
Wavelength gets all the attention, but pulse duration is what distinguishes this platform. The Neo Elite delivers its energy in a 650-microsecond pulse. A microsecond is a millionth of a second.
Pulse duration governs how long the energy has to spread as heat into surrounding tissue. Deliver the same energy slowly and heat disperses widely, which is uncomfortable and less targeted. Deliver it in a very short pulse and more of the effect stays where it was aimed.
That is the practical reason this platform is typically performed without topical anaesthetic and without contact cooling, where many laser treatments require numbing cream applied 30 to 45 minutes beforehand. It changes what an appointment looks like as much as it changes the treatment itself.
How it compares
Against IPL
The most common comparison, and the most commonly muddled, because IPL is frequently described as laser when it is not. Intense pulsed light emits a broad spectrum of wavelengths, filtered toward a target. A laser emits one.
That single difference drives everything else. With one wavelength you know exactly what is being delivered and how it will behave around melanin. With a broad spectrum, more of the output interacts with surface pigment, which is why IPL suitability narrows considerably as skin tone deepens. IPL is a capable tool on suitable skin. The distinction matters most if you have a deeper skin tone, or you have previously been told you are not a candidate for light-based treatment.
Against microneedling
A fair question, and one Shayse can answer without bias because she offers microneedling as well.
Microneedling works mechanically, creating controlled micro-injuries that prompt a healing and collagen response. It is well established for texture and scarring. Laser works with heat, and reaches things needles cannot: pigment and the small vessels behind persistent redness.
So it is less a competition than a question of what your skin actually needs. Someone whose main concern is texture may be better served by microneedling. Someone dealing with redness and uneven tone alongside texture may do better with laser, or with both planned in sequence. The recommendation should follow your skin, not whichever device the clinic happens to own.
Regulatory status, answered honestly
"Is Aerolase Health Canada approved" is one of the most searched questions about this device, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a marketing one.
Medical devices sold and used in Canada require a medical device licence from Health Canada. Licence status for any given device is publicly verifiable through Health Canada's Medical Devices Active Licence Listing, known as MDALL. Anyone can search it, for any clinic's device, not just this one.
In the United States, the Aerolase Nd:YAG laser holds FDA 510(k) clearance under submission number K120235, as a Class II device. That clearance covers dermatological uses including benign vascular lesions such as hemangiomas, telangiectasia and spider veins, and benign cutaneous lesions including scars.
Ask Shayse at your consultation and she can confirm the licensing details for the specific device in her clinic. Any clinic should be willing to do that, and it is a reasonable thing to ask before treatment.
What it costs in Edmonton
$300
per treatment, full face
Most concerns are addressed over a series rather than a single visit, so the number that actually matters is the course cost, which typically falls between $900 and $2,400 depending on what is being addressed. Series pricing is simply the per-treatment price multiplied out.
Treatment counts and course costs broken down by concern are on the laser treatment in Edmonton page.
Aerolase: common questions
What does the Aerolase laser do?
The Aerolase Neo Elite is a 1064nm Nd:YAG laser. It delivers energy into the skin in a very short 650-microsecond pulse, without needing contact cooling or a topical anaesthetic. Depending on the settings and the concern, that energy is absorbed by pigment, by the small blood vessels that produce redness, or by water in the deeper layer of skin to prompt a collagen response. It is non-ablative, meaning it works through the skin surface rather than removing a layer of it.
How much does Aerolase cost in Canada?
Pricing varies by clinic, by region and by whether treatments are sold individually or as a series. At Nurse Injector Shayse in Edmonton, Aerolase Neo Elite treatments are $300 per treatment for full face. Most skin concerns are addressed over a series of roughly three to eight treatments depending on what is being addressed, so a full course commonly falls between $900 and $2,400. Series pricing is the per-treatment price multiplied out, with no bundle rate.
Is the Aerolase Neo Elite approved for use in Canada?
Medical devices sold and used in Canada require a medical device licence from Health Canada, and licence status for any specific device can be verified through Health Canada's Medical Devices Active Licence Listing. In the United States, the Aerolase Nd:YAG laser holds FDA 510(k) clearance under K120235 as a Class II device. Ask Shayse at your consultation and she can confirm the licensing and clearance details for the exact device in her clinic.
Is Aerolase better than microneedling?
They are different mechanisms rather than better and worse. Microneedling creates controlled micro-injuries mechanically, prompting a wound healing and collagen response, and it is well suited to texture and scarring. Aerolase delivers laser energy as heat, and has the advantage of also addressing pigment and vascular concerns such as redness, which needles cannot reach. Some skin does better with one, some with the other, and they are sometimes planned in sequence rather than chosen between. Shayse offers both, so the recommendation is not constrained by what is in the room.
How long after Aerolase do you see results?
It depends heavily on the concern. Redness and vascular change can be visible relatively early in a course. Pigment often shifts over the weeks following each treatment as the skin clears the treated pigment. Collagen change is the slowest and continues developing for months after a series finishes, because it depends on the skin's own remodelling rather than an immediate effect. Because treatments are spaced weeks apart, a full course typically spans two to six months. Results vary by individual.
What is NeoSkin by Aerolase?
NeoSkin is the name Aerolase uses for a full-face treatment approach delivered on its Neo platform, rather than a separate machine. You will see clinics advertise NeoSkin, NeoClear and NeoElite, which is a common source of confusion when comparing clinics. They refer to treatment protocols and platform naming from the same manufacturer. What matters more when comparing clinics is the wavelength, who is operating the device, and whether you are properly assessed first.
Does the Aerolase Neo Elite hurt?
The very short pulse duration is the reason this platform is generally described as comfortable relative to older laser systems, and it is typically performed without topical anaesthetic or contact cooling. Sensation still varies by person, by area and by the settings used for your concern, and areas with thinner skin tend to be more sensitive. Shayse will talk you through what to expect for your specific plan and settings at your consultation.
What is 1064nm Nd:YAG and why does the wavelength matter?
Nd:YAG describes the crystal that generates the laser light, and 1064nm is the wavelength it produces. Wavelength determines how deeply the energy travels and what it interacts with on the way. At 1064nm the energy passes more deeply and interacts less with melanin at the skin surface than shorter wavelengths and broad-spectrum intense pulsed light. That is why 1064nm is the wavelength most widely used in dermatology for richly pigmented skin, Fitzpatrick types IV through VI.
How is Aerolase different from IPL?
IPL is not a laser. It emits a broad spectrum of light across many wavelengths, filtered toward a target. A laser emits a single wavelength. The practical consequence is predictability: with a single 1064nm wavelength you know precisely what is being delivered and how it will interact with melanin, which is what makes it more widely usable across skin tones. IPL remains an effective tool on suitable skin. The difference matters most if you have a deeper skin tone or have been told previously that you are not a laser candidate.
Where can I get Aerolase treatment in Edmonton?
Aerolase Neo Elite treatment is offered by Shayse Tulloch, RN, at 8813 63 Ave NW, Edmonton, inside Vivere Skin & Body, serving Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan and Strathcona County. Every plan begins with a skin assessment rather than a straight booking, because suitability depends on your skin type, your history and your medications.
See whether it suits your skin
Understanding the technology is one thing. Whether it is right for your skin, your history and your goals is a conversation. Book a skin assessment with Shayse in south Edmonton.
8813 63 Ave NW, Edmonton, inside Vivere Skin & Body. Results vary by individual.