Saturday, May 4, 2013

How Do Skin Resurfacing Laser Treatments Reduce the Signs of Aging?

Different forms of laser treatment are now available to treat various skin conditions and the signs of aging. Laser treatment for skin resurfacing has become popular in recent years. One new weapon available in the search for youth and continued skin health is Fraxel laser treatment.

There are several skincare and anti-aging treatments on the market including Fraxel, Thermage, Erbium and N-Lite Laser. Laser skin resurfacing actually works by making microscopic wounds in the skin. This result in the body's healing properties coming into effect which results in collagen production. This collagen works to repair the damage skin by replacing it with younger skin tissue.

Three types of Fraxel laser treatments are available. They are by name Fraxel re:fine, Fraxel re:store and Fraxel re:pair. The first two uses what is known as fractional non-ablative fiber laser, while the latter utilizes the fractional ablative CO2 laser. Each works in slightly different ways.

The ablative CO2 laser is used effectively in facial rejuvenation procedures. It has been quite effective in minimizing facial wrinkles and furrows. The downtime from this is up to a week. With this powerful treatment only one session is generally needed to achieve the desired results.

Types of Lasers Used in Skin Resurfacing

The N-Lite laser does not damage the skin to produce the desired results. The laser stimulates collagen, therefore there is no reason for the patient to be anesthetized. N-Lite works more slowly and requires multiple treatments for the same effect. The positive side of N-Lite versus Fraxel is the fact that with N-Lite, the patient can return to work immediately with no down time.

Erbium produces more heat than the N-Lite laser and is comparable to Fraxel. Recovery time is about 7-10 days and it is imperative that the area remain moist with ointment or occlusive dressing for the first few days. Makeup may be applied after the first week and sunscreen should always be applied to post-op skin.

Fraxel re:fine is used for wrinkles around the eyes and scars resulting from surgery or acne. There is generally no downtime from using these laser treatments. In rare cases patients may need to minimize social activities for two to three days.

There are quite a few things that Fraxel is used to treat. These include:

Acne: Getting rid of acne scars has been highly effective with Fraxel treatments.

Age spots: One sign of aging is the development of brown of dark spots on the skin, especially areas exposed to the sun. These are now being successfully treated with the skin is resurfaced using Fraxel.

Wrinkles: It is used to minimize the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes, called periorbital wrinkles as well as other facial wrinkles.

Scars and other skin lesions on the skin can also be treated.

Discoloration

After an N-Lite treatment, patients may put their makeup back on and return to work without anyone knowing they have had a treatment. N-Lite is not as effective as Fraxel when compared session-by-session but over time produces similar results.

Most patients need a minimum of four treatments before they start seeing results. These treatment sessions are spread over a two to four week period between treatments depending on intensity of condition. Like all cosmetic advances, it takes time to achieve the correct effect.

Fraxel works on all skin types which is not possible with some popular skincare products. According to reports the treatment has been used successfully on dark-skinned as well as light-skinned people. The versatility of the treatment makes it available for any person from any nationality.

This is a minimally invasive procedure and as such patients have very little downtime. In today's fast-paced world this is important and not many people can put their lives on hold for a few weeks while they heal. One of the benefits of Fraxel is that is resurfaces damage skin only leaving the other areas on the face intact. This helps to speed healing. This process of treating only affected area is known as fractional treatment.

Side Effects

Like any other skincare treatment or products there are a few side effects from using laser skin resurfacing. These are not major and very few people will experience them. The most common side effects are risk of scarring and a small chance of infection.

In addition, after treatment there may be some swelling and redness. Some people report that they look like they had sunburn after a laser treatment. These will disappear after a few days once after care instructions are followed properly.








Author Joe Phelan recommends The Advanced Laser Center at Sunset. Home of a nationally recognized board-certified cosmetic dermatologist specialized in skin rejuvenation and cosmetic age reversal treatments. To find out more visit laserbeauty.com/Fraxel-Los-Angeles.php Fraxel Los Angeles.

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