Is Laser Skin Resurfacing Right For Me?

Laser resurfacing, also known as laser peel, is a fairly recent treatment designed to reduce facial wrinkles and correct skin irregularities such as blemishes or acne scars. This treatment involves short, concentrated pulsating light beams that remove and resurface the skin layer by layer for a precise finish and a smoother, tighter appearance.

Two types of lasers are most commonly used, carbon dioxide (CO2) laser resurfacing and erbium laser resurfacing. Both treatments use the laser as a vaporizer to correct superficial, damaged skin cells, with the added benefit of reducing patient risk by limiting the amount of heat absorbed by the skin.

CO2 Laser Resurfacing

CO2 uses very short pulsed light energy, called 'ultrapulsed' or continuous light beams to treat wrinkles, scars, warts, birthmarks, enlarged oil glands, skin cancer and other skin conditions. The CO2 laser precisely removes thin layers of skin without damaging surrounding structures with heat. Recovery from C)2 Laser Resurfacing can take up to two weeks.

Erbium Laser Resurfacing

Erbium removes superficial and deep facial lines and wrinkles, as well as those on the hands, neck, or chest. The procedure offers minimal burning of surrounding tissue and greatly reduced swelling, bruising and redness. Recovery time is more rapid than that ofCO2 laser resurfacing - only about one week.

Is This Right for Me?

Do you have fine lines or wrinkles around your eyes, mouth or forehead? Have you noticed scars from previous acne or non-responsive skin after a face lift procedure? Any one of these skin issues and more likely make you a good candidate for laser skin resurfacing. To find out for sure whether resurfacing is right for you, and which type of procedure suits your needs, schedule a consultation with a board-certified cosmetic surgeon who can perform a thorough evaluation of your medical history and physical condition and a discussion of the desired outcome.

Both types of resurfacing are performed as outpatient procedures using local anesthesia together with oral or intravenous sedatives to ensure you remain relaxed and calm throughout the entire procedure.

Your surgeon may treat wrinkles around your eyes, mouth or forehead individually, or may suggest a full-face resurfacing which is slightly more extensive.

What Are Typical Complications From This Treatment?

This does present some possible complications, including:

o Small white bumps

o Increased or decreased pigmentation

o Cold sores

o Bacterial infections

o Swelling

o Scarring

Smokers do not heal as well, so seriously consider quitting weeks before your surgery takes place.

Alternatives

Chemical Peels and Dermabrasion are two popular alternatives to laser resurfacing.

Dermabrasion freezes and "sands" the skin, improving skin contour and promoting a smoother appearance. Dermabrasion should always be performed by a dermatologic or board certified cosmetic surgeon. Chemical peels improve and smooth facial skin by removing the damaged outer layers using one of three specific chemical solutions, softening acne scars and controlling acne breakouts.

If laser skin resurfacing sounds right for you, seek the advice of a board certified cosmetic surgeon who has performed hundreds of laser skin resurfacing procedures.

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