Laser skin resurfacing is done to decrease lines, even out pigmentation, reduce acne scars, reduce pore size and assist in rebuilding of the body’s own collagen. From one to several treatments will produce softer, smoother, more even toned, youthful looking skin. As the skin ages and dead cells accumulate on the surface, laser skin resurfacing will remove the top superficial layers to make way for newer healthier skin to emerge. There are several lasers available today to achieve this goal.
In order to penetrate deep into the skin layers to remove heavy wrinkles, acne scars and some forms of pigmentation a deep laser resurfacing is required; this technique is called ablative. Ablative laser skin resurfacing will remove or vaporize the skin. When treated with an ablative laser for skin resurfacing significant down time, usually associated with severe redness, swelling and oozing are part of the recovery. The most common types of ablative lasers for resurfacing skin are the CO2 or Erbium: YAG lasers. By vaporizing the top layers of skin a deeper penetration can be achieved for a more dramatic result once healed. As the skin begins to regenerate itself during healing, fresh, new, revitalized, tighter skin is the result.
Fractional lasers will ablate the epidermis in a dot or pixel type pattern, removing some skin and leaving some intact. The untreated portion of tissue initiates skin regeneration at a faster rate. This will decrease the down time and the side effects. When healing is completed the results give firmer, smoother skin with even tone and texture.
An additional type of laser skin resurfacing can be achieved with the plasma skin resurfacing. The mechanism of action is to rapidly heat the skin. As the thermal injury begins to heal, the outer surface layers slough off, revealing new smooth revitalized skin. As with any procedure that will cause damage to the skin layers, side effects can include redness, pigmentation changes, infection and scarring with excessive thermal damage. There are several ablative and partially ablative skin resurfacing lasers available for your skin care needs. A consultation with a certified cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist will help you determine of laser skin resurfacing is right for you. |
