Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the treatment and what you do to help improve your results. Remember this guide does not take the place of your consultation and you should make sure to jot down any question you may want to ask as later.
Laser skin resurfacing refers to techniques that are used to promote new skin growth by removing damaged upper layers of skin. These procedure generally create brighter skin with fewer wrinkles, smaller pores and better textures. Laser can also be used to lessen the appearance of moles, rosacea and spider veins. Acne and scarring from acne can sometimes be improved as well. Laser resurfacing treatments can often be repeated.
Procedure
How are your skin resurfacing be performed?
A laser treatment is generally suggested when skin conditions are moderate to severe and may require a topical anesthetic or a local anesthetic incitation. Laser resurfacing does not replace surgical procedure such as the face lift but can decrease wrinkles around the eyes and mouth and smooth uneven pigmentation and birth marks. Using a handheld device the emission of laser light are passed over the skin at a pre-determined intensity. The energy emitted from the laser is absorbed by the skin cells causing them to overheat and flake away. By adjusting the energy level and the treatment time, the depth of treated can be altered. The laser is carefully passed back and forth over the skin until the desired level of resurfacing is reached.
Treatments can range in depth from light, from minimal correction to a deep treatment that can be reduced or eliminate wrinkles and scars. After your treatment, protective crease or ointments may be applied to treat the newly resurfaced skin. In some cases, bandages may also be applied. Another form of laser resurfacing is fractional resurfacing which is in pinpoints of light to aerate the skin to a deeper dermal level than a normal laser resurfacing procedure. This selective aeration prompts the body to heal itself and produce new collagens for tighter healthier looking skin. There are many different types of laser treatments available. Your specific need will determine which laser is best for you.
Preparation
During the consultation you should be very open. Provide all of your medical history including any allergies, recurring infections like cold sore and list all of the medication vitamins and herbs you are taking even if you don’t think they are important. Certain medical conditions might make a skin resurfacing procedure in appropriate such as pregnancy, recent use of Accutane, a history of diffused acne, melisma, liver disease, keloids and the presence of precancerous or cancerous lesions.
The following suggestions will help you prepare for treatment. Discontinue using aspirin, ibuprofen, St. John’s Wort and vitamin E for one week before and a few days after treatment. These act as blood thinner and may interfere with the healing process. Stop smoking for at least 2 weeks before and one week after your treatment as nicotine can impair circulation and healing. Drink plenty of water in the days leading up to treatment. On the day of your appointment do not apply lotion, sun screen, make up or any other skin product to the area being treated. Avoid sun waving and tanning boast.
A pre-treatment skin care regiment to prepare the skin and optimize results may be recommended. After your treatment, the resurfacing treatments described in this presentation can range an intensity depending on your goals. So recovery will vary but you should expect redness and swelling. Fractional resurfacing treatment may require a week to ten days to recover and concealing make up for you to feel comfortable returning to work and public life. A traditional CO2 laser resurfacing usually requires two or more weeks of recovery.
Following a traditional laser resurfacing treatment you will go through three healing phases: during all healing phases, avoiding sun and ultraviolet light exposure is imperative as the new skin is very sensitive. During the immediate false treatment phase that last about a week your skin will dry and peel. Following this initial phase your skin should appear pink and healthy as the healing and remodeling phase begins.
The final phase should leave you with new healthy skin. During this phase developing a skin care maintenance program that is right for your skin type is critical for great long lasting results. The results will vary but in general you should gradually begin to see improvements in irregular pigmentation, fine lines and overall skin tone. They should be long lasting but not permanent. To maximize your results in the years to come be sure to avoid direct sun. Wear good quality sun glasses when outdoors. Avoid smoke and other skin irritants and wear a good quality sun screen. Feel free to review any part of this guide you like. Should you have remaining questions don’t hesitate to ask as we are here to make this a great experience for you.