LASER skin resurfacing is a very effective treatment to treat dull, damaged , photoaged and wrinkled skin along with acne scars, burn scars or any type of post traumatic scars. It is a facial rejuvenation procedure that uses a laser device to improve the appearance and texture of the skin. It can be done with:
Ablative laser This works on the principle of wound healing wherein a wounding laser is used which removes the outer thin layer of the skin (epidermis) and heats the underlying skin (dermis), which stimulates the growth of new collagen fibres. As the epidermis heals and regrows, the treated area appears much smoother and tighter. This treatment comes with a downtime and requires a proper after care skin protocol to be followed
Types of ablative treatments include the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, the erbium laser and combination systems. Both the lasers can be delivered with a fractional laser system, which leaves microscopic columns of untreated tissue throughout the treatment area which helps causing lesser damage, and faster skin healing thereby making the procedure very safe and also help reducing the downtime to the minimum. Fractional lasers were developed to shorten recovery time and reduce the risk of side effects.
Nonablative laser Laser resurfacing can significantly decrease the appearance of acne scars as well as other types of scars as caused by trauma, burn injury, or scars caused by chicken pox on the face. It can also treat loss of skin tone and improve the complexion if you have scars or sun damage. laser resurfacing does improve the tone and texture of the skin by the help of collagen remodelling which makes it a very effective tool for the treatment of acne scars as well as lines and wrinkles on the face.
It also helps combat the early signs of ageing and photodamage .Laser resurfacing can't eliminate excessive or sagging skin. Understanding the specific techniques, risks and possible results can help you decide if laser resurfacing is right for you.
Laser resurfacing can be used to treat:
- Acne scars
- Fine wrinkles
- Age spots
- Uneven skin tone or texture
- Sun-damaged skin
- Stretch marks
- Post traumatic, surgical or even old burn scars
- Rhinophyma
The procedure is done after numbing the skin with topical anaesthetic cxream which is left on your skin for around 30 to 40 minutes.
During ablative laser resurfacing, an intense beam of light energy (laser) is directed at your skin. The laser beam destroys the outer layer of skin (epidermis). At the same time, the laser heats the underlying skin (dermis), which stimulates collagen production over time, resulting in better skin tone and texture. Ablative laser resurfacing typically takes between 30 minutes and two hours, depending on the technique used and the size of the area treated.
If you're undergoing nonwounding laser or nonablative laser treatment, a series of treatments is typically scheduled over the course of weeks or months.