Laser skin resurfacing is a facial rejuvenation procedure that can treat blemishes, damaged skin, and other signs of aging. With age, your skin begins to show imperfections such as wrinkles, folds, scars, age spots, acne, and other cosmetic irregularities. Genetics, environmental factors like sun or wind exposure, and loss of collagen all contribute to less than glowing skin. Dr. Asaadi can help you restore your youthful, beautiful skin by reducing irregularities and cosmetic blemishes with laser skin resurfacing.
Laser skin resurfacing is a blemish treatment that can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, liver spots, and other cosmetic irregularities that occur with aging. Using a focused laser beam of energy, Dr. Asaadi is able to target with exact accuracy specific areas of your skin that you wish to treat. Laser skin resurfacing can be personalized to precisely target what you are trying to treat. There are several lasers treatments used in laser skin resurfacing, which include ablative lasers, non-ablative lasers, fractional lasers, and the Fraxel CO2 Pixel Perfect™ Laser, and Intense Pulsed Light therapy.
Prior to your laser skin resurfacing therapy, you will be provided protective eye goggles to shield your eyes from the brightness of the laser used to refine your skin tone. A handheld device is used to evenly distribute the energy from the laser during your laser skin resurfacing treatment. This laser is scientifically designed to reduce and eliminate skin that has been damaged, while preserving as much healthy tissue and skin as possible.
Laser skin resurfacing can be performed at various depths, which means Dr. Asaadi can treat signs of aging on the outermost layers or skin but can also specifically target deep structures of your skin for facial rejuvenation. Specific areas of your face can be targeted during laser skin resurfacing, or you may opt for a full-face treatment. In some cases of laser skin resurfacing, a combination of laser types may be recommended to effectively treat all blemishes and cosmetic irregularities. Dr. Asaadi can help you decide which laser or lasers would be right choice for your individual goals. Some patients also choose to combine laser skin resurfacing with a facelift or eyelid surgery for the most dramatic results.
Laser skin resurfacing with ablative lasers uses quick pulses of light to remove damaged tissue and skin layers that cause discoloration, blemishes, or irregularities. With each pass of the hand-held applicator, a small layer of skin is removed in order to reveal healthy, new skin. Ablative lasers are often used in cases of skin firming, wrinkle treatments, and scar reduction.
Non-ablative lasers do not remove layers of skin during laser skin resurfacing. Instead, a non-ablative laser uses the heat generated by the laser to break down cosmetic irregularities on the surface of your skin. Patients often choose non-ablative lasers for laser skin resurfacing when they are treating fine lines and wrinkles.
Fractional lasers vary and can be either non-ablative or ablative. During laser skin resurfacing with fractional lasers, the energy is used to reach your deepest layers of skin to remove damaged cells and promote the growth of healthy tissue. Fractional lasers are often chosen to treat deep folds, severe wrinkles, liver spots, scarring, and skin discoloration.
The Fraxel CO2 Pixel Perfect™ laser treats the skin by delivering precise amounts of energy to specifically targeted treatment areas. Without damaging surrounding healthy tissue, The Fraxel CO2 Pixel Perfect™ laser treats the deepest layers of your skin without harming the healthy cells of your epidermis (outermost layer of skin). This results in a high success rate with a quick recovery period. The Fraxel CO2 Pixel Perfect™ laser restarts your body’s natural collagen production cycle, creating new, healthy, clear skin to replace the damaged cells that have been treated with laser skin resurfacing.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy is a specialized photorejuvenation treatment that can improve the appearance of a variety of skin irregularities. During IPL treatment, pulses of light energy are directed to the target area(s) to enhance the tone and texture of your skin and encourage new collagen production. Intense Pulsed Light facial rejuvenation treatments can reduce wrinkling, fine lines, lesions, birthmarks, facial redness, sun damage, vein patterns, and pigmentation issues without extensive recovery times.
Ablative Laser | Non-Ablative Laser | Fraxel CO2 Pixel Perfect™ Laser | Intense Pulsed Light (Ipl) Treatment |
---|---|---|---|
Removes damaged skin layer by layer for complete facial rejuvenation. | Does not remove layers of skin. Uses heat to break down surface-level skin irregularities. | Treats the deepest layers of skin while preserving the healthy skin of your epidermis. | Sends pulses of light energy through the surface of the skin to break up irregularities and increase collagen production. |
Often used for skin tightening, wrinkle care, and scar reduction. | Often used for fine lines, wrinkles, and mild-to-moderate facial folds. | Often used to promote the production of collagen. | Often used to improve blemishes, birthmarks, redness, sun damage, vein patterns, and pigmentation issues, as well as fine lines or wrinkles |
Some patients may be prescribed oral or topical medications to use in the weeks prior to their laser skin resurfacing for the best results. Certain medications, as well as some topical ointments and lotions, may need to be stopped prior to your laser skin resurfacing treatment. Dr. Asaadi will help you determine which laser is best for your particular laser skin resurfacing treatment. Dr. Asaadi may also help you create an individualized treatment regime that uses a combination of lasers for the most pleasing results.
The ideal candidate for laser skin resurfacing is looking to treat facial blemishes such as wrinkles, lines, scars, liver spots, discoloration, and other signs of aging. Realistic expectations of what you can achieve through laser skin resurfacing are necessary prior to your procedure. Laser skin resurfacing is not meant to treat minor blemishes; laser skin resurfacing is a facial treatment designed to target moderate-to-severe cosmetic blemishes and irregularities. If you are looking to treat minor cosmetic blemishes, Dr. Asaadi may recommend other effective facial treatments such as chemical peels or skin care products. Because laser skin resurfacing is a highly effective, safe facial rejuvenation procedure, the majority of patients are eligible to receive laser skin resurfacing.
After your laser skin resurfacing treatment, a topical ointment may be applied to protect your healing skin. Bandages and facial tape may be applied to some patients to promote proper healing. Side effects after laser skin resurfacing depend on what type of laser you choose and the depth of your procedure. Common laser skin resurfacing side effects include minor itching, inflammation, and slight discomfort. These symptoms are your body’s natural reaction to laser skin resurfacing and will begin to fade in the days following your laser skin resurfacing treatment. Your skin may appear sensitive or pink for the first few weeks following laser skin resurfacing.
The length of your recovery depends on which laser you choose for your laser skin resurfacing and the depth of the laser skin resurfacing treatment you undergo. Any facial shaving will initially be prohibited as to not irritate your delicate facial skin. In some cases of laser skin resurfacing, a productive scab may form over your healing skin. It is important not to disturb this scab, as it is protecting your newly forming skin. Once your skin has properly healed, the scab will naturally and painlessly fall off. You will begin to see your laser skin resurfacing results in the days and weeks following your treatment with continuing results forming in the months following your procedure.
It is important that you choose a skilled laser skin resurfacing doctor who understands your individual anatomy. Dr. Asaadi stresses the importance of choosing a qualified, experienced, and board-certified plastic surgeon when considering laser skin resurfacing.
Dr. Mokhtar Asaadi and our staff will be happy to discuss laser skin resurfacing with you. Please contact our New Jersey office at 973.731.7000 or our New York office at 212.938.0158 to schedule a private consultation. You may also request an appointment online to meet with our laser skin resurfacing doctor.