{"id":3014,"date":"2021-11-04T09:44:20","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T16:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancederm.net\/?p=3014"},"modified":"2024-03-27T12:49:34","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T19:49:34","slug":"laser-skin-resurfacing%e2%80%af-whats%e2%80%af-to%e2%80%af-love%e2%80%af-about-%e2%80%afit%e2%80%af","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.advancederm.net\/laser-skin-resurfacing%e2%80%af-whats%e2%80%af-to%e2%80%af-love%e2%80%af-about-%e2%80%afit%e2%80%af\/","title":{"rendered":"Laser Skin Resurfacing\u202f\u2013 What\u2019s \u202fto\u202f Love\u202f About\u202f It\u202f"},"content":{"rendered":"

Courtney Gwinn, M.D.<\/a><\/p>\n

Fractional\u202fand fully ablative\u202fCO2\u202flaser resurfacing are among\u202fthe most effective tools\u202fwe have in medicine\u202fto address\u202fdeep, etched-in wrinkles around the mouth, eyes, and cheeks.\u202fAblative lasers work through administration of energy\u202fthat is\u202fconverted to heat,\u00a0leading to controlled damage of the epidermis (skin),\u202fsubsequent collagen remodeling,\u202fand new, healthy, youthful\u202fskin.\u202fLaser resurfacing\u202ftreatments can be personalized to the patient\u2019s desires allowing for a more\u202faggressive approach with treatment of the entire\u202fface or\u202fa more targeted approach treating only specific problem\u202fareas (such as around the eyes or mouth).One\u00a0must keep in mind when choosing an approach, the larger\u202fthe\u202farea treated, the more intense the downtime\u202fwill be. In my experience, patients who are willing to put in the downtime for the procedure forever set the aging clock back\u202fat least 10\u202fyears. An added benefit of laser resurfacing is\u202fthe\u202fremoval of sun damage and precancerous lesions called \u201cactinic keratoses\u201d. In\u202fthe greater Spokane and Inland Northwest area, many of us\u202fhave experienced\u202fextensive sun exposure.\u202fLaser resurfacing allows us to erase much of\u202fthat\u202fsun damage,\u202fallowing\u202ffor a clean slate.<\/p>\n

What \u202fto Expect<\/h4>\n

Before\u202fthe procedure, numbing cream is applied to the face\u202ffor\u202fone hour. Depending on\u202fthe\u202fintensity of the treatment, injectable numbing\u202fmay also be used to maximize patient comfort.\u202fDuring the procedure, the targeted area is treated with the laser at which time one might expect to feel the faint warmth of the resurfacing procedure through the anesthetic.\u202fAfter the procedure, patients\u202fcan expect\u202fredness and weeping of the areas treated,\u202fsimilar to\u202fa \u201cscraped knee\u201d\u202ffor the first\u202feight\u202fdays after treatment;\u202fnew collagen is forming during this portion of the\u202fhealing process. The\u202fskin can be\u202fslightly red\u00a0for three weeks to a month during the final stages of healing.\u00a0Depending on intensity of the\u00a0treatment,\u00a0multiple\u202ftreatments\u202f(one to three)\u202fmay be required\u202fto reach\u202fyour\u202fskin care goals.<\/p>\n

When used on the upper and lower eyelids, patients can have significant tightening and improvement in eyelid skin laxity,\u00a0mimicking\u202fblepharoplasty.\u202fStudies show up to 90% reduction\u202fin wrinkles and significant skin tightening.\u202fThis is a great option for those that desire to avoid surgery. This procedure can also be coupled with surgeries such as a facelift or blepharoplasty.\u202fPlacement of metal eye shields with numbing eye drops is required when using this laser around the eyes.<\/p>\n

Additionally, when treating the peri-oral region, laser resurfacing can be coupled with filler and\/or neurotoxin (such as BOTOX\u00ae Cosmetic). Peri-oral\u202frhytids\u202for wrinkles are formed by contraction of the orbicularis\u202foris\u202fmuscle leading to \u201cpursing of the lips\u201d or \u201csmoker\u2019s lines\u201d.\u202fFiller can be used to build the foundation of collagen loss related to age. Neurotoxin can be utilized\u202fprior to the\u202fresurfacing procedure to avoid reforming peri-oral lines during the healing process.\u202fA combination of filler, neurotoxin, and an ablative laser treatment often maximizes patient results.<\/p>\n

Benefits \u202f& Risks\u202f of Laser Resurfacing<\/h4>\n

The most beneficial outcomes of laser resurfacing include boosted confidence as years are erased. Other benefits include:<\/p>\n