Laser Skin Resurfacing 8 Things you need to know

INTRODUCTION

• Laser skin resurfacing is a way that helps incomplete reduction of your acne scar marks, age spots, wrinkles, blemishes.
• It also helps in maintaining a good tone and tightening up your skin.
• Laser is well appreciated in the month of autumn as it is said that laser-sensitive skin is hypersensitive to sunlight.
• It is always recommended to apply SPF 30 sunscreen daily on the skin to cover up the ill effects of the sun.

FEEL OF TREATMENT

• Depends mainly on the type of laser being used, depth and area of treatment, and patient tolerance level of pain.

TYPES OF LASER

• Deeper ablative lasers, which help target the outer layer of skin, require local anesthesia injections.
• They are primarily CO2 lasers( AcuPulse by lumens, CO2RE by candela .)
• Erbium YAG laser promotes collagen remodeling.
• Nonablative lasers where a layer of skin is not removed are done with only topical numbing cream.
• They are pulsed Dye( V Beam Perfecta by candela), ND, YAG, and Alexandrite laser.
• Fractional lasers like fractures in mode can be ablative or nonablative.
• Intense pulsed light laser such as vasculaze by in mode is used to treat sun damage.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

• Patients who are more prone to have fever blisters, cold sores may induce breakouts.
• People on isotretinoin injections have experienced delayed healing.
• Aspirin intake causes post-procedure bleeding.
• Smoking is to be avoided before and after treatment for almost 3 weeks.

INDICATIONS OF LASERS

• CO2 lasers are used for scars, warts, wrinkles, skin flaws.
• Erbium lasers are used for fine line wrinkles, loose skin, age spots.
• Pulsed Dye lasers are used for hyperpigmentation, rosacea.
• Fractional lasers are used in cases of blemishes.
• Intense pulsed light lasers are used in sun damage, vascular lesions, acne, rosacea.

Several sittings are recommended.

• It is said that a series of treatments depends on the type of problem, like nonablative lasers requiring multiple sessions for satisfactory results.