Laser resurfacing technology makes clear, youthful skin possible regardless of your age. Rather than abrasive exfoliants or constant application of creams and serums at home to achieve an airbrushed appearance, laser resurfacing treatments can help to address a host of skin concerns, including blemishes, dark spots, uneven texture, and scarring.
Laser skin treatments perform a variety of functions. Read on to discover some of the common ways that this gentle radiation exposure process can heal and clarify the appearance of your body's largest protective organ.
Types of Laser Applications
Though laser treatments treat the layers of the skin through radiation, there are two primary types of rejuvenating lasers.
Non-ablative lasers pass through the upper surfaces of the skin to reach deeper within to stimulate collagen production, absorb pigmentation, heal age spots, and repair broken capillaries.
These lasers work by heating the skin without causing structural changes. This gentler approach may mean that multiple sessions are required in order to achieve the desired results. However, non-ablative lasers are ideal for those who want to heal with little to no downtime between sessions.
Ablative lasers, on the other hand, break through the upper layers of the skin before heating the deeper layers of the dermis beneath. These lasers are ideal for the treatment of wrinkles, scars, warts, age spots, collagen stimulation, and skin tightening.
A local anesthetic or numbing cream is generally applied for deeper treatments, and it may take up to three weeks for the skin to heal in some cases. During this time, the skin may appear raw, scabbed, or irritated, but will regenerate with a smoother, tighter appearance.
Common Reasons to Seek Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatment
These treatments are popular non-surgical options to remedy a number of skin conditions.
Reduce Wrinkles
As you age, your body's collagen production begins to slow, which results in the fine lines and wrinkles that show up on your skin. Laser treatments are a great way to stimulate the production of collagen to fill in finer wrinkles and firm up the skin's appearance.
Fade Pigmentation and Even Skin Tone
Pigmentation does not always lie on the outer layers of your skin. Sun damage, aging, acne, medications, and other factors can result in an uneven skin tone, both in texture and color. Laser treatments target the cells responsible for deep discoloration or textural issues and bring about a lighter, clearer appearance as a result.
Reduce Scars
Whether you have acne scars or impact scars, laser treatments work to improve the appearance of wounds, pockmarks, craters, or flaws by breaking down the cellular structure of the skin to encourage it to heal more evenly from the inside out.
Clear Skin
Deep acne issues often do not respond to topical treatments that only address the upper layers of the skin. Laser treatments use concentrated heat radiation to penetrate deeper into the source of the infection to address the problem at its core and encourage the skin to heal with minimal scarring.
Treat Veins and Capillaries
Broken capillaries and varicose veins can be unsightly. Non-ablative lasers can be used to heal vascular issues by removing the discoloration and healing the surrounding skin for a uniform look after healing is complete.
Remove Hair
Lasers can also be used to remove the hair from large or small areas of the skin. The heat from laser radiation, when applied to hair follicles rather than bare skin, can damage the hair root and discourage regrowth. This is ideal for those who have dark, stray hairs that appear as small imperfections on the face, neck, or other prominent areas of the skin.
Ready to treat your skin concerns with laser technology? Call the office of
Ronald C. Barry to schedule a consultation with one of our laser resurfacing experts.
