Question:
I’m considering laser skin resurfacing to even out my complexion and smooth out some fine lines on my face. The more research I do in terms of the different lasers such as the UltraPulse CO2 or the Pixel, the more confused I am. Can you clarify?
Answer:
Nothing changes quicker in cosmetic surgery as the lasers available to perform the cosmetic procedures. Laser skin resurfacing is populated extensively with various lasers. To help you out with your decision process, you need to consider two things. What is the condition of your skin and what down time are you willing to put up with following laser skin resurfacing. CO2 lasers are really the gold standard of lasers for skin rejuvenation when the skin is severely damaged. The lasers penetrate deeply to stimulate new collagen formation in the skin which helps to smooth the skin and tighten the skin. As you can imagine, the more aggressive the laser the more potential complications such as skin pigment issues, and scarring that can occur. In the last 7 years there has been the introduction of fractionated delivery of laser energy. Fractionated lasers are able to deliver significant energy to the skin but only treats about 20% of the skin at a single treatment. By sparing the remaining 80% of the skin from laser energy, your recovery is decreased from weeks to several days. The only problem with fractionated delivery of CO2 energy is that you will likely require more than a couple of treatments to realize the results of a single non-fractionated CO2 laser. I would be happy to discuss these procedures with you in more detail if you would call Renu Med Spa and Plastic Surgery.
Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld