Laser treatments can be highly effective at reducing fine lines and wrinkles, evening out skin tone and treating pigmentation issues. Your choice of treatment depends on what issues need to be addressed.
Non-ablative lasers typically utilize microbeams to penetrate the skin and absorb pigments, effectively diminishing redness, hyperpigmentation and broken capillaries.
Fractional CO2 Laser
This procedure uses a handheld device to remove damaged skin layers and stimulate healthy new cell growth. After administering local anesthesia, bursts of laser energy will be delivered directly onto your skin; and then the device is moved across the problem area for treatment. Depending on your specific needs, treatments could last from 30 to 2 hours for one area or your entire face; multiple sessions may be needed to achieve optimal results and our dermatologist will determine an ideal schedule for you.
Fractional CO2 Laser treatments can help address sun damage, sagging skin, wrinkles, fine lines, pigmentation issues, scarring issues and loose skin as well as many other cosmetic concerns. They’re especially good at relieving acne scarring while improving texture. Our esthetic team will discuss your goals during consultation to determine the most suitable laser therapy treatment option.
Fractional CO2 Laser skin resurfacing treatments use laser beams that break into small microscopic sections to target damaged skin while leaving surrounding areas alone, creating healing zones to encourage collagen and skin cell production by the body, leading to signs of aging and scarring to fade over time.
With this type of laser treatment, you have a variety of light, medium or deep options available to you. Deeper treatments require longer healing times but often provide better results. Furthermore, this laser can be used on neck and chest areas; many combine it with facelift procedures for more dramatic effects.
Prior to starting Fractional CO2 Laser treatments, it’s essential that you adhere to some pre-treatment rules. Avoid using any skin care products containing retinoids for at least two weeks beforehand, and limit sun exposure as too much sunlight exposure may impede healing processes and hinder recovery time.
Patients receiving this laser treatment may experience side effects like redness, swelling and crusting afterward; these should dissipate within several days as your skin begins to heal itself. We may recommend topical anesthetic to ease any discomfort during recovery.
Pulsed Dye Laser
Pulse dye laser therapy is a light-based treatment that employs color to break down abnormal blood vessels. It’s highly effective at treating port wine stains, redness and small broken blood vessels (telangiectasia), as well as helping remove reddish coloration associated with psoriasis; multiple treatment sessions may be required though. Furthermore, photodynamic therapy utilizes light in conjunction with specific medications in treating acne.
Pulsed dye laser treatments can be completed quickly in-office. Your child will receive topical anesthetic cream prior to beginning, and then their eyes will be shielded while laser light emits yellow pulses that feel similar to rubber band flicks on their skin. In order to mitigate discomfort during each laser pulse there is also a cooling spray applied before each laser pulse pulse.
Once treatment has concluded, your child can return home. Applying moisturizer such as Aquaphor or Vaseline ointment 2-3 times daily to the treated area may help maintain moisture balance and avoid dryness. Bruising may occur and typically dissipates on its own within days; darker skin types may occasionally experience temporary increased pigmentation that will gradually fade over the months following their treatment.
Pulsed dye laser treatment can also be used to treat hemangiomas, red spots caused by dilation of blood vessels that typically appear on the face or neck, as well as other conditions associated with increased blood vessel dilation such as rosacea or hypertrophic scarring (keloids or hypertrophic scars that form thick raised masses that can be uncomfortable and unsightly). It has proven very successful at treating such conditions as well.
IPL Laser
IPL (intense pulsed light) laser treatment can provide quick and effective relief from discoloration, uneven skin tone, freckles, redness, rosacea and broken capillaries on the face. An IPL laser emits intense pulsed light that penetrates deep into tissue to target pigment cells and red blood cells within the dermis for destruction without harming nearby healthy tissue – providing clearer complexion with reduced fine lines and wrinkles as a result of heat generated from light energy emitted by this technology.
An IPL photofacial is typically safe for most patients and involves minimal downtime. Patients may experience temporary redness that feels similar to mild sunburn for several hours post-procedure; this usually subsides quickly. We advise our IPL photofacial clients to wear sunscreen immediately following their procedure for optimal results.
An IPL facial can help those seeking to rejuvenate and enhance their skin by eliminating sun spots, freckles, fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating new collagen production. Light energy from IPL treatment may even be used to remove acne scars – while repeated sessions can reduce bacteria levels in your skin and thus prevent future breakouts.
IPL treatments work best on fair skin types that are neither tanned nor dark; otherwise they may absorb too much light and cause hypopigmentation after treatment; in such instances a chemical peel would likely be the better choice.
Ideal Image offers effective and noninvasive laser skin treatments to quickly brighten your complexion and reduce fine lines and wrinkles without surgery or injections. Contact us now to arrange a consultation to see if an IPL laser facial treatment would benefit you, plus custom tailor a package of treatments specifically tailored to you! Reach out now and set an appointment!
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing treatments use different wavelengths of light to treat various cosmetic concerns. Laser treatments may tighten skin, reduce wrinkles and improve blotchy or uneven skin tones. Ablative lasers such as carbon dioxide (CO2), erbium and combinations remove thin outer epidermal layers while heating deeper layers to promote collagen growth – an effect known as subdermal thermotherapy (DST). Nonablative light sources such as pulsed dye, microneedling or intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments stimulate this same effect without damaging outer epidermal layers – including pulsed dye, microneedling or intense Pulsed Light (IPL).
Your doctor will conduct an exam to assess which laser treatment will best fit you. Please inform them of any past or current medical conditions and medications taken as well as aesthetic goals and expectations in detail.
An anesthetic may be administered prior to laser treatments in order to alleviate any pain. This could include topical or general anesthetics depending on the size and type of laser being utilized.
Laser resurfacing recovery times vary based on your chosen treatment type and body’s ability to heal itself. While more invasive ablative laser procedures typically take several weeks for your new skin to fully recuperate, nonablative procedures typically cause minimal downtime.
After receiving laser resurfacing treatment, treated areas may become swollen and red for several hours afterward. You should take pain relievers and apply ice packs, while avoiding makeup, soap or any products which irritate the skin until the area heals completely. It is also wise to apply broad spectrum sunscreens as this will protect the skin while helping delay pigment changes.
Laser resurfacing treatments may cause other potential side effects, including infection and scarring. Infection may occur when using thick creams or bandages on the area being treated and is more likely with ablative lasers. Herpes outbreaks (cold sores caused by herpes virus) could occur, so inform your physician immediately of your presence of herpes before beginning your laser procedure and take antiviral medication such as Valacyclovir or Acyclovir two days beforehand to reduce any risks.
Laser resurfacing treatments may cause other potential side effects, including redness that lasts longer than anticipated, especially with ablative lasers. You could also develop tiny white bumps called milia on treated areas. People with darker skin are likely to experience this side effect more commonly; it usually fades over time.
