Laser skin treatments use short, concentrated light beams that focus on specific parts of your face in order to encourage collagen formation or remove layers of skin, from tattoos and scars to fine lines and wrinkles.
Laser treatments differ significantly from cosmetic surgeries in that they do not require general anesthesia or an overnight hospital stay, and are significantly cheaper than 35 years worth of skincare serums and devices!
Non-ablative Er:YAG
If you have an issue with skin texture, your doctor might suggest non-ablative laser treatment as a solution. This procedure uses light from lasers or LED bulbs to heat the lower layer of your dermis and promote collagen growth – making this an effective method for treating fine lines, wrinkles and other minor facial flaws without downtime and discomfort. Topical numbing cream may help offset discomfort.
Ablative lasers, which work by dissolving the top layers of skin, can be an excellent way to treat scars, warts and other deep skin flaws. Common carbon dioxide and erbium lasers used for this purpose.
An ablative laser resurfacing treatment begins by applying topical anesthetic before utilizing laser or light sources to eliminate old skin cells while stimulating new cell production, giving your complexion a fresh, younger-looking boost. As the new cells expand and replace older ones, your complexion will gradually smooth out over time and appear less wrinkled and worn down.
Recovery time from ablative laser treatments typically lasts around two weeks and may be uncomfortable during this time as new skin develops. Your doctor will likely apply thick ointment directly onto the treated area of skin before covering it with an airtight and watertight bandage to keep moisture out of it and protect your health while healing occurs. Your physician may also prescribe pain relievers and recommend ice packs to keep you comfortable throughout this process.
RealSelf members report only mild to moderate pain during YAG laser procedures and minimal side effects afterwards.
Non-ablative lasers and light sources can help address numerous skin conditions, including redness, broken capillaries, rosacea, hyperpigmentation and acne. Non-ablative lasers are sometimes referred to as fractional lasers because they create small islands of damaged tissue that allow unaffected skin to heal faster; examples include pulsed-dye and YAG lasers; while IPL (intense pulsed light therapy) therapy often gets mistaken as laser treatment for treating sun damage, vascular lesions as well as some pigmentation issues.
Pulsed-dye
Pulsed-dye lasers, commonly referred to as vascular lasers, offer effective solutions for those seeking to reduce redness or get rid of broken capillaries, rosacea or other skin conditions. These nonablative lasers utilize concentrated yellow light that heats up skin layers and absorbs pigments; age spots, birthmarks or moles can also be eliminated through pulsed-dye treatments; it is safe for most patients – although not advised for those with dark complexions or previous history of skin cancer.
Pulsed-dye laser treatment takes place in an office setting. Your physician will first wash and apply topical anesthetic cream to the area prior to administering this type of laser therapy. After treatment, some swelling and scabbing may occur as the laser injures skin – though these effects should subside within days. It is also important that post-pulsed-dye laser treatments avoid sun exposure since prolonged sun exposure increases risk for skin damage; wear an SPF 30 sunscreen daily for maximum protection.
Vbeam laser therapy uses pulses of yellow light to target blood vessels in your skin, providing a safe treatment option that’s often used to address rosacea, broken capillaries and other vascular skin lesions as well as brown spots, stretch marks and warts. Furthermore, it may also be part of photodynamic therapy treatments for severe acne or precancerous keratoses.
At Vbeam treatments, your physician will apply the hand piece against your skin and deliver laser pulses with cooling mist spray before each pulse to minimize discomfort. The procedure itself should take no more than several minutes.
Vbeam laser treatment is an exceptionally safe solution, even being used on infants to treat congenital vascular lesions like port-wine stains. In addition, this laser therapy treatment can effectively eliminate redness from facial tissue while helping reduce wrinkles, fine lines and scarring.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite is an exquisite gemstone used in jewelry. It earned its name through a tale about Russian miners who came across it while searching for emeralds; when some gems lit up the campfire with an unexpected red hue not typical of emeralds. These miners then decided to mine alexandrite and sell it, becoming so rich they were able to buy an apartment in Moscow along with many valuable items.
Alexandrite laser treatments can be very effective in reducing sun spots and brown spots, outperforming more ablative laser therapies like Picosure or Picoway in their efficiency. Multiple sessions may be needed before visible results appear – the alexandrite laser uses high-power alexandrite laser with superior sapphire contact cooling to ensure minimal to no discomfort during its treatment process.
Q-switched lasers target melanin deposits to break them up into tiny pieces that can be taken up by your immune system or removed via wiping, effectively breaking tattoos without scarring and eliminating tattoos without scars. Furthermore, laser treatments stimulate new cell and collagen growth to minimize pore sizes, smooth out rough skin texture and decrease fine lines and wrinkles for improved complexions and reduced fine lines and wrinkles.
The Alexandrite laser can be used on all skin colors and is suitable for both women and men. It can reduce freckles, age spots, sun damage, melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation while simultaneously eliminating unwanted hair removal or diminishing stretch marks on your body.
Cynergy uses two wavelengths and cooling systems to enhance patient comfort and effectiveness, treating conditions like port wine stains, hemangiomas and broken or enlarged vessels (telangiectasia). It can also treat inflammatory acne, leg veins scars stretch marks and vascular lesions.
IPL
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is a non-invasive laser treatment used to brighten and improve sun-damaged skin. IPL works by dissolving pigment cells responsible for freckles and age spots while helping fade fine lines and wrinkles as well. Unlike ablative or fractional laser treatments, IPL doesn’t remove outermost layers of skin, and has minimal downtime compared with other cosmetic procedures.
Starting off by cleaning the area that needs treating, cooling gel will then be applied. Next, your practitioner will use a handheld device to pass over it – you should experience a quick pinching sensation similar to snapping a rubber band – for about 20 to 30 minutes total treatment sessions with multiple sessions needed to achieve desired results.
IPL treatment can also help diminish scars, rosacea or other skin conditions; however it should not be undertaken by pregnant women or those suffering from chronic skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema.
As part of the procedure, your skin will begin producing more collagen, increasing elasticity and smoothness while helping reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Furthermore, laser energy will fade any acne scarring present.
When considering IPL treatment, be sure to select an experienced dermatologist or esthetician as your provider in order to avoid complications, such as burning and blistering. In addition, any abrasive products should be kept off your face until redness and swelling has subsided.
IPL treatments are generally safe for most individuals. Furthermore, they’re less painful than other resurfacing procedures like chemical peels or microdermabrasion. One potential drawback may be skin lightening if used on darker skin tones; therefore it is wise to consult a specialist when considering IPL as a possible option for you.
