What is laser face resurfacing, the pros and cons of the procedure, in which cases it is used and what may be its result. Laser face resurfacing is a procedure during which, under the influence of a laser, the soft tissues of the skin are evaporated, which makes it possible to even out its relief. This method is similar to laser peeling, but during resurfacing, the radiation penetrates deeper, which leads to a complete removal of the epidermis. After that, the cells begin to actively divide, forming a healthy cover. Laser resurfacing relieves many problems, from deep wrinkles to postoperative scars.
Description and purpose of laser face resurfacing
A cosmetological procedure using a laser today is carried out at the highest level and in its effectiveness is not inferior to the surgical method of correcting facial imperfections. Resurfacing is designed to reduce age-related changes, eliminate scars, and stimulate collagen production. The main factors contributing to the activation of natural processes after the procedure are an improvement in blood circulation, as well as an aggressive effect on the dermis, which gives the command to divide, filling the damaged area.
Traditionally, laser skin resurfacing is understood as complete removal of dermis tissue to the desired depth. Such resurfacing is considered traumatic and requires a long recovery. Today, in cosmetology, a more gentle type is more often used - fractional resurfacing, which implies the removal of the epidermis from individual areas of the skin, and not from the entire area of the face. Due to the fact that only micro-areas are damaged by the laser, the skin is quickly restored.
This procedure is carried out using two types of laser:
- Carbon dioxide … It heats up the treated areas of the skin, which sometimes leads to burns during the procedure, and also prolongs the healing period. However, it is this type of laser that shows remarkable results in resurfacing scars, stretch marks and eliminating neoplasms on the skin.
- Erbium … This is a more modern type of laser, the radiation of which is divided into several microbeams, so its heat is dissipated and does not lead to burns even in sensitive areas. After it, the undamaged cells quickly shrink over the damaged ones, which provides a good lifting effect. It is ideal for use on the delicate skin of the eyelids and neck.
Before laser face resurfacing, the patient is selected the type of anesthesia. It can be an anesthetic gel or an internal preparation that will reduce the sensitivity of the skin. To achieve the desired effect, the procedure is recommended to be carried out in courses - 3-4 resurfacing per year. A full-fledged course will relieve a woman of skin defects and imperfections, which cosmetics cannot cope with.
Advantages and disadvantages of laser face resurfacing
This modern cosmetic procedure is incredibly popular today, because it allows you to quickly get tight, smooth skin without imperfections in the form of rashes, wrinkles and irregularities. The laser face resurfacing procedure performed by a professional after choosing the correct laser type has many advantages. The main advantages of laser resurfacing:
- Slows down the aging process of the dermis … The laser removes the epidermis, stimulating the regenerating function of the skin - healthy cells are formed at the site of damage, and the production of natural collagen improves. The effect is especially noticeable in the area of the nasolabial folds, around the eyes.
- Getting rid of uneven dermis … Scars, scars, age depressions - all this is smoothed out during the grinding process. Often such problems require a full course of procedures. But commonplace acne disappears after just one manipulation.
- Color enhancement … After recovery, it will be noticeable that the dermis has become light, freckles and age spots will go away.
- Shrinks pores … The skin is renewed, natural processes are activated - new cells appear, with clean pores, not clogged with grease and dirt.
If you decide to renew the dermis with a laser, you should take into account the disadvantages of this procedure. The disadvantages of laser resurfacing include:
- Pain effect … Despite the use of local anesthesia, a person feels discomfort during deep resurfacing. Sometimes they even practice the use of deep anesthesia, but this is already too much stress on the heart and not every woman is ready to go for it.
- Difficult rehabilitation … Any procedure using a laser requires certain skin care after manipulations - the use of creams, ointments, and even taking painkillers. After grinding, very often girls suffer from itching of the face, fever, inconvenience associated with the inability to apply makeup. The rehabilitation period lasts 2-4 weeks.
- A number of contraindications … Before carrying out the procedure, be sure to consult with a specialist, because in some cases laser resurfacing is prohibited. Namely - if you are sick with herpes, diabetes, psoriasis, there are wounds on the skin, there are any chronic diseases that are in an acute form. Grinding is also contraindicated in women who are expecting a baby or are breastfeeding.
- Price policy … Laser resurfacing is a rather expensive procedure, especially considering that a full-fledged result can be obtained only after a course of such sessions.
Important! Despite the significant list of disadvantages, only laser resurfacing today gives such a diverse result without the introduction of synthetic injections under the skin.
How to do laser face resurfacing
Laser resurfacing takes place in the office of a plastic surgeon or a beautician. The doctor assesses the condition of the skin, decides which type of laser to use, and chooses the option of anesthesia. After cleansing the skin, it is treated with antiseptics and a special anesthetic lotion. The drug is applied one hour before the start of the procedure so that the active substances penetrate deep into the dermis. Then the doctor puts on protective glasses for himself and the patient and begins grinding. The technology of the conduct depends on the goals that the client has outlined, or on the treated area of the face.
Deep laser resurfacing of facial wrinkles
It is the rejuvenating effect after resurfacing that is considered the most common reason for choosing this procedure. Even after one laser exposure, a woman will be able to appreciate a high result.
After preparing and applying the anesthetic, the procedure is as follows:
- The first laser pass removes the surface layer - the epidermis.
- Layer-by-layer laser work begins on the selected area - layer by layer of the dermis slowly evaporates.
- To eliminate wrinkles, three main zones are treated: first the forehead, then the area in the eyelid zone, where fine wrinkles are completely eliminated and bags under the eyes are significantly reduced. The laser then passes over the area of the nasolabial folds to reduce their depth.
- In this order, the laser is passed over the face three times.
- Before entering the re-treatment, an anesthetic gel is applied each time.
- During the treatment, the skin turns red, and at the end of the procedure it acquires a white tint, which means that the intraepidermal level of the skin has been reached.
- After the third laser treatment, blood droplets may appear on the skin. This suggests that the papillary dermis has been reached - the area, the treatment of which gives the maximum result.
The fact is that wrinkles are located below the level of the skin, which is why they are so clearly visible due to the cast shadow. After the laser, the skin surrounding the wrinkles evaporates, the deepening of the folds is smoothed out due to the powerful production of collagen. It fills the space of wrinkles, and as a result, a new, even skin is formed. After such a procedure, it is necessary to use special healing ointments, if necessary, take painkillers, sometimes even dressings. Full skin recovery will be noticeable in 2-3 weeks. You can repeat the procedure no earlier than 3-4 months later.
Laser resurfacing of facial scars
This method of eliminating shortcomings will help not only improve the appearance, but also get rid of complexes. Often scars after accidents, surgeries, teenage acne are the cause of self-doubt and excessive shyness. Laser resurfacing will allow you to achieve good results after the first application. The laser gives a high result when treating skin on any part of the face - eyelids, neck, lips or near the auricle. Most often, a carbon dioxide laser is used to eliminate scars, but for especially delicate areas, doctors choose an erbium laser.
Laser resurfacing of scars on the face, even after treatment with an anesthetic, is accompanied by a burning sensation. If you need to remove a scar in the neck area, intravenous anesthesia is used.
Immediately after the procedure, the skin looks red and swollen; the next day, brown crusts will appear on the place where the laser worked. They should disappear by themselves in 5-7 days. The result after grinding can be assessed only after a week, when the crusts pass and the puffiness disappears.
Depending on the state of the scar tissue, after the first use of the laser, the scar may completely disappear, or at least its borders will become blurred and the color paler. The laser provides deep perforation of the scar tissue, so this method immediately or gradually, but surely completely eliminates even the widest scar on the face.
Resurfacing pigmentation on the face
About 50% of women suffer from age spots, which can be caused by both external and internal factors, but even if internal processes are established and the dermis is protected from ultraviolet rays, the existing pigmentation will not go away by itself.
With creams, decoctions and masks, pigmentation that appears with age or after pregnancy can be removed for years. The fastest and most effective method is laser resurfacing. Together with the epidermis, under the influence of the laser, layer by layer, the pigment melanin is destroyed, which is responsible for changing the color of the dermis. The superficial layer of the skin, together with the pigment spots, melts, and in its place new clean cells are formed, which produce and accumulate a normal amount of pigment.
In most cases, a woman gets an even skin tone 7-10 days after the procedure in just one procedure. If the spots or freckles were pronounced, then you may need to re-procedure. However, even after the first sanding, the color of the pigmentation becomes not saturated, but a pale color.
After the procedure, do not sunbathe or use tanning creams for several weeks, as this will reduce the sanding effect. Lightened skin can darken even more due to such products.
Skin condition before and after laser face resurfacing
Different types of lasers can produce results that will not make a woman happy, but, on the contrary, upset. Much depends on the skin, the condition of the scar, the depth of the wrinkles or the volume of the age spot, in other words, on the problem with which the person turned. It is also important to choose the correct technique for dermis treatment - much of the success depends on the professionalism of the doctor who performs the resurfacing.
Undesirable effect of laser face resurfacing
Often, after using a carbon dioxide laser, spots, burns and other negative consequences may appear on the skin. Erbium laser is more reliable in terms of safety.
But often women confuse negative consequences with imperfect skin appearance immediately after the procedure - puffiness, small wounds and peeling. This all goes away within a week, and in the mirror you can still see the expected effect. But it also happens that the healing process has already passed, and the result is getting worse every day.
What undesirable effect a woman can get after grinding:
- Burns and blisters … Too intensive laser treatment in especially sensitive areas can burn the skin, and a burn will appear in this place.
- The appearance of pigmentation … In rare cases, the skin can react unpredictably to laser treatment - in some areas it can lighten, and in others it can darken. Why this factor takes place, cosmetologists have not exactly figured out, one of the reasons is a violation of pigmentation due to laser exposure.
- Suppuration … If, after the resurfacing, a person does not properly care for the skin of the face, then tissue infection may occur. Be sure to use special ointments that speed up healing. In no case should you scratch or tear off the crusts that appear, they must fall off naturally.
Note! Information about the type of laser, the professionalism of the doctor, as well as unswerving adherence to his recommendations will protect you from unwanted results after resurfacing. If you have a fever and blisters appear on your face, see your doctor immediately.
Positive results of laser face resurfacing
Before going for this procedure, it is important to consult with your doctor and find out if you can get rid of your shortcomings using this method of laser surgery. Having prepared for manipulations, tuned in for success and having information on rehabilitation, you will surely get a decent result.
Positive results after laser face resurfacing include:
- Substantial alignment of scar tissue … The depth of the scars decreases, their color lightens. In particular, laser resurfacing after acne makes the characteristic marks less visible after the first treatment. Age-related irregularities and pits on the cheeks also disappear.
- Smoothing out wrinkles … Deep wrinkles become less noticeable, and small ones are completely smoothed out. By activating the production of collagen, the dermis becomes more elastic.
- The general condition of the skin improves … The pores are narrowed, the color evens out, age spots are destroyed, the dermis acquires a characteristic healthy shine.
How laser resurfacing is done - watch the video:
After laser resurfacing, a person receives new, healthy skin as a gift. It will take 7-10 days before he sees her in the mirror image, but your wait will be rewarded.
