As we grow older, the elasticity of the skin diminishes. Added to that, the repetitive movements made by the facial muscles stretch the skin and make it even sagging. With this condition going on after a period of time, wrinkles and fine lines would be forming on the face and become increasingly prominent. External factors like sun exposure or personal negative habits such as smoking and drinking can worsen the condition even further.
Laser facial resurfacing, also known as laser peeling is a cosmetic procedure that employed the use of an intense beam of laser to remove the outer layer of dead skin cells, thereby exposing the newer and smoother skin underneath. This type of laser treatment is especially effective in removing facial wrinkles, blemishes, sun-damaged skin, skin scarring and treat certain early skin cancers.
Sometimes, this is used in conjunction with other treatments such as liposuction. In the case of liposuction, the skin will be sagging once the excess fat is removed from certain areas in the face or body. In this case, laser resurfacing is used in skin tightening by stimulating the growth of new collagen fibers which makes the jaw line more defined.
Normally, the treatment is performed with the patient being under a local anesthetic and special goggle is worn to protect the eyes. Next, the lasers are used to burn away the top most layer of the skin and make the younger skin get exposed on the outside. Laser resurfacing can be used on the entire facial area or a specific region which needs correction. Therefore, this make it a preferred option for patients who just want to eliminate wrinkles around the eyes, mouth or nose areas.
Laser facial resurfacing is an effective treatment for eliminating facial imperfections and is categorized into CO2 laser, erbium laser and fraxel laser. If you want to eliminate moderate wrinkles or fine lines, erbium laser is the best option since it has lesser treatment side effects and shorter recovery time as compare with others.
Generally, laser facial resurfacing is performed with the patient being under a local anesthetic and special goggle is worn to protect the eyes. A partial-face treatment takes around 30 to 45 minutes and a full-face treatment can take up to 2 hours. After the treatment, dressing is applied and they are usually removed after the third day. The dermatologist will also prescribed home-based skin care instructions to the patient to prevent any scab formation.
Laser facial resurfacing treatment causes discomfort and pain and patients are normally given an analgesic to soothe the pain after the procedure. The skin recovery period might take up to 2 weeks and patient’s may also experienced skin redness that can lasts up to 6 months. For almost a year after treatment, the patient is required to use a sunscreen to protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Based on the patient’s condition, repeated treatment may be required to achieve the desired result.