Reveal Smoother, Tighter Skin with Laser Resurfacing in San Francisco and Seattle
In a matter of minutes years of aging can be removed from your skin with laser skin resurfacing, more commonly known as laser peel. It can be performed on patients with loose skin who can benefit from this procedure as well as other cosmetic procedures.
What is Laser Resurfacing?
It is a procedure that treats skin on a deeper level. It can be used to treat wrinkles and various skin conditions like sun spots, acne scars and discoloration. With new laser technologies being developed almost daily surgeons have a new level of control over the laser’s precision.
There are two types of lasers that are most commonly used in laser skin resurfacing. Carbon dioxide and erbium both work to dissolve damaged skin cells. Doctors have used carbon dioxide lasers to treat skin conditions for years. A new generation of lasers has been developed to minimize the damage to tissue surrounding the area being treated. Erbium lasers are used to remove moderately deep lines and wrinkles on your face, neck, chest and hands.
What Does Laser Resurfacing Treat?
Laser resurfacing is a great solution for those who are suffering from things like:
- Acne scars or chickenpox scars that never fully healed
- Sun-damaged skin
- Fine lines or wrinkles on your forehead, around your mouth and around your eyes
- Liver spots
- Dull skin
- Warts
What is the Procedure Like?
Before the procedure begins your surgeon may apply an anesthetic to your skin to numb it and give you some medication to help you relax because laser skin resurfacing can be a painful procedure to go through. During laser resurfacing your surgeon will send short beams of light using the laser at the skin you want to treat. This will remove damaged skin one layer at a time. It will remove your outer layer of skin, the epidermis, while simultaneously heating up the dermis layer of skin causing it to stimulate new skin growth that will come in softer and smoother.
Everyone’s skin will react to lasers in different ways but the most common reaction is a feeling of mild burning like from a sunburn along with some redness and swelling. As the skin heals you can also experience some stinging or itching. If you went through an aggressive treatment your skin may ooze fluids or blister and after five days to a week will dry and peel.
What are the Risks or Potential Complications?
In order to minimize any complications that can occur many plastic surgeons have their patient start a series of skin treatments that work to prepare the skin for your laser resurfacing procedure. The treatments are developed specifically to your individual skin type in order to get the best results. The entire procedure can last between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Some complications that could arise are hyperpigmentation, redness, scarring and swelling.
So if you suffer from skin conditions like wrinkles, acne scar, stretch marks, age spots and more know that there is a treatment option available to you that can help you reveal your best skin.
Request Your Consultation
Once you have found the treatment that you would like to receive or need to have a more specific advice, we welcome you to visit us to discuss your cosmetic goals. Ready to get started right now? You can receive a consultation from Dr. Echavez by submitting the form below.
