We are surrounded by an ever-growing world of technology that is advancing quicker than some of us can keep up with. My goal is to tackle just a bit of this advanced technology to explain the benefits and the impact it can have on you, particularly in the beauty industry. Today I am going to be sharing how Laser Resurfacing can bring an incredible and noticeable enhancement to your skin. An advantage of Laser Skin Resurfacing is that when having selected the proper laser, it can be effective on all skin types! Before I say anything further, we need to know what Laser resurfacing is first and foremost. Laser Resurfacing is a treatment that precisely emits pulsating beams of light to remove the outer layers of the skin. Why do I want the outer layers of my skin to be removed? Removing the outer layers of the skin stimulates collagen production and strengthens the dermis! I know, here we go again with that word collagen, but on the real, collagen is so essential in enhancing the appearance of our skin. Ultimately, we want the collagen in our skin to be as healthy as possible so that we can have youthful-looking and radiant skin. I mean, who doesn’t want that natural glow without the use of commercialized highlighter? If you are looking to have that flawless skin that is so prevalently showcased across billboards and social media, which can be achieved by improving your skin texture and tightening your skin, this treatment may be just for you!
Laser Skin Resurfacing is most known to treat fine lines, wrinkles, large pores, acne scarring, and ability to tighten the skin. Laser Skin Resurfacing can be on the more aggressive side of skin treatments, but this is dependent on the lasers' range of penetration from superficial to deep. In consideration to each skin type being diverse and unique, technology has been created to achieve a variety of laser resurfacing methods to treat each individual skin concerns. Okay but why do I need to know about these different types of lasers? Let's be real, this technology has been improved and customized to fit your needs! You got that right, it's all about you, so it is essential to know the different functions of these lasers to better determine which will assist in your individual skin concerns. There's no need to panick and retrieve your notebook, we will not go into depth on all the different types of lasers, that is your licensed professionals' job, yet we will briefly cover the two most popular types of lasers so you can be better familiarized.
The two most popular categories of lasers are Ablative and Non-Ablative lasers. There are a wide variety of Ablative and Non-Ablative lasers varying in their intensity. Ablative lasers adopt the name” Ablative” because their function is to ablate, or destroy, the outermost layers of the skin. As this created, controlled wound heals, new skin and collagen forms. This results in an overall thickened dermis and epidermis and removal of damaged tissues. Ablative lasers require more downtime, often taking 2 to 3 weeks to fully recover and see the results. Non-Ablative lasers pass through the skin without destroying any skin layers. Hence the term, non-ablative/non-destructive. The upside to non-ablative lasers opposed to ablative lasers is that there is often no downtime! Yet, the amount of treatments is increased and therefore balances out the pros and cons of undergoing ablative or non-ablative laser skin resurfacing. Below are a few examples of the variety of ablative and non-ablative lasers used to treat different skin types provided by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
CO2 Lasers are generally ablative lasers used to treat scars, warts, wrinkles and other deeper skin flaws.
Erbium Lasers can be ablative or non-ablative. They promote collagen remodeling, making them popular options for treating fine lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, and age spots.
Pulsed-Dye Lasers are typically non-ablative lasers that heat the skin and absorb pigments to reduce redness, hyperpigmentation, broken capillaries, and rosacea.
Fractional Lasers break up the laser energy into thousands of tiny beams to treat only a fraction of the skin in the area, which reduces downtime. Fractional lasers can be ablative or non-ablative and are used to treat several age-related blemishes.
IPL (intense pulsed light) treatments technically are not lasers but are often used to treat similar concerns as lasers, such as sun damage, acne, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation.
Gratefully, we live in a world built of experienced and licensed professionals that have made it their goal and practice of study to aid us in our skin journey and determine the best personalized treatments. If you would like to undergo Laser skin resurfacing, please contact us now to book a consultation. One of our licensed professional will love to achieve your desired beauty goals.