Skin Resurfacing

Blaine Dermatology offers skin resurfacing services to help remove unsightly skin and produce new, healthier skin. Skin resurfacing uses a pulsed laser that works to remove acne scars, wrinkles, growths, blemishes, and blemishes from over-exposure to the sun. The quick-pulse laser allows the body to shed unwanted skin and produce new collagen and healthy growth in its place. Skin resurfacing is a great way to achieve a healthy, younger look in your skin.

Does laser skin resurfacing hurt?

For office skin resurfacing, a local anesthetic is used to reduce any discomfort that might be felt. Overall, there should be little or no discomfort whatsoever. For facial resurfacing treatment, it is standard to sedate patients with an IV in order to avoid discomfort in the temple and cheeks during the treatment process. For general skin resurfacing treatment, your dermatologist will prescribe a pain killing prescription that can be used as necessary. For full facial treatments, you may need pain prescriptions for up to 72 hours post procedure.

What is the laser skin resurfacing process?
Your skin naturally has the ability to regenerate skin cells and produce younger-looking healthier skin. The laser treatment unleashes that power. The laser operates by applying a specific wavelength designed to be therapeutic and to regenerate damaged skin. The first step of the process is to remove the damaged skin layer on the outer surface without causing any damage to deeper skin structures. The second step of the laser treatment process works by shrinking and tightening the aged structures which contain damaged collagen, without causing any subsidiary wrinkling. For severely damaged skin, two or more laser pulses may be required before being effective.

What can I do to keep my skin healthy after laser resurfacing?
Because your skin contains the natural power and instinct to regenerate and refresh itself, the improving process will likely continue up to six months after treatment. The new, undamaged skin cells will take over the damaged area and continue to replace the aged, colored, or sun-damaged skin. The deep collagen areas that have been pulsed will also continue to regenerate and repair themselves for up to six months after the skin laser resurfacing process.

How long does the skin improvement last after laser treatment?
The answer is hard to say for sure and it also depends on the individual. Most physicians and dermatologists are confident in long-lasting results that will continue for up to several years. Other factors, such as your unique skin type and how you take care of your skin after the treatment, can also impact the lasting effects. It might help to think of the laser treatment as a way of regaining your youthful skin again. Although it will eventually catch up with aging and exposure again, the new growth will be growing and alive and may be years before you start to notice the aging effects again. Dermatologists strongly recommend taking great care with your new skin and protecting it from sun damage and other damaging factors. It's like being given a second chance!

Is laser resurfacing better than a chemical peel or face lift?

Facial peels are more of a superficial and medium depth treatment, and laser resurfacing typically has a stronger and more dramatic effect on wrinkle removal. Additionally, the risk of toxicity and other disturbances is much lower with skin resurfacing because they treat the skin simply one layer at a time. The depth can be extremely precise and target deep wrinkles and carefully treat sensitive areas in the facial zone. However, a chemical peel can also reduce all wrinkles in a single treatment, unlike with skin resurfacing.

A facelift is a much more invasive project which actually involves a lot more damage to the body, bleeding, stitches, bruising, and such. The facelift surgery attempts to stretch wrinkled skin across the bones and muscles of the face to correct the sagged and wrinkled look. In some cases, the final result can be unnatural looking, too taut and stretched. Additionally, a facelift does not treat the collagen structures in the body which are the causes behind wrinkling. Laser resurfacing is a much less invasive process that attempts to stop wrinkles at a deeper level. However, a facelift may show more improvement in areas such as cheeks, jowls, and neck tissues than in skin resurfacing treatment.