Skin Resurfacing - The Complete Review
Introduction to Laser Skin Resurfacing
Maintaining beauty and a youthful appearance date back several thousand age to the ancient Egyptian. However, the advances in technology have never before awarded corresponding a choice of modalities. Non - surgical skin rejuvenation, laser skin resurfacing, wrinkle treatment, fillers, face lift, and skin tightening are common approaches for conducive the look of your skin. Particularly, the introduction of a multitude of skin resurfacing devices has caused a lot of confusion amongst consumers. Among these options, laser skin resurfacing is the most effective non or semi - invasive surgical approach to get done desperate results.
First of all you must know that every new resurfacing laser or device is measured against the industry’s most powerful machine for the gone 40 age, the drawing dioxide ( CO2 ) laser. It was phony in 1964 and has been the most widely used laser in medicine. In the area of dermatology, its use has been predominantly for facial resurfacing. It often achieves appurtenant results in a single treatment, works on fine and intermediate lines and acne scars, maximally tightens the skin and delivers results that last a figure of senility. Its drawback is a drawn out, 10 - 14 day social downtime, making it less champion for any working person. To overcome this handicap and minimize healing time, many devices that do not bully the big layers of the skin ( non - ablative ) have recently been developed by the artistic industry. The single most important advance was the creation of fractional technology. Foundation small islands of normal skin behind, the skin regenerates much faster than with the traditional full ablation of skin.
You will learn about the current industry recognized ablative and non - ablative strategies that restore your skin and about the benefits and downsides of each of these techniques.
Fractionated Ablative lasers
Carbon Dioxide Laser - CO2 Laser
As an ablative laser, it vaporizes the tissue and is able to eradicate fine and intermediate lines, smoothes overall skin texture and acne scars, eradicates flat pigmentation as well as tightens the skin. It lets you appear about 10 years younger and oftentimes replaces the need for a face lift unless skin sagging is severe. Preparation and postoperative care most closely resembles a full fletched surgical procedure, however, CO2 laser resurfacing can be performed under local anesthesia. The price you salary for the results is one to two weeks of social downtime while the skin reepithelializes. In addition, the resurfaced skin may appear pinkish for several months thereafter.
Fractional CO2 Laser
Since the creation of 2007, clear systems with limited degrees of ablation that leave small islands of normal skin from which the skin can mend much faster, have revolutionized the resurfacing marketplace. Amongst these, the combination of DeepFx and ActiveFx, manufactured by the president in CO2 technology ( Lumenis ) give results that most closely compare to the traditional laser resurfacing. This new technology offers faster healing times with still excellent results. In the meantime, a digit of laser companies have now developed their own permutations of a fractionated CO2 laser and names include Fraxel re: Yoke, Slim MIxto / SX, Exelo 2, Mosaic.
Erbium: YAG Lasers
The traditional erbium laser has produced results that were unquestionably comparable to the CO2 laser yet it fell out of favor in that of rich post operative hurting. As with the fractional method developed for the CO2 laser, today’s erbium laser treatments are halfway exclusively fractionated and may besides be called pixelated. Names that you may read about are Brilliant, Pixel, ProFractional and Starlux 2940. However, with the exception of the Brilliant, these do not deliver results that throw back the early. While downtime is typically limited to 1 - 4 days, the downfall of most of the fractionated erbium technology is the very superficial texture of the resurfacing results, being excellent at productive sun damage, and skin texture, but will locus only the finest lines. They are outright more like an lusty peel. Several treatments are recurrently obligatory to effectuate approximating results. These fractionated lasers do not significantly feed to skin tightening, removal of wrinkles, let separate acne scars.
Non Ablative Fractional Lasers
Protecting the epidermis, the upper most layer of our skin, and thereby minimizing gregarious downtime, non - ablative lasers carry off energy in the minor layers of skin, ideally unaccompanied causing upturn which is socially much more tolerable than oozing. Amongst the non - ablative lasers, FRAXEL is the most marketed. Other brands include Take it, StarLux - Lux, Variegated.
Using a gesticulate hank subordinate than that of a CO2 laser, these lasers assailment energy into the skin, ingenious collagen production and thereby tightening skin. Results after a at odds treatment are deficient and it can easily take 4 - 8 treatments to watch an effect. While its effects on wrinkles and lines after 4 - 8 treatments is tolerably stuffy to the results of a contrary CO2 laser treatment, it does not seem to manage on scars as well. In addition, the Fraxel has been FDA winning for the treatment of melasma, and known as the mask of development, which shows as symmetric pigmentation on the face as a payoff of sun exposure with deeper estrogen levels.
Non - Laser Fractionated Resurfacing Devices
Plasma and radiofrequency devices belong to this association. Being of the more convincing results, plasma technology will be discussed here. The plasma device is not based on laser principle. Plasma is pushed into the skin to induce fragmentary ablation of the epidermis and renewal of collagen subservient the surface of the skin. Treatments can be delivered in 1 - 2 intense sessions, results mimicking halfway those of fractionated CO2 laser resurfacing. When energy levels are minimized to allow for as a little as a few - hour lasting crimson, several treatments will be needed for an conclusion. With the end manner however, results doctor to be much less dramatic. Having gained FDA probing in the second half of 2007, the technology is fairly new and remote period results are not known yet.
In quantity, many exciting technologies are available nowadays. The general rule of little downtime little results still applies. Non - ablative technology hardly achieves noticeable results in a single treatment and the overall outcome even after several treatments is oftentimes below expectations. Ablative devices appear to deliver best, depend upon exclusive a small numeral of treatments results and social downtime can effectively be lowered by the uses of fractional technology. Sequentially, your goals, your know-how to seize social downtime and your wallet will direct you and your treating physician to a resurfacing plan that is tailored to you.
CO2 Laser * * * *
ActiveFX * * *
Fractional Lasers * *
TCA Peel * *
Glycolic Peel *
Microdermabrasion *
Social downtime
CO2 Laser 5 - 14 days
ActiveFX 3 - 5 days
Fractional Lasers 1 - 6 days
TCA Peel 5 - 7 days
Glycolic Peel None
Microdermabrasion None
# Treatments
CO2 Laser 1
ActiveFX 1 - 2
Fractional Lasers 4 - 8
Glycolic Peel 6 - 8
Microdermabrasion 6 - 8
Lasting results
CO2 Laser 10 agedness
ActiveFX 10 age
Fractional Lasers Unknown
TCA Peel 2 years
Glycolic Peel 1 year
Microdermabrasion 1 year
Average Cost
CO2 Laser $3000
ActiveFX $3700
Fractional Lasers $5000
TCA Peel $500
Glycolic Peel $700
Microdermabrasion $1000
