Laser Resurfacing
In time, the effects of sun damage and environmental pollutants begin to take their toll on our skin. These cause the appearance of lines and wrinkles on our faces that laser resurfacing can help minimize, particularly those that form around the mouth and eyes.
About laser resurfacing
Laser resurfacing aims to improve skin texture and appearance, but it can also be used to remove facial scars, acne scars, and unwanted hair. Depending on the type of laser and amount of surface skin removed, you may also see a significant improvement in the tightness and firmness of your skin.
We offer two kinds of laser resurfacing treatments:
CO2 laser resurfacing
- A very precise beam of energy can be directed onto any part of the skin, including damaged areas.
- The surgeon vaporizes the upper layers of skin, removing them so that new skin reforms.
- More suitable for patients with lighter skin tones
- It can be used to make mild scarring or burns less noticeable, and also to remove tattoos.
Erbium YAG laser
- Recommended for patients with darker skin tone
- It has a lower chance of prolonged redness and irregular pigmentation.
Your consultation
During the consultation, your doctor will advise you on the changes that you would like to make in your appearance. He will explain the different options available to you, the procedure itself, its risks and limitations, as well as the costs involved.
He will take a complete medical history and will examine your face, both the skin and underlying bone. He will then give you specific instructions to follow, such as instructions for pre-treating your skin before the operation.
You must advise your surgeon if you:
- Have any allergies (to foods, drugs, environmental elements)
- Have been exposed to significant amounts of radiation
- Have a history of unusual scarring, or
- Have had cold sores around the mouth (like herpes or shingles)
- Have had previous facial surgery
- Smoke; take any drugs or medications, including aspirin.
Your treatment
First, the doctor, or an assistant, will cleanse your face to remove oils from the skin. Antibiotic is then applied to kill bacteria. A beam of light from a microphone-shaped instrument is passed over the skin to vaporize the outer layers of damaged skin. The laser can be programmed for varied levels of penetration. For superficial or medium laser skin resurfacing effect, laser penetration is limited to the epidermis or the papillary dermis. For deeper laser skin resurfacing, the upper levels of the reticulas dermis can also be removed.
To remove deeper scars, spots and wrinkles, your surgeon may choose to penetrate more deeply in some areas. When treating small areas of the skins surface, your surgeon will most likely use a local anaesthetic with or without an oral sedative. For complete facial resurfacing, intravenous sedation or general anaesthesia may be used. Your procedure will normally be scheduled as a day case. Therefore, you need to arrange for someone to drive you home afterwards.
page topRecovery
Recovery time after laser skin resurfacing depends on the depth of penetration of the laser. More extensive work requires a longer recovery. However, laser treatments of skin problems are very precise and cause virtually no bleeding. Aftercare is important but there is rarely any discomfort.
Following your laser skin treatment, the surgeon will show you how to cleanse your face gently and apply antibiotic ointment to avoid infection. You will need to do this several times a day, every day, for the next few days. You may also be advised to use ice packs to limit swelling, and to take a mild painkiller if you have any discomfort.
For the next few weeks after laser skin treatment, applying a mild moisturizer such as aqueous cream will prevent drying out. The skin will blister and scabs after treatment. Skin crusts need to be left alone and never picked off. They will come off by themselves after about ten days, revealing new pink skin underneath. Usually it is recommended to take one to two week’s time off from work.
It is also absolutely vital to keep out of the sun and to wear a high factor sun cream for at least six months after skin laser treatment. You also need to avoid making dramatic facial movements during this time.
page topRisks and complications
Skin laser resurfacing carries relatively few risks. There are usually few complications due to the laser therapy itself. However, everyone’s skin responds differently and there is a small risk of burning or marks from the heat of the laser, unwanted scarring, and pigmentation changes - either darkening or lightening of the skin.
page toplearn more
If you'd like to know more about our laser resurfacing treatment or wish to print this article, we invite you to download our brochure on laser resurfacing or call our office at +44 (0) 123 456789. Alternatively, fill in the online contact form and one of our patient advisors will get in touch as soon as possible.
