FromYourDoctor service powered by Vivacare

This service should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation with or the advice of your healthcare provider.

Communicate promptly with your provider with any health related questions or concerns.

 

Laser Resurfacing

Carbon Dioxide and Erbium:YAG Laser Skin Resurfacing

Developed in the early 1990’s and perfected over the past few years, laser skin resurfacing has revolutionized the treatment of aging skin and scars. Members of our Center are international experts and have pioneered and developed the newer C02 and Erbium:YAG lasers which are used to treat facial wrinkles around the mouth and the eyes, and on the forehead and cheeks. Before the arrival of laser skin resurfacing, only facelifts and deep chemical peels were available to rejuvenate aged skin. Laser skin resurfacing not only removes wrinkles, some creases, age spots, and skin discoloration, but also tightens sagging skin thus eliminating the need for a facelift for many individuals. These lasers are also effective at resurfacing scars and other textural irregularities. They allow gentle, layer by layer removal of the skin. All wrinkles, from fine to deep lines, improve with laser skin resurfacing, as do unsightly creases and wrinkles. Scars that have the most favorable response to this technique are sharply defined and shallow. In expert hands, laser skin resurfacing produces outstanding results. Performed on an outpatient basis, the procedure may take between 30 minutes and two hours, depending on the extent of the treatment.

Before the Procedure

During your initial consultation, we will evaluate your skin to determine if this is the best treatment for you. The procedure will be explained in detail. Your medical history will be reviewed, including information about any allergies or medications you may be taking. You may be given prescriptions for antibacterial and antiviral medications to be taken around the time of the procedure.

The Procedure

Photographs will be taken of the area to be treated. If a localized area is being resurfaced, local anesthetic will be injected at the treatment site. If you are having full face resurfacing you will likely be receiving intravenous sedation (‘Twilight Sleep’) which will be administered by an anesthesiologist. Your physician will use either the C02, the Erbium, or both lasers to remove layers of skin containing wrinkles or scars. Dressings will be applied afterward, and you will be given detailed instructions on the after care. An escort should accompany you to the procedure to drive you home.

Post-Operative Care

A special dressing applied immediately after surgery is left on for three days. This decreases discomfort and speeds healing. On the third day after surgery, the dressing is removed and for the next several days you will be asked to wash the area every few hours with a gentle cleanser (unscented Dove, Basis, or Purpose) and apply Aquaphor Healing Ointment® frequently to keep the area moist. Swelling will be gone within several days and new skin will have completely re-grown. The pink color usually fades within four to six weeks, although it may persist for up to three months. Skin care products and makeup, other than those suggested by our staff, should not be used until the treated area is completely healed. Sun protection is important during the immediate post-operative period.

We will follow you with regular appointments for the first two weeks after the procedure, and less often until six months to one year following treatment.

What to Expect

In the skilled hands of the Center’s laser surgeons, laser skin resurfacing produces superb results. Scars, wrinkles, and age spots improve or disappear as the healing process evolves. Skin color and texture improve over the first six to 12 weeks, and your skin appears more smooth and healthy than it has in years. Although not quite Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth, laser resurfacing can erase years of aging and sun damage.

About SkinCare Physicians

SkinCare Physicians is a comprehensive state-of-the-art center for cosmetic and laser surgery, dermatology, dermatologic and skin cancer surgery, and medical aesthetics. The center’s founders and their associates are internationally renowned innovators and leaders in all of these fields. They are authors, or co-authors, of more than 700 articles in scientific publications, authors or editors of more than 50 books, editors of 18 medical journals and serve on editorial boards of 14 additional periodicals. Our physicians have been elected or appointed to senior leadership positions in dermatology, cosmetic surgery, laser medicine, and surgery organizations, and have been awarded honorary memberships in many national and international medical and scientific societies.

Our commitment to excellence, along with the credentials of our skilled physicians and staff, are what make SkinCare Physicians one of the most unique and progressive facilities of its kind in the world.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.
View Content Policy