In laser skin treatment also known as laser skin resurfacing, laser rays are used to vaporize the upper layers of skin, so that new and healthy skin is formed. It is generally used to treat wrinkles and fine lines, particularly around the eyes and mouth. It can also be used to lighten mild scars and burn marks and to remove tattoos. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy is a laser treatment for skin problems like port wine stains, acne scars, and spider veins.
In laser skin treatment, the top layers of skin are removed, exposing the dermis, which lies below. This new top layer of skin is softer, smoother, and has fewer wrinkles.
Advantages Over Other Skin Treatment Methods
Laser skin treatment has many advantages over other skin resurfacing methods. The laser can be precisely controlled so that only the specific areas are treated. Since no surgery is involved there is no bleeding or other such post-operative problems. Time varies depending on the area of skin and the depth of treatment. It may take anything from a few minutes to one and a half hours. The treatment is performed under local anesthesia and sedation. It is performed in an operating theater environment. The face is cleansed thoroughly before the laser skin treatment. For superficial or medium resurfacing effect, laser penetration is till the epidermis. For deeper resurfacing, the upper layers of the dermis are also removed. The surgeon may need to do both superficial and deep laser penetration to treat specific spots, scars and deep-seated wrinkles.
Post Treatment Care
After-treatment care involves cleansing the face gently and applying some antibiotic ointment for a few days to avoid infection. The face feels sensitive for 1 to 2 weeks due to formation of crust. Skin crusts should be left alone. They loosen from the skin by themselves after about ten days, exposing new pink skin underneath. The patient may need ice packs to reduce swelling and a mild painkiller in case of any pain. For the next few weeks, a mild moisturizer should be used to keep the area moist. Other products such as shampoo should also be as mild as possible to avoid skin irritation. The new skin is very susceptible to the damaging effects of the sun, which may cause burns and permanent pigmentation changes. Hence, it is essential to avoid the sun and to use a high factor sunscreen cream for at least six months after laser skin treatment. Also dramatic facial movements should be avoided. The client can resume normal activities after 2 weeks. The skin takes about six months to heal completely.
It is natural that due to the ageing process, the results are not permanent, but a repeat laser skin treatment can be taken up after some years.