Laser Skin Resurfacings

Laser Skin Resurfacing Introduction
Laser skin resurfacing removes wrinkles and fine lines that come from age or sun exposure. Some acne scars also can be treated with lasers. Unlike a chemical peel, laser skin resurfacing offer precision, concentrating only on the areas that need treatment. Wrinkles that in years past would have been considered untreatable can now be safely removed. Skin should be fully regrown two weeks after treatment. Laser skin resurfacing to improve cosmetic flaws, such as wrinkles, acne scars, and aging and sun-damaged skin, is the latest scientific breakthrough in skin rejuvenation. Laser skin resurfacing to improve cosmetic flaws, such as wrinkles, acne scars, and aging and sun-damaged skin, is the latest scientific breakthrough in skin rejuvenation.

In recent years, lasers have shed their science fictional image to become a surgeon's and dermatologist's most promising weapon in the fight against aging skin. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery in Chicago, nearly 170,000 Americans, men and women, underwent laser resurfacing of the face in 1998, up from 138,891 in 1996--a 64 percent increase. That's nearly twice the number of the more traditional surgical facelifts performed in the same year.

Laser resurfacing is a very controlled burning procedure during which a laser vaporizes superficial layers of facial skin, removing not only wrinkles and lines caused by sun damage and facial expressions, but also acne scars, some folds and creases around the nose and mouth, and even precancerous and benign superficial growths. In a sense, the laser procedure creates a fresh surface over which new skin can grow.

While the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate how surgeons carry out these procedures, it is responsible for clearing lasers for marketing for the uses requested by the device's manufacturer.

Laser resurfacing can often make patients look 10 to 20 years younger, and the results can last for eight to 10 years, says Tina Alster, M.D., director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in the nation's capital. But she warns that after surgery, patients must avoid sunbathing and destroying their skin again. Patients can have a repeat treatment after one year, but usually the first procedure is so successful a follow-up is not needed.

Lasers cannot rejuvenate skin on other parts of the body nor can laser treatment lift or remove sagging jowls or smooth out "crepey" or sagging neck skin. These conditions only respond to traditional cut-and-stitch surgical methods.

As with any medical procedure, patients may experience certain complications--most temporary--including a prolonged redness of skin, tenderness, easy flushing, and some pigmentary changes, like hyperpigmentation, when the skin appears darker than normal, says Rox Anderson, M.D., director of the Laser Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Other risks are more serious, and possibly permanent, including hypopigmentation, or lightening of the skin. "Somewhere between one to two years after treatment it becomes clear that there is a permanent lightening of the skin color where the resurfacing was done," he says.

And scarring may occur in about 2 percent of the cases, he adds, from poor postoperative care, during which time an infection may develop. Or a surgeon may go too deep during the procedure, creating an injury the skin cannot repair, says Alster.

Understading Laser Skin Resurfacing Limitations:
• Don't expect perfection.
• Have realistic expectations. A cosmetic surgery can reshape your body, but not your life.
• Know the laser skin resurfacing risks.
• Don't do it on the cheap. Pay what it takes for safe laser skin resurfacings.
• Make sure your cosmetic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
• Do your homework. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Tips for Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon:

• Check into the experience of the surgeon you are considering. Does he or she specialize in the laser skin resurfacing procedure?
• How many laser skin resurfacing procedures of this kind has the doctor done?
• How many is the doctor currently performing per year?
• Botox injection before-and-after pictures can give you some indication of a surgeon's ability, although you must realize that they cannot be construed to guarantee the result you will achieve.
• Make sure you are comfortable with the personal support between you and your cosmetic surgeon. You should always feel that your concerns are being addressed.

If you or a loved one are thinking about having laser skin resurfacings, you need to speak with an experienced doctor or surgeon as soon as posisble. You probably have alot of questions, and chances are you may be nervous or afraid. Good laser skin resurfacing surgeons in your area can help relieve this anxiety and stress. . An experienced cosmetic or plastic surgeon can evaluate your individual situation and give you their professional advice and opinion regarding laser skin resurfacings. The fact is, you won't know until you speak with a surgeon directly.

Types of Cosmetic Surgery:

Botox Injections | Breast Augmentation | Breast Lift | Brow Lift | Butt Lift | Cellulite Treatment | Collagen Injections | Chemical Peel | Chin Augmentation | Ear Surgery | Eyelid Lift | Face Lift | Forehead Lift | Hair Replacement | Laser Skin Resurfacing | Lasik Eye Surgery | Lip Augmentation | Liposuction | Nose Job | Varicose Veins | Thigh Lift | Tummy Tuck | Upper Arm Lift | Weight Loss Surgery