What is Laser skin resurfacing?
Laser resurfacing of the skin is a method to make the skin of the face appear younger-looking. Generally speaking, the laser creates damage to the top layers of the skin, which has the immediate result of a tightening of the skin. The procedure can be performed in an office setting under local anesthesia, or it can be performed in the operating suite at the same time other procedures are being done.
There are now many types of lasers on the market. I am not a fan of laser therapy. I believe that many types of lasers damage adipose stem cells and the tissue matrix. We have seen patients with fat atrophy in the facial area after laser therapy. Over the past 20 years, patients from all over the world have contacted me to repair damage done by various types of lasers.
What problems does Laser skin resurfacing address?
What can I do for sun damaged skin and fine facial wrinkles?
Laser skin resurfacing proposes to address the following conditions:
- superficial fine lines
- moderate wrinkles
Is there an alternative treatment to Laser skin resurfacing?
Yes, there is a great alternative to Laser skin resurfacing! It is called Fat transfer or Fat grafting. The process of tissue regeneration works without having to destroy tissue first.
The active process is initiated by adipose stem cells which reside in your own fat. They send the signal to tissue and skin to repair and rejuvenate. This is a huge promising new field of medicine!
For many years, I no longer perform Laser skin resurfacing. I now prefer to perform Fat grafting to the Face instead of Laser skin resurfacing. To read more about why I prefer Fat grafting over Laser skin resurfacing, read my blog post here!
What is the patient satisfaction rate of lasers?
My clinical experience is that only "a majority" of patients have favorable results in which the patient is happy. The other 25% either see no results, or unfavorable results. About 25 years ago I stopped doing lasers because I thought a 'majority' wasn't an acceptable rate of satisfaction. Technology has improved, but I still don't consider them a good option for the face.In the past 20years, patients from all over the world have contacted me to repair the damage that was done to their faces by various types of lasers. I do believe that Fat Grafting can help the vast majority of these patients.
Can Laser skin resurfacing create fat atrophy or fat loss in my face?
I believe that the answer is yes. I have seen scores of patients who have suffered from facial fat loss after laser treatments. I am constantly contacted by patients who have experienced facial fat atrophy after having laser procedures.
It is unknown exactly what the mechanism is, but it is likely due to apoptosis (cell death) of some of the cells. For this reason, I no longer use laser resurfacing to rejuvenate the skin. Instead, I use fat grafting.
How is Laser skin resurfacing performed?
Anesthesia
CO2 laser resurfacing is generally performed under IV anesthesia or General anesthesia. Erbium lasers do not penetrate as deeply and are often performed under local sedation.
Proposed Method of Action
The lasers evaporate the top layers of skin. However, Erbium lasers are typically confined to the epidermis only, while CO-2 lasers go deeper. After the laser treatment, the skin layers penetrated will continue to peel or shed for the next few days.
Thus, regeneration of the skin is prompted by the destruction caused by the laser. In other words, after the laser destroys the top layers, signals are sent to the tissues and skin to rejuvenate.
What are the preoperative requirements?
Patients should:
- stop taking ibuprofen and aspirin for 2 weeks before surgery
- stop smoking 4 weeks before surgery
- CONSIDER doing fat grafting instead of laser resurfacing!
What is the Laser skin resurfacing Post-Op recovery like?
The skin must be protected during the healing period by applying ointments every few hours. Redness of the skin may persist anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months. Patients should protect the skin from sun exposure afterward.
Follow your surgeon's instructions depending on what type of laser was used.
What are the risks and possible complications?
Complications and risks of Laser skin resurfacing include the following conditions:
- burns
- scarring
- changes in skin pigmentation
- infection
- facial fat loss*
*Many patients come to me following Laser resurfacing with another surgeon with complaints of fat loss. Fat grafting has helped many of those patients! Learn more about why laser resurfacing can cause facial fat loss and be sure to read through all of the comments there, too.
How much does Laser skin resurfacing cost?
Laser resurfacing prices vary quite a bit and depend on the type of laser used. Contact your surgeon to get a list of prices, and be sure to be clear on what the fee includes, and if you may need additional treatments.
Consider Fat Transfer instead!
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Board Certified Plastic Surgery, ASPS Member
NOTICE
Patients depicted in our before and after galleries have provided their written consent to display their photos online. Every patient is unique, and surgical results may vary. Please contact us if you have any questions.