Deep Laser Resurfacing: Transforming Skin Texture
Embark on a journey to enhance your skin’s texture through our deep laser resurfacing procedure. Employing a blend of ablative erbium and CO2 lasers, our senior dermatologists perform this transformative process in an operating theatre. This guide navigates you through the protocols associated with this in-depth resurfacing method.
Key Insights
- Unveiling the procedure’s focus on deep wrinkles and skin laxity.
- Unleashing the potential of Level 4+ lasers to reverse skin aging by more than a decade.
- Charting the recovery timeline of 8-12 days, with lingering redness lasting over 8 weeks.
- Emphasizing the efficiency of a single session in achieving notable results.
Understanding Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing, a rejuvenation procedure conducted by dermatologists, utilizes either a CO2 laser or an erbium laser to eliminate wrinkles, pigmentation, and sun damage. Through the stimulation of collagen production, this treatment promotes the development of new, fresh, and youthful skin.
What can I expect post-procedure?
You can expect a marked improvement in skin quality & tone. This means less wrinkles, sun damage & pigmentation. Deep resurfacing also addresses wrinkles around the eyes & the upper lip. The best results are seen 3-6 months after the procedure.
Longevity of Results
The effectiveness of the deep laser treatment varies, spanning 6-12 years, contingent on factors such as your age, lifestyle, and personal history. Generally, this intensive resurfacing procedure has the potential to reverse the clock by over a decade.
The resurfacing process essentially ‘resets’ your skin’s chronological age, transporting it back in time. Subsequently, natural aging resumes, but with the incorporation of regular low downtime treatments every 6-12 months, we can sustain your results for an extended duration.
How long does a procedure usually take?
60 minutes for the numbing, & typically 60 minutes for the procedure. It is performed in one of our accredited laser suites at Cutis Dermatology. We perform this procedure under conscious sedation, so you will be monitored for an additional 60-minute post laser. In total, expect the procedure to take approximately 3 hours.
What is the healing up time following Level 4+ resurfacing?
The typical healing time ranges from 8-12+ days, depending on your immune system recovery rate, the level & surface area. We will provide you with an accurate time frame (+/- 36 hours). Erbium laser skin resurfacing has a faster healing time compared to CO2 lasers.
Day 1-4: marked swelling, oozing
Day 5-6: swelling subsides, oozing gone
Day 6-12+: skin starts to heal
Beyond 2 weeks: your skin may still be red & sensitive. This can last beyond 12 weeks. You can apply make up after day 8-9.
We will give you an accurate estimate prior to the procedure. Redness can be terminated with healing or vascular lasers.
What should I expect weeks after lasering?
With this depth of resurfacing, you can expect skin changes such as prolonged redness & blotchy skin for up to 4 months after the procedure. This is considered normal & is part of the healing process. I normally let redness settle on its own, however if there is persistent redness, we can treat this with low powered vascular lasers.
Every week that passes by your skin should be better by 5-10%.
Is laser resurfacing painful?
We prioritize patient comfort throughout the procedure by employing:
- Numbing gel
- Nerve blocks
- Administration of muscle relaxants and narcotic injections, closely monitored by our nursing staff
As a result, you can expect minimal to no pain following the procedure.
Who performs this procedure?
Level 4+ laser resurfacing procedures are performed by our senior dermatologists. They have over 15 years of experience in this type of procedure, having performed over a thousand of these cases.
What is the aftercare procedure?
Our team will provide you with specific instructions for post-laser care, supplying you with cleansers, moisturizers, and other skincare essentials. Additionally, we will guide you on when you can safely resume your personal skincare routine after the procedure.
How long until I can return to my usual skin care after laser resurfacing?
You can resume your regular skincare routine 3-8 weeks after laser resurfacing, adjusting the timeline based on your specific skincare needs and skin sensitivities. Our nursing team will provide personalized guidance to ensure a suitable timeframe for your individual situation.
What are things to consider prior to level 4 / 5 resurfacing?
In most instances, we perform laser treatment near your lower and upper eyelids to enhance skin laxity around the eyes. Following the procedure, significant swelling is expected during the initial 48 hours, partially affecting your vision, which is a normal occurrence.
If you reside alone, it’s crucial to arrange assistance as you won’t be self-sufficient for at least 48 hours. Ensure you have ample food supplies stocked up.
Regular follow-up appointments are mandatory and included in the fee. These follow-ups serve as a safety measure, ensuring you are under our attentive care. Due to swelling obstructing vision in the first 2-3 days, it’s advised not to drive yourself to appointments during this period.
What are the limitations of deep laser resurfacing?
Laser resurfacing is not designed to address concerns such as volume loss, pronounced laxity, or redness. treatments are recommended for addressing volume loss, while significant laxity of the lower face may necessitate a surgical procedure.
While lasers can offer some level of neck tightening, they do not substitute for a surgical neck lift.
Resurfacing lasers are not effective in treating dynamic wrinkles or wrinkles associated with facial movements. Laser treatments can improve wrinkle lines to a certain extent, but for dynamic wrinkling, the injection of muscle relaxants with careful precision is a more suitable approach.
Will laser resurfacing remove all my upper lip wrinkles/smokers’ lines?
If you are dealing with dynamic wrinkles, the duration of the results will likely be shorter compared to static wrinkles (wrinkles at rest). Our dermatologists will assess and categorize the type of wrinkles you have.
For dynamic wrinkling, the most effective approach involves a combination of laser treatment, Botox, and treatments. This comprehensive strategy aims to address the various aspects of dynamic wrinkles for more optimal and longer-lasting results.
What are the risks and side effects of deep laser resurfacing?
Side effects are uncommon as we monitor your progress after the procedure. They include-
- Infection: less than 4% of cases
- Persistent redness: 20+%, especially if you are prone to redness
- Scarring: less than 3%
Most side effects can be mitigated with close follow up. Redness is commonly encountered after resurfacing. This is considered as a normal event. We tend to leave redness for 6-8 weeks, as blood flow improves collagen regeneration.
After 6-8 weeks, we can promptly reduce redness using vascular lasers.
Level 3+ Resurfacing as an Alternative
Consider opting for level 3+ resurfacing, a comprehensive treatment that incorporates non-ablative 1927 and 1570 lasers along with CO2 lasers. The former targets superficial concerns such as pigmentation, fine lines, and sun damage, while CO2 lasers address deep wrinkles, enlarged pores, and scars.
Level 3+ resurfacing offers the following advantages:
- The procedure effectively addresses both superficial and deep aspects of your skin.
- Level 3+ lasers have the potential to reverse skin aging by 5-10 years.
- This resurfacing technique combines multiple lasers tailored to different skin depths.
- Recovery time is typically shorter, ranging from 6-7 days, in comparison to level 4+ treatments.
- In most cases, only one session is required.
Senior laser nurses are responsible for performing this procedure, ensuring a high level of expertise and precision.
The Final Insight
Deep level 4-5 laser resurfacing is about as epic as it gets for skin rejuvenation. Lasers essentially plane down the skin to the mid layer, in turn removing wrinkles, sun-damaged skin, pigment, pores, warts & age spots. Only one session is required. It is a big job, with epic recovery but epic results.
This type of skin resurfacing is considered as ‘once in a lifetime’ as we typically take your skin’s age back by up to 2 decades. You can maintain results with simple procedures including mini non ablative laser resurfacing, peels & good skin care.
The biggest misconception of laser resurfacing is that it is THE procedure of choice for improving skin aging. True, your skin will be better post laser, however, don’t forget volume replacement. Laser resurfacing does not replace volume. For a balanced outcome, don’t underestimate the power of treatments.
