Smooth, plump skin is one of the hallmarks of youth. If you look at a baby, his or her skin resembles a porcelain doll— no visible pores, lines or brown spots with an abundance of fat in the mid-face/cheeks. This perfection, however, does not last unless you live in a cave and life is meant to be enjoyed. However, certain lifestyle choices such as the amount of time you spend outdoors, and whether or not you live in or near a big, polluted city can have an adverse effect on the appearance of your skin. When this is coupled with the annual decline in collagen and elastin levels that occur with each passing birthday after 25, the end result is aging in your skin and tissues. This may manifest as fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and mild sagging. Laser skin resurfacing is a fantastic procedure for rejuvenating your skin, improving both skin texture and tone. The key to an excellent result is in matching the right laser or lasers to your skin’s unique needs. This is why it is always best to schedule an in-person consultation.
Laser Skin Resurfacing Consultation in Boston
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Sean Doherty, has extensive experience in ablative and non-ablative lasers as well as other energy based devices. As a previous medical director for Cynosure, Inc., developer and manufacturer of many of the top aesthetic lasers in use today, and now Assistant Medical Director for Cynosure-Lutronic, he also trains other plastic surgeons and physicians in how to use these devices safely and appropriately. This depth of knowledge gives him an edge in choosing the right laser for your needs. Furthermore, he will always be honest about what any procedure can and cannot achieve.
During your lasers consultation in one of his Boston area offices, Dr. Doherty will listen closely to what bothers you about your appearance. He will ask in-depth questions about your medical history, family history, skin care regime, relationship to the sun, any prior procedures you may have had and how your body reacted. He will then perform a thorough physical exam to assess any potential skin issue such as:
- Uneven, “crepey” texture
- Sun spots
- Hyperpigmentation
- Redness
- Fine lines & wrinkles
- Acne scars
- Areas and degree of loose skin, if any
While skin texture issues may often be improved with an appropriate laser, more severe skin laxity is generally going to require some non-surgical or surgical tightening. This is best achieved with a radio frequency (RF) treatment or surgery. Both lasers and RF can also be combined with microneedling for an even more dramatic result from a non-surgical viewpoint.
What is Laser Skin Resurfacing?
Laser skin resurfacing is a generic term used to describe any non-surgical cosmetic procedure that uses laser or energy to improve skin tone and texture. Lasers work by stimulating or removing the damaged layers of skin to improve texture while also promoting revitalization in the deeper layers of your dermis to improve tone.
A laser skin resurfacing procedure is one of the simplest ways to turn-back-the- clock as it can literally restore a more youthful glow to your face, neck, chest, hands and arms. While the right laser is always going to depend on your specific needs, Dr. Doherty offers his Boston area patients a full range of the most innovative and effective lasers available today including:
- CO2 Laser
- Erbium Laser
- PICOSure® Laser
- 1540nm Laser
- Clear + Brilliant®
- IPL (Intense Pulse Light)
Understanding Lasers: Ablative Lasers
Lasers fall into one of two categories – ablative and non-ablative. The right choice for you is going to depend on the extent of your skin damage and your tolerance for downtime. An ablative laser is a more robust procedure. These lasers remove a portion of the surface of your skin and stimulate the deeper layers of tissue so that your body produces more collagen and elastin. Dr. Doherty typically uses an ablative laser, such as CO2 or Erbium, to efficiently improve the appearance of:
- Significant sun damage
- Fine lines
- Hyperpigmentation
- Scarring
Generally, patients who have a laser skin resurfacing procedure with an ablative laser can expect some swelling for the first 5-7 days as the treated skin scabs. It will look and feel like a burn. Most patients don’t find this time to be painful, but, instead, describe it as feeling akin to overall warmth. Patients should expect swelling and redness for approximately 2 weeks. Occasionally, patients may have prolonged pinkness to their skin for a few months after the procedure.
During this recovery time, it is imperative to keep your skin moist and clean. You will be sent home with specific post procedure instructions that will include washing your face multiple times a day and applying saline gauze soaks to gently and safely remove the scar tissue and debris. After this shedding period, your “new” skin will be pink, sensitive and vulnerable so an appropriate sunscreen is a must. While the recovery from an ablative laser is more intense, the results are also long-lasting. Patients typically need a maintenance treatment every 4-5 years assuming that you practice excellent skin and sun care.
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Benefits of Non-Ablative Lasers
A non-ablative lasers procedure, often referred to as “Fraxel”, actually penetrates deeper into the dermis than an ablative laser. But, they leave the surface of the skin intact. Dr. Doherty typically prefers the 1540nm or PICOSure® laser to improve issues such as:
- Facial aging
- Raised scars
- Stretch marks
- Acne spots
- Melasma
A non-ablative laser procedure can be a great option for overall rejuvenation. The main benefit of laser skin resurfacing with a non-ablative laser is less downtime. You can expect to look red and swollen, as if you got a sunburn, for about 24 hours. The tradeoff for the faster recovery, however, is that you will need anywhere from 3-4 treatments, spaced a month apart in order to achieve your desired result.
Intense Pulse Light (IPL) is Not Technically a Laser
Intense Pulse Light or IPL is a procedure that, while technically not a laser, is similar in that it is still an energy based treatment. Instead of utilizing a single wavelength of light, however, IPL works by blocking all of the wavelengths except those taken up by pigment and/or blood vessels. Often referred to as a photo facial, IPL may be ideal for treating:
- Age spots
- Hyperpigmentation
- Redness
- Telangiectasia (small, broken blood vessels)
Dr. Doherty often combines an IPL treatment with an ablative and/or non-ablative laser in order to improve the appearance of red scars. One of the nice things about an IPL procedure is that it does not really hurt. It feels like a rubber band against the skin. Furthermore, there is little to no downtime with some patients even scheduling an IPL procedure during their lunch hour.
To find out more about laser skin resurfacing, or any other surgical or non-surgical procedure with Dr. Sean Doherty at his Boston or Brookline office, contact us today or call (617) 450-0070 to schedule a consultation.
FAQs about Laser Skin Resurfacing
There is no right or wrong time to start lasers. There are younger patients who, due to lifestyle choices such as smoking and sunbathing, may be aging at a faster rate than someone with more candles on the cake. The important thing with laser skin resurfacing is choosing the exact right laser or lasers for your skin’s specific needs.
Without examining you in-person, it is impossible to give you an accurate quote. The cost of any laser skin resurfacing procedure is going to depend on the severity of your issues, which laser or lasers we choose and the size of the treatment area. I am always honest about cost so after I determine what you need, I will give you a realistic quote. It is also important to keep in mind that an ablative laser procedure, for example, may be more expensive, but this cost must be amortized over the 3-4 years until you’ll need another treatment.
school reunion?
Laser skin resurfacing can be a fantastic treatment for giving you a welcome “boost” of rejuvenation before a big event like a reunion, birthday or wedding. But you obviously want to give yourself plenty of time to recover completely. How much time will depend on what we decide to do — an ablative laser treatment or a series of non-ablative laser treatments. Generally, I tell any new laser patient to leave 6 months between treatment and an event.
I will be honest — your face isn’t going to look pretty for the first week or so. I will have you self-administer skin soaks for about 4-5 days to help remove the dead cells and debris. My team will follow-up with you during this time so that any concerns can be quickly addressed. This is really the worst part of the recovery, but it is also why the end result can be so dramatic. After this shedding period, you can expect your skin to be pink and sensitive for another 7-10 days. However, you can wear makeup during this time if necessary.
The best laser skin resurfacing treatment for sun damage is really going to depend on the extent of your sun damage and your tolerance for downtime. Most energy based devices can improve sun spots and hyperpigmentation. Choosing the right one for you is going to require an in-person consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon, such as myself, who has considerable experience with lasers. Also, if you have darker skin, it’s important to be careful. Not all lasers are the right fit if you have more melanin.