Laser skin resurfacing – what is it and who is it for?

Laser skin resurfacing – what is it and who is it for?

With summer and warm, sunny weather behind us, your skin may start to feel like it needs a bit of a pick-me-up. Your summer glow fades, the air is becoming more drying, and your skincare routine simply isn’t cutting it anymore. Laser skin resurfacing is an excellent procedure to keep your skin looking radiant and youthful throughout fall and beyond. From reducing the appearance of wrinkles to improving dullness, hyperpigmentation and more, laser skin resurfacing at Wise Med Spa is a great way to refresh your skin. Fall and winter are the best time of year to focus on treating your skin with more intensive procedures, such as laser skin resurfacing, since there is less risk for direct sun damage: the light is less intense and people generally spend more time indoors.

What is Laser Skin Resurfacing?

Exfoliation is the best way to rejuvenate your skin after a summer outdoors in the sun. Laser resurfacing is not only one of the safest ways to deeply exfoliate your facial skin, but it is especially effective against photoaging and sun damage, including dark spots. If you are noticing that your existing age spots have darkened over the summer or if you have new ones forming, laser skin resurfacing can reduce their appearance and brighten your skin overall. Wise Med Spa offers CO2 laser skin resurfacing — a non-invasive skincare procedure that uses a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser to help improve skin texture and appearance.

During the treatment, thin layers of skin are vaporized using a high-energy beam of laser light, creating a “controlled injury” to the skin. The laser targets the outer layer of your skin while simultaneously heating the lower layers in the dermis. As the skin heals, it produces collagen, restoring your skin’s elasticity and building new skin that is smoother in texture and firmer to the touch.

CO2 laser resurfacing is designed to minimize wrinkles, reduce facial scarring, even out skin tone, and increase dermal collagen. Dr. Wise and Radhika, the Nurse Practitioner at Wise Med Spa, often utilize this treatment for age spots, scars, crow’s feet, wrinkles and fine lines, acne scars, sagging skin, and uneven skin tone. The most common treatment areas are the face, neck, décolleté and hands.

What to expect from the procedure?

CO2 laser skin resurfacing is a quick, in-office procedure that does not require full anesthesia. The treatment area is typically numbed using either a local anesthetic or numbing cream. When larger areas are treated, a sedative may be administered as well, to ensure patient comfort. Since the area is numbed, the patients don’t feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure.The procedure is non-invasive and does not require any sutures, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete. The downtime is minimal – patients can return to most normal activity within about a week. The recovery does require avoiding direct sun exposure for many weeks, however, meaning fall and winter are the ideal time for this procedure.

Who is a candidate for CO2?

Patients with lighter skin tones are usually the best candidates for CO2 laser skin resurfacing, as they carry a reduced risk for hyperpigmentation. The procedure may not be suitable for darker skin tones or people with active acne breakouts. Patients in those categories may benefit more from chemical peels or eMatrix laser treatments. The best way to determine which procedure can help you achieve your aesthetic goals is to come in for a complimentary consultation.