The process can also be employed to remove the upper layers of skin on the face, improving the appearance without the need for full cosmetic surgery. It has proven to be a highly successful way to treat mild scarring or the effects of sun damage.
The procedure is generally carried out using a local anesthetic and will last between thirty and ninety minutes, depending on the nature of the treatment. If a patient is having laser skin resurfacing carried out on the entire face, or having additional cosmetic surgery carried out simultaneously, then it is possible to have a general anesthetic.
The practitioner will often perform laser resurfacing in a day clinic, in which case you would need someone to take you home after the operation. The operation consists of a laser beam being carefully scanned over the area under treatment, which will deliver an intense energy that destroys the surface layer of the skin. This ablative treatment will expose the pink, lower layer of dermis below the surface which can then be heated to stimulate the growth of new tissue. The new skin that is formed will consequently be less wrinkled or scarred, and softer. There is no risk whatsoever involved with the use of a laser: the light itself is not cancer forming and will only penetrate a few millimeters into the skin.
After the operation your treated area is likely to be covered with antibiotic ointment and probably dressed. A rigorous care regime will have to be followed and the skin will remain very red and raw for at least seven to ten days but the procedure is normally very successful.
Any surgery or use of anesthetic carries the risk of some complications but side effects specific to laser skin resurfacing, whilst uncommon, might include scarring of the skin, the reactivation of cold sores or and increase or decrease in skin pigmentation.
People who have recently been on a course of Vitamin A skin treatment or who have had radiotherapy to the treated area are more likely to develop keloid scarring – raised, unsightly scars. All of the possible side effects and long-term consequences of the treatment should be fully explained to you before you undertake any laser skin resurfacing surgery.
If your surgery was to remove tattoos or abnormal skin pigmentation, you can anticipate that the colored areas will have been removed, or at least very much diminished. If you were having laser skin resurfacing carried out in order to treat acne, lines or wrinkles then you can look forward to softer, smoother skin, with the blemishes greatly reduced. However, more sessions might be needed to completely eradicate the problems.
Laser skin resurfacing costs will vary depending on what area is being treated.
In Britain, for example, you might expect to pay about £350 for the removal of a mole but as much as £4,500 for a resurfacing of a full face. In the USA, the average fee for a surgeon for laser skin resurfacing is $2,117, but again this very much depends on the nature of the treatment. You should expect to add about $1,000 to the cost of any treatment for additional costs such as administration, dressings and treatments, anesthetics, etc.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing surgery is a comparatively new technique which can help reduce the appearance of ageing and imperfections of the skin, whilst also being able to remove such things as tattoos, acne damage or birth marks.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
