Laser can trump the scalpel
Posted by: Laser Treatments MD In: Cosmetic Laser| Laser Clinic| Laser Dermatology| Laser Skin Resurfacing| Laser Treatment| plastic surgery ()
WHEN it comes to treating aging skin around the eyes, laser resurfacing can often trump surgery, according to Dr. Michael McGuire, a Los Angeles plastic surgeon and president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. “If the skin is mildly wrinkled and/or pigmented, the laser can be a good option,” he said, adding that he frequently gives laser treatments to patients in their 40s to defer face-lifts.
The debate surrounding laser treatments is whether to go fractional or cover the entire surface of the treated area. Fractional lasers, like the Fraxel, burn tiny holes into the skin to stimulate collagen production. Because much of the skin remains untouched, recuperation time is minimal, but multiple treatments are necessary.
Regular laser resurfacing, on the other hand, destroys entire outer skin layers in the targeted area and requires at least a week of recovery. But it is a single treatment and produces arguably more dramatic results.
The most recent news with fractional lasers is that they now involve the use of carbon dioxide, which “vaporizes” the targeted skin points, according to Dr. Bruce Katz, a New York-based dermatologist. This allows for a higher level of regeneration, said Dr. Katz, who recently introduced a 10-minute procedure based on this technology. Available for about $750 a session at Juva Skin and Laser Center, the new procedure requires at least three treatments. After a treatment, “you may go to work and even apply makeup to the area,” Dr. Katz said.
Dr. McGuire said he prefers carbon dioxide laser procedures that treat the entire skin surface. “Any laser treatment that leaves some skin ‘islands’ will be less effective at achieving skin tightening and pigmentation removal simply because the entire surface is not treated,” he said.
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