Top Questions About Laser Skin Resurfacing

Are you frustrated with wrinkles, age spots, acne scars, or other blemishes? You don’t have to accept them as a fact of life.

Laser skin resurfacing is a non-surgical way to tighten skin and balance tone. Yet, simple as it sounds, there are many different options for this procedure, and that leaves patients with a lot of questions.

Speaking with a plastic surgeon or skin specialist will help clarify the exact procedure you’ll need. In the meantime, we’ll review some of the more commonly asked questions.

Do Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatments Hurt?

They may and they may not. It depends on the procedure, as well as your personal threshold for pain.

Some laser resurfacing treatments are more intense than others. Deeper ablative treatments where some outer layers of the skin are removed may require local anesthetic injections. But non-ablative treatments typically cause little to no pain. Topical numbing cream can help ward off any discomfort.

After the procedure, there may be some tenderness in the treatment area that can be treated.

Will It Work If I Have Darker Skin?

For a long time, laser resurfacing was only an effective treatment for patients with lighter skin. This is because lasers posed a high risk for cell damage in darker skin. New technology has greatly lowered this risk and certain laser treatments are more effective than others for lighter-toned African American, Asian, or Hispanic skin tones.

For patients with darker brown or black skin, however, other skin resurfacing options such as microneedling might be recommended. Your provider will advise you.

Is There a Better Time of Year to Have It?

Since laser-treated skin needs to be protected from the sun after the procedure, late autumn through winter is laser season. Unless you live in a tropical environment, the winter months are darker and colder and skin is covered. In addition, more time is spent indoors.

Even if you opt to get laser resurfacing in the fall or winter, you’ll still need to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher. Not only will you protect your skin against skin cancer, but it will protect the results of your procedure as well.

Can It Be Impacted by Certain Medications or Conditions?

The short answer is yes. Products like aspirin or chronic conditions like diabetes can increase the risk of bleeding after your procedure. And patients who smoke will likely experience slower healing.

In addition, laser treatment can induce acne breakouts, and people on certain acne medications may experience poor healing or scarring from a laser skin resurfacing treatment.

As such, it’s crucial that you’re absolutely honest with your provider about your medical history, as well as any medications you’re taking. This includes supplements.

How Much Downtime Is There?

Your needs may be met with a single laser treatment. In most cases though, you’ll need a series of treatments to garner the best results.

As mentioned above, non-ablative treatments are less invasive and may result in little to no downtime at all. Meanwhile, depending on the depth and the type of laser used, healing from ablative laser treatments can take two to three weeks before redness and/or scabbing clears.

You won’t be relegated to your house or anything. You may just feel uncomfortable exposing your skin in social situations during this time.

Reduce Wrinkles, Acne Scars, and Blemishes!

If your skin is looking tired and aged, it might be time to consult with a plastic surgeon or skin specialist about laser skin resurfacing.

Contact us today to find out about the many options available to you. During your free consultation, you’ll be educated about the different laser treatments so you can narrow it down to the one that will be right for you.

Then get ready for brighter and more youthful skin!