Laser Skin Resurfacing

Plastic Surgery in Charleston, SC

As we age, our skin can lose its youthful qualities. Wrinkles appear, the skin can sag and droop, and our complexion loses its youthful luster. Looking older can make us feel older, too. If you want to restore the youthful condition of your skin, laser skin resurfacing can help. It can smooth some of the fine wrinkles, tighten the skin, and restore some of the glow of youth. Fractional laser skin resurfacing can give you these benefits in a less invasive way than traditional laser skin resurfacing. After fractional laser treatment, you can have younger-looking skin with no days lost to recovery.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of laser skin resurfacing and whether you are a good candidate for this procedure, please call or email Dr. Brian G. Widenhouse at Port City Plastic Surgery in Charleston, South Carolina.

What Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing Treats

Fractional laser skin resurfacing is a versatile treatment that can combat many complaints people have about their skin. It can help them achieve many diverse cosmetic goals. Fractional laser skin resurfacing can:

• Give the skin a more youthful appearance
• Tighten skin
• Reduce wrinkles
• Reduce sun damage
• Diminish the appearance of freckles or moles
• Reduce the depth of acne scars or other sunken scars

It is most commonly requested for the face, but it can be used on any part of the body, including the arms, legs, and neck and chest.

How Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing Works

Our skin is a constantly-renewing organ. New skin cells are grown, mature, and are lost to be replaced by fresher, younger cells. When we're young, this process is fairly rapid, and our skin is being constantly nourished by the production of collagen and other compounds vital to maintaining our skin's vibrancy. As we age, the process slows, and the skin produces less collagen. Traditional laser skin resurfacing stimulates this process by ablating (removing) the outer layers of skin. This exposed younger skin, stimulated the production of skin cells and collagen, resulting in a fresher appearance with tighter skin. The downside was that recovery was painful and could take a week or more. Dr. Widenhouse uses the Sciton Profractional laser, which allows him to fine tune the ablation depth and control thermal effects for each patient’s particular needs. This laser is effective in treating fine wrinkles, acne scarring, and to improve uneven skin tone.

Fractional laser skin resurfacing works not by removing the outer layers of skin but by creating numerous tiny wells that tap into the reservoir of youth deep in your skin. This triggers a similar response with the production of new skin cells and more collagen but without the painful or lengthy recovery time. Fractional laser skin resurfacing may require more than one treatment for optimal results.

The Laser Skin Resurfacing Procedure and Recovery

Fractional laser skin resurfacing uses a computer-controlled laser that applies precise, short bursts of laser energy in a specific pattern to create the tiny wells. During treatment, discomfort is minor, often described as being like rubber band snaps. Anesthetic cream is available for people with sensitive skin. The length of treatment depends on the size of area to be treated but is generally around 30 minutes.

After the procedure, your skin may be pinkish or reddish. You may feel as though you have had a moderate sunburn. Redness and discomfort should diminish within a few days. Wrinkle reduction and other results may not be immediately visible, but will appear over the next few weeks. Results will improve with each treatment, until optimal results are reached.

In addition to fractional laser technology, Other options are also available to treat acne scarring, fine wrinkles, and uneven skin tone, or hyperpigmentation. These include the CO2 laser or chemical peels, such as the TCA peel.

If you would like to learn more about laser skin resurfacing and whether it is right for you, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Brian G. Widenhouse at Port City Plastic Surgery in Charleston, South Carolina.