Skin Resurfacing
General Description Laser Skin Resurfacing of the Eyelids and Face
Aging of the skin is one of the most obvious and cosmetically apparent changes that happens as we grow older. The process of skin ageing is accelerated by excessive exposure to sunlight, hereditary and lifestyle factors such as nutrition, alcohol consumption and smoking. These, along with other conditions like pregnancy and birth control pills result in wrinkles or pigmentary lesions of the skin such as scars, blotches, brown spots or even precancerous skin lesions. Ageing of skin may be aptly dealt with Laser Skin Resurfacing, which is a very safe and effective technique to improve your skin by reducing the amount and severity of facial and eyelid wrinkles, while also correcting minor skin flaws with precision and surety.
Laser Skin Resurfacing is considered one of the finest developments in skin health and rejuvenation techniques. It has found many takers because of its safety, low risk profile, consistency, shorter recovery period and exceptional cosmetic results. It has been effectively used in treating wrinkles, blotchiness or age spots, and scars from pimples or precancerous lesions of the skin.
Laser Skin Resurfacing involves injuring layers of your skin using laser beams in such a way that subsequent healing of the microscopic burns produces scarring within underlying collagen tissues, thereby resulting in skin tightening, changes in skin colour and texture. It is usually done under anaesthesia.
Who are the best candidates for Laser Skin Resurfacing?
- Laser Skin Resurfacing is not for everyone! Some of the best candidates for Laser Skin Resurfacing of the eyelids or face include those with:
- Facial skin wrinkled due to age or other cause
- Liver spots or age spots (solar lentigines)
- Facial skin damaged by excessive exposure to sunlight
- Awkwardly placed wrinkles around the mouth
- “Crow’s feet” lines around the eyes
- Fine lines around the mouth or forehead
- Laxity of skin around lower eyelids
- Fine wrinkles around upper eyelids
- Blemishes, brown spots or blotchiness of skin
- Shallow pimple or chicken pox scars
- Injury-induced superficial scars
- Some precancerous skin lesions
Laser Skin Resurfacing is best avoided for treatment of stretch marks or if you are prone to acne, suffering from acne, or have a very dark skin.
Laser resurfacing procedure
Difference between Types of Lasers, Results and Ideal Patients
Laser Skin Resurfacing is usually done with a 2940 nm Er:YAG laser or a 10,600 nm CO2 laser, which vaporize skin cells causing it to heal by controlled scar formation.
CO2 Laser Resurfacing Laser Skin Resurfacing of the Eyelids and Face
The first complete laser resurfacing was done using CO2 laser in the 1990’s. Since then, it has been used to manage various skin conditions, such as wrinkles, scars, warts, enlarged sebaceous glands of the face and nose, lentigo simplex, seborrheic keratitis, small syringomas, epidermal melisma and dermatochalasis.
Fractional resurfacing using CO2 laser is the latest incarnation of this popular laser treatment technique and uses ultra-short laser beams in a scanning pattern that helps skin remodelling with very little damage. It has a short recovery period and shows excellent results within two to three weeks.
Er:YAG Laser Resurfacing Laser Skin Resurfacing of the Eyelids and Face
Erbium laser resurfacing helps in removing surface-level and moderately deep lines and wrinkles on the face, hands, neck, or chest. It is also associated with minimal burning of surrounding tissues. With fewer side effects and a quicker recovery period, it is preferred for those seeking faster results for superficial lesions. It can also be used for darker-skinned individuals.
Skin Anatomy
The skin offers protection to all the body organs making it prone to damage from the sun, dirt, chemicals in the atmosphere and strong wind.
Overtime, the skin changes and there is a reduction of collagen which then leads to formation of deep lines and wrinkles moderately around the eyes and mouth.
Laser resurfacing treatment takes advantage of the ability of the human skin to rejuvenate and grow new skin.
Realistic Expectations after Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser resurfacing of the skin is not without risks! It is only rational to clarify the risks involved with your cosmetic surgeon or skin specialist before the procedure.
Resurfacing small, pin-pointed areas lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and might require just a local anaesthetic, while resurfacing larger areas of the face might require up to 2 hours under general anaesthesia. Although laser skin resurfacing is known to produce good results, it might be less than pleasant experience for some patients with itching, stinging, swelling, discoloured skin and the frequent application of gooey ointment or jelly for about 3 to 4 days. Redness of skin may even last for up to 6 months after the procedure.
It is mandatory to wear a sunscreen with at least SPF 30+ to prevent further damage to your skin after the procedure.
Risks involved in Laser Skin Resurfacing
- A perfect skin might not be the goal of a person undergoing skin resurfacing, but disfigurement or scarring is not the end result that he or she seeks. Laser skin resurfacing carries the following risks:
- Burns or other thermal injuries
- Excessive scarring and disfigurement
- Alterations in skin pigmentation rendering random areas of darker or lighter skin
- Herpes cold sores may be reactivated
- Bacterial infection is a potential risk that requires serious thought
- Milia is commonly seen after laser treatment
Cost of Laser Skin Resurfacing of the Eyelids and Face
The cost of laser skin resurfacing varies widely depending on the type of procedure, the place of the surgery, and the surgeon handling the case. The cost for laser skin resurfacing varies by geographic region and by the extent to lasering
