Nothing is as beautiful as soft, smooth, healthy skin. Unfortunately, our skin is subject to numerous experiences that leave it less than perfect.
Time, heredity and gravity all do their part to create fine lines and wrinkles, especially around the mouth and eyes. Continued exposure to the sun and smoking are known to significantly accelerate the development of these natural signs of aging.
Skin Resurfacing
Some skin resurfacing devices, such as CO2 lasers, use the ablative method: removing the epidermis and some of the dermis. While a good result is eventually seen, the drawbacks include red, raw, and unsightly skin, and a risk of infection for several weeks after treatment. Other devices use the non-ablative method: sending light pulses into the dermis, while leaving the epidermis intact. This allows quick recovery, but when the light pulses don’t penetrate far into the dermis, the change in skin tone and texture is negligible.
What makes Fractional Non-ablative Skin Resurfacing different?
Fractional Skin Resurfacing is performed by our doctor for patients in our region because it offers both excellent results and no downtime. Fractional Skin treatments deliver light in an array of narrow, focused “microbeams” to create columns of heat within the skin. These microbeams penetrate deep into the dermis for the most effective, long-term results obtainable. The heated tissue within the columns starts a natural healing process that forms new, healthy tissue. This results in a decrease in sunspots, fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scarring and a fresher, more youthful skin tone and texture. The Fractional Non-ablative approach stimulates quick healing, while leaving your skin’s surface intact, with no lasting redness.
What areas can I have treated with Fractional Skin Rejuvenation?
Fractional Skin Resurfacing can be applied to any area of the body, including the face, chest, arms, legs and hands.
How does Fractional Skin Resurfacing work?
Fractional Skin Rejuvenation is designed to alter only portions of the target skin tissue. Think of it as digital tissue editing. Fractional Skin Rejuvenation creates multiple, microscopic, thermal columns within the skin. Together these micro-treatments cause a change in the collagen and elastin below your skin’s surface, which gradually improves the appearance of your aging and sun-damaged skin. It also results in a healing process with minimal downtime.
In addition, Fractional Skin Rejuvenation penetrates to a very precise, controlled depth, making the procedure safe and predictable, while reducing the risk of scarring or pigmentation problems.
Why choose Fractional Skin Rejuvenation?
Most patients choose it because it:
- decreases sunspots.
- requires minimal recovery time.
- minimizes the risk for causing bruising, crusting or scarring.
- does not cause bleeding.
- provides a level of control that cannot be achieved with any other lasers.
- provides a fresher, more youthful skin tone and texture.
How many Fractional Skin Resurfacing treatments will I need?
This varies from patient to patient depending on the severity of the condition, your skin type and your desired results. Fractional Skin Rejuvenation produces a gradual remodeling of collagen within the skin. Most indications seem to respond after only 3 - 6 treatments spaced about 14 - 28 days apart. Improvements in the appearance of your skin will continue 6 - 12 months or more after the last treatment.
What is the Fractional Skin Rejuvenation treatment like?
First, the area to be treated is cleansed. A topical anesthetic ointment may be applied. Some fractional devices require the application of a blue dye to the treatment area. Other systems have a built in cooling device for a more comfortable treatment.
Then the fractional hand piece precisely reads the discreet contours of your skin treatment area. Your treatment is performed using a fractional hand piece gently guided across the skin delivering microbeams of infrared energy into the skin. After your treatment, your skin is washed off. Treatments usually last 10 - 20 minutes, depending on the surface area treated.
What should I expect after Fractional Skin Resurfacing treatments?
After our physician performs Fractional Laser Treatments, you may experience lingering redness, warmth, swelling, or tightness in the treated area, which fades within a few hours of treatment. Generally, you can receive a treatment and go back to work or to other activities without any recovery time. Because the light pulses are confined to narrow columns in the skin, much of the skin is left unaffected and there is a quick healing process; most people notice positive changes in skin tone and texture within a few days.
A series of treatments may be required to achieve your desired results. Your treatment provider will be able to give you more information about Fractional Non-ablative Skin Resurfacing and expected outcomes.