Are You Ready for Skin Resurfacing Using a CO2 Laser?
- Posted on: Oct 1 2018
When you are looking to get a cosmetic procedure, the big question that you need to ask yourself is, “Am I ready for surgery?”
Although cosmetic surgical procedures are generally the most effective and give you the longest lasting results, the answer for many people is, “Well… maybe?” They might be nervous about being put under anesthesia. They might be concerned about the associated recovery time. They might be wary of the invasive nature of these procedures. And all of those thoughts are entirely legitimate! That’s why we offer so many alternatives to our surgical treatments, that are comparably effective. But if you want a truly incredible skin-rejuvenating procedure – you’ve been mulling it over for a while, you’ve looked into your options and you’ve decided that, yes, you are ready for cosmetic surgery – then it may be time to ask about CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing!
CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing
CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing is often considered to be the best cosmetic surgical option to rejuvenate severely sun-damaged skin. This is something that we often see here in Florida, as the year-round sunshine, heat and UV rays can take a real toll on the skin, prematurely aging it and creating sunspots and other pigmentation issues.
CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing can help rid you of sunspots, old scars, roughness, and even wrinkles. We use an ablative laser to remove the top, damaged layer of your skin, eliminating all of those skin irregularities. By doing so, we are revealing the lower, healthier layer of your skin, tightening it and helping to restore collagen and elastin.
Dr. Flaharty uses a laser with newer technology that allows him to treat the skin fractionally. That means he can control the percentage of skin surface that is removed. By fractionally removing 50% of the surface skin (for example) the skin heals more quickly. The ability to control the ablation fractionally also allows Dr. Flaharty to “feather” and blend the treated area with the untreated area. So, if only the face and neck are treated, the border between the neck and chest can be blended to minimize or hide any line between the treated areas and the untreated areas. The fractional nature can’t even be seen – it looks very smooth and even.
Often, the decision point about whether to get CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing is the intensity versus the result. Most patients add CO2 Laser to an existing surgical procedure, allowing them to have just one surgery and one recovery.
After your procedure, your skin will be covered with occlusive dressings for three to four days after the procedure, to accelerate healing, protect your skin, and assist with discomfort. For the first week of healing, your skin is going to feel tight, with some itching and intermittent slight burning. You can manage these symptoms with an ointment. Over the course of the next two weeks, your skin will heal. Your face will start off pink and sensitive as your body generates new skin to replace the layer removed. All in all, the procedure has about seven to ten days of actual downtime associated with it, and final results can be seen at about six months.
If you’re like most patients, you’re likely to be thrilled with your results. It’s not unusual to see up to an 80% improvement in facial lines and wrinkles, along with the vanishing of pigment issues and skin texture problems.
You’ll find we heavily stress protecting your skin new skin over the course of your recovery and even afterward. As the top layer of your skin is your primary defense against UV rays and the sun, it’s going to be vital that you use an excellent quality sunscreen, like the ones offered by Azul SkinHealth, to make sure your skin will be protected. Once you are completely healed, sunscreen is an absolute must to protect your investment.
Other Skin Rejuvenation Options?
If you feel you’re not quite ready for surgical CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing, don’t worry because we offer a number of alternatives. You might want to check out the non-surgical our new Halo laser or our Fraxel Laser Skin Rejuvenation. For red or brown spots, Intense Pulsed Light\ or Broad Band Light are great alternatives. These non-surgical treatments can improve your skin texture and color and can treat many other issues without the associated recovery time of surgery. But if you want the most comprehensive, longest-lasting results, you are definitely going to want CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing. Our advice? Book a free consultation with Dr. Flaharty to discuss your options. Together, you can put together a harmonious rejuvenation plan that will be right for you!
If you’re interested in some of the other treatments that we offer, you can check out our Medical Spa, as well as our surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. To book an appointment or a free consultation, give us a call at (239) 747-1148, or please visit our website at www.azulbeauty.com. We look forward to helping you reach the harmonious rejuvenation you have always wanted!
Tagged with: Laser treatments, procedures, skin rejuvenation
Posted in: Procedures