Laser Resurfacing is a laser treatment that is proven to reduce wrinkles, age spots, and acne scars while tightening, polishing and balancing the tone of the surface of the skin. All lasers work on the basis of a “controlled damage” to the skin to stimulate a repair mechanism in the tissue. The Erbium Yag wavelength used during this treatment targets the water in the upper layer of the skin thereby removing the irregular top layer of skin. Therefore, multiple treatments of almost all lasers are suggested to reach the results you desire because you do not want to “over damage” the skin in one treatment.
As we age, our skin which is the largest organ of our body is subjected to many factors that can cause premature aging of the skin. These can include external factors such as environmental, sun, and radiation or internal stressors such as diet, hydration, medical issues, and acne that can cause irregularities in the tone and texture of our complexion. Many laser treatments create heat when being performed which can create hyperpigmentation (darker skin) but not our Laser Resurfacing. This is why at Ageless Aesthetics MediSpa this laser was selected by our practice because it is suitable on all skin types such as a light Irish skin color to a dark African American skin color. A careful analysis of your skin will be performed prior to using any laser. We always recommend pretreatment with professional products to insure the best outcome of your Laser Resurfacing treatment.
The “social down time” is typically approximately one week. Upon the completion of the Laser Resurfacing treatment your skin will feel warm like a medium sunburn for about 3 hours as the skin starts to normalize. Over the next 5-7 days your skin will become tight and dry as the old skin releases and starts to peel, revealing new skin.
As our field of aesthetics medicine advances, we strive to find the best of what is new for our Santa Fe, NM patients. The 2 options we offer both will increase your healing time and stimulate more cellular regeneration.
Topical infusion option with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) - uses your own body's growth factors from your blood that is obtained from a small blood draw then prepared into Platelet Rich Plasma. Your PRP will stimulate your skin to create new cells, thereby increasing the surface density of your skin and resulting in a refreshed look. PRP is known to also help lighten the skin where surface pigmentation is.
Topical infusion option with Exosomes aka Stem-Glo - Exosomes are a billion times more effective than PRP. Exosomes are micro-vesicles, about 1/1000th the size of a normal cell. Exosomes contain no DNA or nucleus. There are signaling agents used in cell-to-cell communication and signaling. Exosomes are known to activate several signaling pathways that are important in tissue regeneration and wound healing. This effect is called paracrine signaling and is at the forefront of regenerative medicine. For example, a 5 ml syringe of your own body's platelet rich plasma can contain approximately 5 thousand of your own body's growth factors and a 5 ml syringe of exosomes contain approximately 5 BILLION exosomes. Think of exosomes as the intelligent component of a stem cell. Ageless Aesthetics MediSpa was the first medical spa in New Mexico to offer topical exosomes.
Before the procedure, your face will have a topical numbing cream applied and about 15-20 minutes later, you skin will be thoroughly cleansed. You will wear protective eye shields appropriate for the wavelength during the treatment. You will have full use of the chiller which blows cold air on the treatment area while the laser is being fired on the skin. The laser treatment time is typically an hour, however the full treatment time will be longer due to medical history and intake process, numbing and the post treatment clean up and prep.
After laser resurfacing, either a light gel post care product is applied or your choice of an add-on topical infusion products as mentioned above is applied to your skin. Your skin will look and feel as though you have a moderate sunburn. It may feel hot, raw and pulsate, these symptoms typically start calming down about 4-8 hours after treatment. You will need to apply a topical ointment such as Aquaphor 8 hours after receiving treatment. The following day you can cleanse the treated area and reapply the topical ointment. You will be required to keep a light layer of topical ointment on your face until the shedding or peeling process has completed. Once the shedding or peeling process has completed, you will need to keep your daily moisturizer applied throughout the day for the next 2 weeks. It is very common for the treated area to be pink as your skin completes the healing process for the next 30 days. You can apply makeup or tinted sunscreen as usual.
Laser Resurfacing uses an erbium light to vaporize the outer layers of skin causing the skin contraction underneath to stimulate the production of collagen. The Er:YAG laser emissions are on the basis of absorption of radiation in water.
The actual time of operating the laser can vary depending on the spot size. A full face treatment can take one hour, however, the total time you are here for the treatment can be an hour and a half due to preparation, aftercare instructions and aftercare kits being recommended.
Good results are apparent from one treatment, however you will see greater improvement with accumulated correction over the course of three treatments.
Numbing cream will be applied prior to the treatment. Most patients report the discomfort to be minimal during the procedure and the sensation of a mild to moderate sunburn after.
Results can last for years with proper sun protection.
Laser Resurfacing offers very minimal risks and a fast recovery compared to lasers that product heat during application like Fraxel, Clear & Brilliant, Fractionated Lasers and fully ablative laser treatments.
Ageless Aesthetics MediSpa
546 Harkle Rd, Suite A
Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: (505) 473-7546
â–²
Back to top
