Laser Skin Resurfacing

Frustrated by the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, age spots, or acne scars? It can be challenging to try and conquer all of our skin concerns, especially when we’re unsure of which potential treatments would work best for our particular skin type, skin tone, and issue. Laser skin resurfacing technology is an innovative answer to revitalization of the skin, helping to achieve a smoother, tighter, more radiant and youthful overall skin tone and texture with minimal downtime. 

Laser skin resurfacing is a non-invasive treatment option used to target skin issues ranging from sun damage, age spots, fine lines, and acne scars, to deep wrinkles, enlarged pores, and hyperpigmentation. Dr. Michele Green employs the best skincare, laser treatments, and skin resurfacing treatments in order to encourage new collagen production in the skin and provide the ultimate in beautiful, healthy rejuvenation.

Dr. Michele Green is an expert in cosmetic dermatology, and for the past 25 years has treated the skin concerns of thousands of patients from around the globe in her private NYC Upper East Side office. Dr. Green combines the science of technology and the art of cosmetics to offer the very best in laser skin resurfacing treatments. She takes pride in the relationships that she establishes with her patients, and focuses on developing holistic, customized treatment protocols that are designed precisely for each individual’s skin type and condition.

What is Laser Skin Resurfacing?

Laser skin resurfacing, also called photo-rejuvenation or a laser peel, is an outpatient cosmetic procedure that is best performed by a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon, like Dr. Michele Green in New York. The results ion laser skin resurfacing is tighter, firmer, smoother, and more youthful skin tone and texture, with a decrease in fine lines. The goal of laser skin resurfacing is to produce new collagen and reveal new healthy skin. Laser skin resurfacing has been a breakthrough for patients with acne scars, fine lines, sun damage, and hyperpigmentation. With minimal downtime, years off sun exposure and discoloration can be reversed. With gentler fractional lasers, such as the Fraxel laser, the top layers of skin can be resurfaced with final down time and side effects.

Before and After Fraxel: 2 sessions 

How does Laser Skin Rejuvenation work?

Laser skin resurfacing works by damaging targeted skin cells in a controlled manner, creating microscopic injuries in the treatment areas, while leaving surrounding skin unharmed. Depending on the targeted treatment, whether it be for superficial discoloration or deeper acne scars, the superficial or deeper layers of skin are targeted, to reveal new healthy skin. During the natural healing process, new collagen fibers and new skin cells form in the treated skin. This results are impressive, removing extensive photo-damage, including wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, and more. 

Before having treatment, Dr. Michele Green will review your medical history and evaluate your skin in order to determine whether you are a good candidate for laser skin resurfacing. If there is a history of herpes simplex, pre-treatment is necessary with oral antiviral medication. Careful review of skin type and tone are important as darker skin types need to be treated more gently to avoid hyperpigmentation. A topical local anesthetic is applied one hour before the procedure to the treated area to minimize any discomfort from the laser. Oral or intravenous sedation is not necessary for these laser skin resurfacing treatments. You can expect some skin erythema, swelling, and some scabs to form during the healing process, which can range anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on the type of laser used and the depth of treatment . The result of laser skin resurfacing is smoother, firmer, tighter, healthier, more radiant skin. 

Does Laser Skin Resurfacing Work?

Yes! Laser skin resurfacing procedures work extremely well to treat skin concerns such as fine lines, deep lines and wrinkles, acne scars, enlarged pores, age spots, sun spots, stretch marks, hyperpigmentation, and to help to promote overall healthy skin and even skin tone. Results may be seen after just a single laser skin resurfacing session. However, in order to optimize your results, you may want to to plan on two to three sessions for the treated area. You will discuss your expectations and desired treatment results with Dr. Green during your consultation where she will review the various laser treatments, chemical peels, and other skin rejuvenating treatments to address your specific concerns. 

Female treated with Restylane, Vbeam and eMatrix

Types of Laser Treatments Available

Laser skin resurfacing treatments fall into one of two categories: ablative or non-ablative.

Ablative laser treatments

Ablative lasers work by effectively removing the top layer of skin. The erbium laser and the carbon dioxide laser (also known as a CO2 laser) are examples of ablative laser technology. CO2 laser resurfacing works best to treat skin concerns such as warts, deep wrinkles, and scars. During this procedure, a high-energy light beam is utilized to create controlled, microinjuries in the skin. As the skin heals, new collagen is produced. This restores lost elasticity and results in firmer, younger looking skin. The downtime associated with the CO2 procedure is generally one week to two weeks in duration.

Carbon laser treatment for Acne Scars

Nonablative laser treatments 

The second classification of fractional laser technology is “non-ablative”. These lasers work by heating up the underlying layers of the skin, without damaging the surface of the skin. The VBeam laser, Fraxel Dual, and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) are all classified as non-ablative laser technologies and are used to treat a myriad of skin issues. 

Fraxel® Dual laser – This laser is very flexible and can be used to treat a range of different skin conditions. The Fraxel Dual Laser operates on two different wavelengths. The 1550 wavelength is able to penetrate deeper layers of the skin and is used for treating fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars. The 1927 wavelength penetrates skin on a more shallow level and is primarily used to treat problems with pigmentation and skin discoloration. The Fraxel laser is able to fine-tune skin rejuvenation treatment by targeting only a fraction of skin tissue at a time, leaving the surrounding skin intact. This fractionated method of skin resurfacing yields quick healing, allowing your skin to swiftly produce and remodel new collagen in order to reveal a more youthful complexion.

V-Beam® Laser – This laser is exceptional in its capacity to treat redness caused by an array of skin conditions, from acne to rosacea. The laser operates at a wavelength which exclusively targets skin cells holding onto red pigment, making it a highly effective option for treating facial redness, broken blood vessels, and spider veins. For patient comfort, there is a Dynamic Cooling Device (TM) (DCD) that cools the skin before emitting each laser pulse, protecting the skin and preventing post-treatment bruising. The laser treatment itself only takes a few minutes to complete and since there is no downtime, you can put makeup on or return to work promptly after the procedure. 

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) –  IPL treatment is not actually a laser, but is a technology that utilizes lights of various wavelengths to treat similar concerns that are addressed by lasers. IPL penetrates the dermis of the skin without causing any harm to the top layer of the epidermis. These beams of light work, depending on the setting used, to improve rosacea, even out skin pigmentation, and perform hair removal and skin tightening. 

Before and after Vbeam: 2 months

Side Effects of Laser Skin Resurfacing

Some of the most common side effects of laser skin resurfacing include redness, peeling, dryness, and swelling. These side effects typically resolve on their own within several days of treatment. Another side effect of laser skin resurfacing is hyperpigmentation. It is important to understand the skin type and skin tone of the patient, in order to avoid this side effect. Such discoloration can be treated via bleaching creams, retinoids, and hydroquinones. The underlying skin tone and pigment of the patient is extremely important when formulating a treatment plan in advance with each patient.

More serious side effects can include permanent change in hypopigmentation or scarring. This is a serious another potential side effect of having a laser resurfacing treatment, although this is uncommon when performed by an experienced dermatologist or plastic surgeon.

If you are prone to outbreaks of herpetic lesions, a herpes flareup may be a side effect after treatment. It is recommended to take antiviral medication in anticipation of your laser skin resurfacing treatment to prevent herpes breakouts.

How Much is Laser Skin Resurfacing?

The cost for a laser skin resurfacing treatment is dependent on several factors, including who performs the procedure, where the treatment is performed, and which laser is selected. The most recent statistics from 2019, as reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, shows the price of non-ablative laser treatments averaging at $1,201 and the cost of ablative laser treatments at $1,963. It’s important to choose a physician, like Dr. Michele Green, who has vast experience with laser skin resurfacing, and who can accurately determine which laser treatment is best suited for your skin tone, skin type, and skin concern. 

Combining Laser Skin Resurfacing with Dermal Fillers  

Laser skin resurfacing can be combined with other cosmetic procedures, such as Botox injections and dermal fillers, as an amazing alternative to a facelift or other plastic surgery. One of the most popular ways to customize and combine a laser skin rejuvenation treatment is by utilizing hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane. Dermal fillers are injectables that are commonly used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and to boost volume in key areas, such as the lips, nasolabial area, jowls, or the midface. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring substance in the body that is used to stimulate collagen production. With hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, patients are able to target specific areas of the face to restore lost volume, smoothing out fine lines, wrinkles, and folds, and plumping the skin. 

Restylane and Juvederm can safely be used together during the same visit, and the combination of these treatments in different areas of the face can provide phenomenal results. Since Restylane and Juvederm are both hyaluronic acid fillers, they can often be used as complementary treatments. When it comes to developing a treatment plan that combines Restylane, Juvederm, and laser skin resurfacing, Dr. Green will carefully consider the different composition of the fillers, and the desired outcome from your laser treatment, in order to provide the best skin rejuvenation results.

What is the recovery time after having laser skin resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing requires relatively little downtime, with healing done in a day up to two weeks, depending on the laser treatment utilized. Non-ablative lasers typically have none or very little downtime, making these laser rejuvenation treatments so popular. For ablative procedures, downtime can be up to several weeks, depending on the depth of skin treatment. 

How long do results last from laser skin resurfacing?

Results from your laser skin resurfacing treatment can be seen for more than five years. You can help to maintain your results by limiting sun exposure and being sure to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily. The results from laser skin resurfacing, such as removing brown spots, sun spots, and pigmentation, can be permanent, provided you do not have new sun damage.

Is laser skin resurfacing permanent?

The results of laser skin resurfacing are permanent, provided you do not have new sun exposure or environmental damage. Of course, laser treatment will not prevent the aging process, but laser skin resurfacing can remove all of your current sun damage, sun spots, fine lines, and wrinkles, and leave you looking years younger.

Fraxel laser skin treatment, 3 sessions

Does laser skin resurfacing tighten skin?

The new skin that forms after having a laser skin resurfacing treatment is often tighter and firmer due to the new collagen fibers that are produced. Some laser skin resurfacing technology such as Fraxel, may be designed to treat more pigmentation, wrinkles or acne scarring, where as other lasers such as Thermage may be designed solely for skin tightening. Many patients choose to combine treatments with Thermage and Fraxel to maximize the skin rejuvenation results.

Does laser skin resurfacing hurt?

Laser skin resurfacing is not painful since a topical numbing agent is used to pre-treatment of the area. The pain associated with having a laser skin resurfacing treatment varies depending on the strength of laser, type of laser, and area and depth of treatment. A topical, local anesthetic is typically applied to the treatment area before the procedure to help minimize any discomfort. Many patients compare the feeling of a laser skin resurfacing treatment to the sensation of a rubber band snapping against the skin, which is very tolerable with the topical numbing agent.

Is laser skin resurfacing safe?

Laser skin resurfacing is safe provided that you are a good candidate for the procedure. It is imperative that your provider choose a laser that is safe to use on your skin color. Hypopigmentation (lightening skin pigment), hyperpigmentation (darkening skin pigment), scarring, and burning the skin are all possible side effects if the laser is not suitable for your skin tone. This is especially important for patients who have darker skin tones. This does not mean that you are not a good candidate for treatment with laser skin resurfacing if you have darker skin, but that extra precaution should be taken by your dermatologist before selecting a treatment. 

Is laser skin resurfacing worth it?

Yes! Laser skin resurfacing is definitely worth it since it is one of the most effective ways to remove sun damage and age spots, promote new collagen, produce new healthy skin cells, and  rejuvenate the skin.

How do I get started with laser skin resurfacing today?

If you are unhappy with the texture, pigmentation, or condition of your skin, there’s finally a solution that can help. Dr. Michele Green in NYC is an expert in cosmetic laser skin resurfacing, with over 25 years of experience in cosmetic dermatology. Dr. Green is consistently voted as one of the best dermatologists in New York by New York Magazine, Castle Connolly, and Super Doctors. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Green please contact us online today or call 212-535-3088 to learn whether laser treatments might be best for you.