Laser Skin Care Techniques

What sorts of cosmetic laser treatments are there? This question is a lot broader than many people think. There are various types of cosmetic laser treatments out there and they are all targeted toward different problem areas and methods of removing unwanted skin problems. Conferring with a cosmetic laser professional makes it much easier to determine what treatment is best for you and what will take care of unwanted wrinkles, hair, etc. in the best possible way. It is important to understand what the expectations should be in regard to the results of the procedure and to do that, it is important to know what type of procedure is best for you. A list of treatments includes but is not limited to:

Scar Removal

Many individuals are plagued by unsightly scars and unwanted reminders of various circumstances. Some scars are groovy but some are not wanted at all and decades ago there was no method to be rid of an unwanted scar. Now there is cosmetic laser technology to make it possible to remove unwanted scar simply by running a laser-beam across the scar and thereby vaporizing a layer of the skin to reveal a smoother, tighter layer – sans the scar. This procedure is performed while the patient is under a general anesthetic and can take up to an hour and half to complete depending on how deep the scarred skin goes.

Wrinkle Removal

According to one source, "laser wrinkle removal can treat wrinkle conditions where Botox may be ineffective". Using a laser beam to vaporize the wrinkled skin and revealing a younger, fresher layer helps prevent re-wrinkling for up to several years. The downside of laser wrinkle removal is the fact that a laser cannot get rid of deep wrinkles or sagging skin. It can tighten skin and rejuvenate shallow wrinkles but for sagging skin, regular surgery would be required. However, laser wrinkle removal technology is advancing every day so the possibility of deep wrinkle rejuvenation through cosmetic laser treatments may be just around the corner.

Laser Rejuvenation

Laser rejuvenation is when the skin is given a fresh, new look through the use of a cosmetic laser rather than other skin rejuvenation methods like chemical peels, etc. Most laser rejuvenation treatments are considered non-abrasive which means they do no damage to the skin although it is the same treatment where a layer of the skin is vaporized in order to leave room for a fresh layer of younger-looking skin. Instead of just one problem area, this treatment focuses on a whole area of the body, mostly the face, which undergoes the treatment. A skin rejuvenation procedure is ideal for those who have a good deal of sun damage done to their skin and are looking for a way to smooth out the rough patches and other types of damage done to the skin.

Mole Removal

Moles are a main source of insecurity for those who have them in directly visible areas. The laser treatments vaporize the mole while directly allowing the skin to repair itself in order to make it seem as close as possible to skin that never had a mole in the first place. Moles are a little harder to get rid of than other skin abrasions and before laser treatments were made possible, surgery was required for mole removal and left unsightly scars. Now, it is possible for a laser to penetrate the pigments in the mole but not the regular skin pigments leaving the skin intact but the mole vaporized and the skin underneath the mole able to heal completely.

Anti-acne Treatments

Acne is a total self-esteem killer for many people. It creates terrible skin blemishes, redness and even scarring. Treating acne with a laser not only solves these problems but also can help prevent acne from reappearing. One convenience of laser acne treatments is that it is a non-invasive method with more-or-less permanent results. To be completely rid of acne, it will probably take more than one laser treatment but on the whole, after a series of treatments your skin will be smoother and will hold up against acne much better. Since the procedure is non-invasive it would be very possible to need little or no downtime in between treatments and to be able to return to normal life faster than if you went with a different serious method of acne. Laser acne treatments are ideal for those with serious acne which has not been affected by the various creams and washes that are out there.

Spot Removal

Everyone's skin is built of a variety of different pigments. Sometimes the pigments in one area of skin are much stronger and darker than the rest of the skin. When these spots occur, it's possible to remove them with a spot removal laser treatment. Spot removals target the darker, or possibly lighter, pigments and use a laser that has been designed to target those specific pigments and not the other skin pigments in order to eliminate them without damaging the rest of the skin. The latest technology has been used to design lasers with this pigment-targeting capability and the utmost caution is used in working to eliminate the dark spots and return the skin to normalcy as soon as possible.

Skin Tightening

With age and other life experiences, skin begins to sag and lose its elasticity. Skin tightening treatments utilize the latest in cosmetic laser skin treatment technology to make it possible to tighten the skin and make it look and feel years younger. Most skin tightening techniques are similar to the techniques used to perform a laser rejuvenation procedure. There are all the same risks and advantages on top of the fact that skin tightening procedures are designed not to just present a smooth and radiant layer of skin to the area of the body but is also meant to make the skin more resilient and able to regenerate collagen easier.

Stretch Mark Removal

The important thing to remember with stretch marks is that it is possible with the latest laser technology to minimize stretch marks, however, it is not possible to make it look like the stretch marks were never present. The good news is that laser treatments are virtually pain-free or incredibly little amounts of pain. They can also make the stretch marks much less visible. Some physicians separate the treatment of stretch marks by the color of the mark, mostly white and red. The different pigmentations of the marks make the methods vary slightly but the idea of the procedure is still the same and is conducted in a way similar to the spot removal process.

Tattoo Removal

Tattoo removal lasers vary according to the color and darkness of the tattoo. Most tattoos are not treated completely with just one treatment but require anywhere between four and ten treatments to be completely minimized to its least visible level. Like stretch marks, tattoos cannot be completely erased but they can be minimized to where they do not appear like tattoos any longer. Many doctors estimate that by the end of the treatment process, tattoos will be ninety-five percent eliminated with a small five percent visible residual left over.