As we age, it is natural for our skin to develop wrinkles. Just because this happens to everyone does not mean that you have to live with it. At Handal Plastic Surgery, we offer cutting edge technology to ensure that you can have the appearance that you want. Laser wrinkle reduction and removal is a common reason that patients come through our door every day. The process of removing or reducing your wrinkles is called lasabrasion, laser peel, or vaporization. While they may be called different things, the technique is to use short pulses of concentrated beams of light to remove skin one layer at a time.
Patients who have wrinkles or fine lines located around the eyes, mouth, or forehead may be good candidates for this procedure. In addition, shallow acne scars or skin that didn’t respond to a facelift could also be corrected with laser resurfacing.
CO2 laser resurfacing has been used for years to treat a number of different skin issues, including wrinkles, scars, warts, and many others. However, as science has progressed, CO2 laser resurfacing has also reaped the benefits. The DOT Fractional CO2 laser offers the cutting edge in laser wrinkle reduction and removal technology, and this is what we use at Handal Plastic Surgery. This technology works by creating a “dot” pattern that makes thousands of tiny perforations in the skin and leaving areas outside of the “dot” in place. This helps the skin to heal more rapidly after the procedure has been completed. This means that you get faster and more efficient treatment than other methods were previously able to offer.
The first step to achieving the appearance that you want is to call our offices and schedule your consultation. Our staff will want to know about your medical history and will perform a physical exam. We are looking at any possible complications and ensuring that laser resurfacing will give you the results that you want. You should make sure to tell your doctor if you get frequent cold sores or fever blisters around your mouth, as this procedure can trigger future breakouts. Once you have decided to get the procedure, we will direct you about how to prepare for the procedure. This may include stopping any medications that can affect your body’s ability to clot about ten days before your procedure. Smoking can also cause complications before and after the procedure, so we ask that you stop smoking 14 days before and after your procedure to reduce any potential risks. This also helps to ensure that you get the results that you want.
The procedure is conducted on an outpatient basis. You will come in and leave on the same day. Depending on your case, your doctor may treat individual wrinkles around the eyes, mouth, and forehead, or treat the entire face. Depending on your treatment, you will either be given a local anesthetic, or a general anesthetic. This will be discussed in advance so that you know what to expect. The procedure generally takes between 30 and 45 minutes to complete. The actual procedure requires that the specific areas are treated with the laser. Targeted areas will remove the upper layers of skin and allow the body to begin producing collagen. This can reduce or remove the wrinkles from those areas.
Once the procedure is complete, work with your doctor to ensure that all of your care protocols are followed. Patients generally heal in a few weeks, and the results will be fully realized shortly after complete healing.
If you are interested in reducing or removing wrinkles, contact Handal Plastic Surgery, and schedule an appointment today!
