YOGA INSTITUTE

Laser resurfacing refers to the removal of skin using lasers (intense beam of light travelling in one direction) so that it can be replaced with newer skin cells. Thus, old skin tissue around wrinkles, scars (including acne scars), and blemishes can be effectively removed. Through laser skin resurfacing, skin cells are removed layer by layer.

Laser resurfacing can do the following:

*Remove fine lines and wrinkles all over the face, including near the eyes and on the cheeks
*Smoothen the skin of the eyelids
*Reduce visibility of crows’ feet around the eyes
*Repair smoker’s lines
*Improve skin tone and texture
*Sun and age spot removal
There are two types of laser resurfacing:

Carbon dioxide Laser Resurfacing—uses very short pulsed light energy delivered systematically to cover the targeted area that removes the skin little by little without much heat damage. Recovery time is up to 2 weeks.
Erbium Laser Resurfacing-removes superficial lines and wrinkles on the face, hands, neck and chest. Erbium lasers do not burn surrounding tissue and thus have minimal side effects. Recovery time is even shorter: often one week. Erbium is also more suitable for darker skin tones.
Non-ablative resurfacing—uses an array of small laser beams to create many microscopic necrotic zones. These heal very rapidly with few adverse effects. This treatment is less invasive than normal CO2 or Erbium laser resurfacing. It is very useful in the treatment of hypopigmentation, giving a more even skin color and texture. This is a relatively new technique.

The laser resurfacing may involve the whole face or part of it (i.e. concentrating around the mouth, eyes, or forehead). The procedure usually lasts between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the extent of resurfacing to be done. A sterile dressing is applied to the treatment site. These are removed within 1 to 3 days. Appropriate skin care is needed to prevent scab formation and consists of:

*Cleaning treated areas with cool tap water or saline or dilute vinegar solution (two to five times per day)
*Applying prescribed ointments (e.g. Vaseline)

There will be itching or stinging for 12 to 72 hours after the intervention. The skin will dry up and fall off within five to seven days and new skin will form. It will have a reddish or pink color. The patient may wish to camouflage it with makeup. With time (up to a year), the skin color will return back to normal. Sunscreen protection is necessary for the new skin. A sun protection factor of at least 15 should be employed.

Although less invasive, laser resurfacing does present some risks:

*Hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation of treated areas
*Cold sores (Herpes viral infection) in treated areas around the mouth. Medication can be used to control this.
*Infections
*Swelling (ice packs can be applied to reduce this)
*Scarring (unusual but can happen)
*Acne flares
*Small white bumps
*Skin inflammation
*Prolonged redness