Laser rejuvenation has become a very popular cosmetic procedure for improving the appearance of skin damaged by age or other causes. There are traditionally two different types of lasers used for laser rejuvenation
Ablative lasers are used for resurfacing the skin. They treat the top layer of the skin (called the epidermis) while non-ablative lasers treat deeper layers of the skin (the dermis) without affecting the epidermis. Non-ablative lasers stimulate the growth of collagen in the dermis, resulting in smoother, more youthful skin.
Ablative laser treatments use high temperature lasers to remove unwanted tissue. This type of laser skin resurfacing treatment is very effective for improving the appearance of sun damaged skin, and treating moderate to severe skin damage including acne scars, freckles, enlarge pores, and rosacea.
The downside of ablative laser treatments is that your skin will be swollen and red similar to a sunburn for several days after the treatment. Full recovery time can be as long as two weeks.
Non ablative lasers have very few side effects. Because they work by stimulating collagen growth rather than by removing tissue there is very little, if any, redness or swelling after the treatment. They are effective for treating mild skin damage and reducing mild to moderate wrinkles.
Fractional lasers are a recent development that are similar to ablative lasers, but they only treat a percentage of the depth of the epidermis. This procedure produces excellent results like an ablative laser with much reduced down time.
Some fractional lasers also have a non ablative component for stimulation of collagen growth. These combine the benefits of ablative and non ablative lasers while minimizing side effects and recovery time.
Talk to your facial plastic surgeon about what types of laser rejuvenation treatments will be most beneficial to you.