When Skin Damage Goes Too Far: When to See a Plastic Surgeon

The skin is a living organ of the body, changing and rejuvenating throughout your life. It has an amazing ability to repair itself, even when cut, burned or removed. However, it is not trauma that causes the most damage to skin. The elements -sun, wind and water – are the hardest on the skin and can do the most damage, leaving it looking aged and tired.

Skin damage comes in many forms. Sunspots, discolorations, redness, wrinkles and rough texture can all be caused from exposure to the elements. Sun can be the most detrimental, with risks of cancer from too much exposure. However, if you are most concerned with aesthetic changes in your skin from damage, there are remedies available.

Plastic surgeons offer more than just surgical options for improving your appearance. When it comes to the skin, many offer a variety of non-surgical solutions. If your skin has changed in texture, color or firmness, there are treatments that can improve the surface of your skin. These treatments help the skin do what it does best – repair itself. Some of the options available include:

  • Laser skin therapy
  • Facial chemical peels
  • Dermabrasion
  • Skin resurfacing

These options all work in different ways to remove damaged skin cells and promote new skin growth. Oddly, with skin damage, a targeted cosmetic damaging of the skin can actually improve the appearance.

If your skin damage has gone too far and you want to explore options to bring back your healthier, more youthful skin, it is time to see a cosmetic surgeon. There are solutions to undo the skin damage and give you beautiful skin again.

Posted on behalf of:
Beverly Hills Center for Plastic & Laser Surgery
120 South Spalding Drive #236
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 288-0641

6 Uses for Facial Laser Treatments

Medical lasers use light energy to manipulate tissue, whether it is during brain surgery or for cosmetic skin treatments. The advancements in laser technology has improved medical procedures, creating options that were not available before the 1990’s. For facial improvements, laser treatments can offer safe, effective procedures that have little risk or downtime. Here are six popular uses for laser treatments on the face.

  1. Remove birthmarks. Laser treatments are a safe and effective option for fading port wine and strawberry birthmarks on the face.
  2. Hair removal. Laser hair removal can permanently remove the female mustache, chin hairs or facial “fuzz” to eliminate waxing or shaving.
  3. Age spots. Sun damage or age spots can be faded and removed with laser therapy, targeting the darker pigmented skin cells and rejuvenating the skin.
  4. Sagging skin. For sagging or loose skin on the brow, around the eyes or in the neck area, laser skin resurfacing can be used to tighten and improve elasticity for a more youthful appearance.
  5. Fine lines and wrinkles. Laser therapy can help minimize fine lines and wrinkles, stimulating collagen production and smoothing the skin. Laser treatments can also improve the texture of the skin through resurfacing, similar in effect to a chemical peel.
  6. Facial folds. Laser treatments can help reduce folds in the skin from aging, like nasolabial folds and jowl sagging, tightening and smoothing deeper lines and folds.

Laser treatments are quick and usually painless. Some procedures may leave the skin red or flaking, but little downtime is needed after treatments. For effective laser treatments, consult a plastic surgeon that offers skin laser therapy at their practice for the best results.

Posted on behalf of:
Sanaz Harirchian, M.D.
9230 Katy Fwy Suite 600
Houston, TX 77055
713-791-070

How to Know if Laser Resurfacing is Right for You

You cannot stop the hands of time. Your body, hair and skin will change as you age, but that does not mean you cannot slow the process. Your skin is one of the most noticeable areas for aging, especially on your face. This skin is delicate and exposed to the sunlight and elements, making it more likely to age quicker. However, there are options to help you fight the aging process, including laser resurfacing.

Benefits of Laser Resurfacing

There are many different types of laser therapy for the skin, from removing scars to eliminating hair growth. For rejuvenating aging skin, the fractional Co2 laser is one of the best options. This form of laser therapy is used for resurfacing the skin, giving it new life. The thermal energy is used to remove dead skin cells and bolster collagen production, slowing the hands of time on your face as your skin repairs itself. Some skin issues that can be treated with laser resurfacing include:

  • Fine lines and wrinkles
  • Loose or sagging skin
  • Crepe-like skin
  • Scarring
  • Large pores

Laser skin resurfacing can address these specific issues and improve the overall appearance of your skin. It can help the texture and tone, creating even, more youthful appearing skin. This procedure can be performed outpatient at a facial plastic surgeon’s clinic on its own, or combined with other options like platelet-rich plasma or dermal fillers to help give you a more youthful look.

If you want to slow the aging process and keep your skin looking fresh and youthful, visit the med spa at your local plastic surgery clinic to learn about options like laser resurfacing.

Posted on behalf of:
Sanaz Harirchian, M.D.
9230 Katy Fwy Suite 600
Houston, TX 77055
713-791-0700

Winter Facial Laser Treatments

If you are considering facial laser skin resurfacing or rejuvenation, now may be a great time to see your facial plastic surgeon about having the procedure done.  According to a recent article in the New York Times, winter is the best time of year for laser skin treatments including skin rejuvenation, hair removal, facial resurfacing, treatment of brown spots, or tattoo removal. 

Dermatologists suggest winter as the ideal season for laser skin treatments because the skin is not tanned.  Melanin, the natural pigment in the skin, can temporarily reduce the effectiveness of some laser treatments.  In addition, some laser procedures take several laser treatments over a period of weeks and in the winter, there is less sun exposure throughout the duration of the treatment.

If you schedule your facial laser skin treatments in the winter, tanning will not be as much of a concern.  If you are planning a winter cruise or vacation to a milder climate, consider planning your facial laser treatment after Halloween, but well before your scheduled departure to allow time for your skin to heal.  Alternatively, plan your treatment well after you have returned to allow your tan to fade.

By scheduling your procedure during the winter months, you can maximize the effectives of the procedure and have plenty of time for your skin to heal before the sunny days of spring arrive.

The seasons are not the only consideration when scheduling your facial laser skin treatments.  Be sure to consult with your facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist.  They can help you determine when to schedule your procedure for the best possible results.

Types of Laser Skin Rejuvenation Treatment

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.