Time, sun exposure, and other factors take their toll on our skin, causing freckles, brown spots, and wrinkles. Over time, our skin suffers damage below the surface as well. As a result, laser skin treatments have become very popular for facial rejuvenation. But there are different types of lasers, so it’s important to choose the procedure that is designed to address your specific concerns.
Ablative lasers scrub off the epidermis (ablate means to scrape) to reveal new, fresher-looking cells. Before, old-school ablative techniques were CO2-based and very harsh on the skin. Non-ablative lasers use heat to target subsurface layers of the dermis, mainly to eliminate hyperpigmentation and tighten skin.
Both types of lasers stimulate your body’s natural production of elastin and collagen, the structural elements of our skin. As we age, production of these vital compounds slow down and our skin loses elasticity and its vibrant tone. So while laser skin treatments can work to refresh your skin’s visual appearance on the outside, they can also refresh your ongoing ability to produce new cells to maintain a more youthful look.
As you can imagine, lasers that scrape can be intense. Results can be dramatic after just one treatment, but because the procedure works by wounding the entire surface, recovery can take up to two weeks. In addition to erasing freckles and other spots and smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, ablative lasers can also help:
Instead of acting on the entire surface of the procedure area, fractional ablative lasers offer a kinder, gentler level of treatment. They are designed to target just a portion of the surface, in a pixelated pattern. The process treats enough of the surface to make a visible difference, but because much of the surface is untouched, the healing process is faster so you have less downtime. In fact, treatments stimulate cell renewal throughout the procedure area.
This gentler approach produces less dramatic results, so it will take multiple sessions to achieve your goal. Patients who want less downtime often find this option fits their work and/or personal schedules quite nicely.
BBL (broadband light) and standard lasers penetrate to a specific depth to repair damaged skin without scraping the surface. The process is comparatively gentle, with little to no downtime. In the days following treatment, minute “cell debris” inside the skin will rise to the surface and be washed away, while new cells take their place. People use non-ablative lasers to correct less severe skin damage such as:
Halo is in a class by itself because it uses dual fractional technology – combining fractional ablative plus non-ablative lasers – to deliver two-in-one results. It heats and scrapes at the same time, in order to treat both shallow and deeper skin issues simultaneously. Even better, you’re able dial either part of the treatment up or back, based on your precise needs and the amount of downtime you can afford.
Halo treatments are straightforward. Aestheticians apply a numbing cream to the procedure area to keep you comfortable, then the procedure itself will take about 30-45 minutes. Following the treatment you’ll need to apply an ice pack.
There will be some initial redness, but usually just for a couple of days. After that, you can go back to using makeup. Some patients also see dark spots in the procedure area at first, but these will also disappear within a week or two.
Two reasons, both of them very important:
Are laser skin treatments right for you? The best way to find out is to schedule a private consultation. Why not do that now, and get one step closer to fresher-looking, more vibrant facial skin.