Laser resurfacing - a dozen FAQ

Laser treatments have revolutionized facial treatments in recent years and laser skin resurfacing is one of the latest treatments to tackle wrinkles, lines and age spots without facial surgery.

Skin resurfacing removes layers of damaged and wrinkled skin so that new, smoother, and younger looking skin can form. Dermabrasion and glycolic peels are commonly available skin resurfacing techniques. Now the precision of the laser is being used in the same way.

Sounds just what you’re looking for?

Well - it may not be as straightforward as it sounds. Laser resurfacing doesn’t involve facial surgery but it is a radical treatment and there’s a lot to consider before you decide to go ahead.

Here’s an essential list of frequently asked questions to help you decide:

1. How does it compare to other skin resurfacing methods? With the laser, a skilled plastic surgeon can precisely target just the area requiring treatment rather than removing the whole surface of the skin as happens with dermabrasion or a peel. Also - depending on the type of laser and amount of surface skin removed - laser resurfacing results in skin tightening and firming.
2. What will happen? After cleansing your face to remove oils, an antibiotic is applied to kill bacteria. The doctor then passes a beam of light from a laser over your skin to vaporize the outer layers of damaged skin. The surgeon can vary the level of penetration required to remove deeper scars or stubborn age spots, and wrinkles. As the laser works, you may hear it zapping, and smell smoke.
3. Doesn’t that hurt? Yes - but the procedure is always done under an anesthetic. For small areas - you’ll probably get a local anesthetic and possibly an oral sedative. If you are having your whole face resurfaced then intravenous sedation or a general anesthetic is the usual approach. Ask your doc what will happen in your case.
4. Will I have to go to hospital? Laser resurfacing can be done in a hospital, an outpatient surgical facility or even your doctor’s office - it all depends on how extensive your treatment is and what level of anesthetic is required.
5. What about the pain afterwards? The pain afterwards is described as ‘mild to moderate’. But - take a look at some photos of patients after the treatment during the healing period - if you have a lot of work done - you may find it’s quite a bit more than moderately painful. It all depends on your tolerance of pain and the amount of resurfacing carried out. You should certainly expect swelling and discomfort and you will probably need ice-packs and pain killers during the healing process.
6. How quickly will I recover? It depends on how much you have done and how quickly your body heals. Scabs may form, and last for about 10 days. After that skin redness may persist for several weeks, or longer. The redness gradually lightens to pink, and then to a lighter, more natural color
7. What after care is involved? You may have a bandage over the whole area. If not you will have to wash your face and apply a special ointment several times a day.
8. Can I use make up afterwards? No - not for the first two weeks. After that you will be able to cover skin redness with a suitable make up.
9. Will my skin be more sensitive to sun damage? Yes - you need to be even more careful to protect your newly resurfaced skin from the sun. You need to wear a high SPF sun block with both UVA and UVB protection every day. If resurfacing was done around your eyes - make sure you wear sunglasses.
10. How long will the anti aging effects last? As you move your face naturally over time - some of the lines and wrinkles will come back. How quickly depends on your lifestyle, your skin care regimen and your diet. If you expose your skin to the sun and smoke for instance your skin will deteriorate much more quickly.
11. What does it cost? As you can imagine it is quite expensive. Obviously it will depend on the level of treatment but average prices for laser resurfacing are around $2000-4000 depending on what you go for.
12. What are the risks? Most laser skin resurfacing procedures are successful but there are still risks. Skin can become permanently lighter or darker as a result of laser resurfacing. Heat from the laser can cause burns or injuries. This risk is reduced if you have a skilled plastic surgeon and proper skin preparation.

As with any radical treatment - your best bet is to research very carefully before deciding. Above all - find a highly skilled registered plastic surgeon with experience in laser resurfacing.