Let’s think about your skin care like a car for a moment. (Without as pushy of salespeople, of course).
The car runs along on gas, oil, brake fluid, and regular trips to the car wash. Just like your skin requires vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and regular cleansing to function properly.
But sometimes you (or the man in your life) want to “soup up” the car so it runs like never before.
That’s what a laser treatment can do for your skin. And no matter how much skin care product you use, lasers can help bring it to the next level. Here, I talk about the research I’ve found while investigating which laser treatment I want to try:
1.) “Laser” is really “L.A.S.E.R.”
2.) Lasers may be used to treat any of the following:
- Eradication or improvement of wrinkles (periocular fine lines, crow’s feet, smoke wrinkles)
- Scar resurfacing (acne scars, burn scars)
- Sun damage
- Age spots and other cutaneous lesions
- Pore reduction among other treatments.
They also can change pore size.
3.) Results can be superb with laser treatments.
- Anti-Aging
- Rosacea
- Acne Scarring
- Pore Size Reduction
4.) Ablative and non-ablative lasers are different.
Generally, ablative lasers are more aggressive than non-ablative in that ablative lasers remove thin layers of skin, while non-ablative lasers gently stimulate collagen production to tighten skin over time. This is why non-ablative lasers typically require little to no downtime while ablative lasers require a certain period of healing time. Typically, ablative lasers are used for skin resurfacing.
5.) Lasers are varied for different types of targets.
Each source of energy for the different lasers produces a specific wavelength of light which aims for different targets and can be varied in intensity and pulse length, depending upon the needs of the patient.
6.) Erbium Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er:YAG) Lasers have the shortest recovery time.
Er:YAG lasers were initially introduced into the United States as a bone-cutting tool in 1996, but are now used to remove superficial lines and wrinkles. The Er:YAG wavelength is easily absorbed by water, so its heat effects are scattered, making its energy ten times more efficient than the CO2 laser. This allows for finer control and superficial tissue ablation, which means less injury of the surrounding tissue.
Because of its gentle skin penetration, Er:YAG treatment usually only requires local anesthesia and has fewer side effects, so your recovery should only last about a week. You may need multiple treatments.
7.) Results last 12-18 months with laser treatments.
During a laser procedure, the collagen structure of your skin may contract by as little as 1% or up to 25%, depending on which type of laser is used. Stronger treatments can last longer up to 18 months or longer.
8.) Ask about whether or not your skin tone is appropriate for laser treatment.
CO2 laser treatment may cause hyper- or hypopigmentation, which is particularly prevalent in darker skin tones; some doctors recommend minimizing this by using a bleaching agent prior to treatment. The risk of permanent side effects is highest with this laser, which is why many doctors no longer perform procedures with it in the continuous form the way it was originally used.
On the other hand, erbium lasers are generally recognized as safe for those with darker skin tones.
9.) You may need multiple treatments.
Ablative lasers require the most healing time, but when performed carefully by an experienced, well-trained physician, the results may be the most dramatic and long-lasting. No matter the type of laser, it is important to find a well-trained, board-certified dermatologist that you trust rather than to just look for a specific brand of device. Your healthy recovery is as dependent upon how your doctor handles the laser as the type of laser used.
10.) I am choosing Aerolase for my first laser treatment.
According to the company, Aerolase lasers “provide practitioners with highly efficacious, versatile, and safe…Our lasers employ breakthrough technology which provides exceptionally high power in a unique pulse duration. Now the practitioner can perform treatments without the anesthetics, skin cooling, pain or pigmentary risk of the previous generation of lasers.”
What is the Advantage of Aerolase Over Other Lasers?
The LightPod Era allows fractional treatments for partial face resurfacing as well full-area ablation for shallow to deep indications with a sub-ablative mode for darker skin types.
Where to Find a Practitioner for Aerolase
To find practitioners, visit here.
Bottom Line
Laser treatments are effective for everything from fine lines and wrinkles to rosacea, acne scarring, and pore reduction. While carbon dioxide lasers are the most powerful, erbium lasers are more gentle, suitable for a larger array of skin types, and have the shortest recovery time — which is why I am going erbium for my first treatment!
A special thank you to Aerolase, whom I am considering strongly for my first laser treatment. I contacted on my own to ask to sponsor this post. I have not had a laser treatment yet.