Laser Skin Resurfacing

The Basics of Laser Skin Resurfacing

You’ve probably heard of laser skin resurfacing – especially recently – as it is extremely popular and much talked about by celebrities. In fact, while many A-listers are reluctant to discuss face lift procedures, many of them brag about the “miracle” of laser skin resurfacing.

Laser skin resurfacing refers to a type of medical procedure that removes the outer layer of skin and rejuvenates the underlying layers of skin for a wide variety of cosmetic, anti-aging, and therapeutic purposes. While there are many laser skin resurfacing devices on the market, AMAE Med Spa in Birmingham, MI offers the latest and most advanced system called the CO2RE laser.  CO2RE skin resurfacing treatments are faster, more comfortable, and require less downtime than other laser resurfacing systems.

In this article the skin resurfacing experts at AMAE Med Spa in Birmingham, MI explain the basics of laser skin resurfacing – including the many aesthetic results it can delivery.

What Laser Skin Resurfacing Can Do

Laser skin resurfacing can be used to remove wrinkles, scars, and pigmentation. It can be used as a treatment for sun damage, age spots, eczema, psoriasis, hyperpigmentation, and other skin conditions. It can also smooth out rough and uneven skin texture, pitted acne scars, pock marks, raised keloid scars, and hypertrophic scars.

How Laser Skin Resurfacing Works

The laser beam removes the top layer of dead, damaged, or discolored skin cells through a process called selective “photo-thermolysis”. This leaves the new cells unharmed while it kills the old ones that are causing the problem with your skin.

The CO2RE laser is a fractional CO2 laser – which means that it delivers a laser beam divided into thousands of microscopic treatment zones that target a fraction of the skin at a time. Fractional lasers cause less damage to healthy cells – and so recovery time is typically faster than with other skin resurfacing lasers.

CO2RE laser skin resurfacing is unique in that it utilizes dual laser waves that can be adjusted to treat both the superficial top layer of skin (epidermis) and the deep inner layers of skin (dermis) simultaneously.

First, it performs “ablative” resurfacing treatments to strip away the thin, top layer of aged, damaged skin – revealing fresh, healthy skin beneath. Then the fractional laser component works by creating micro-channels in the deeper layers of the skin, which stimulates collagen production and cell renewal for repair of skin damage.

Good Candidates for Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing is a good option for healthy, non-smoking adults of any age who are looking to improve the appearance of their skin and reduce the signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and scars. It is also helpful for people who have uneven skin tone or texture, or who have sun-damaged skin or unwanted pigmentation.

However, it is also important to note that laser skin resurfacing is not suitable for everyone. Laser skin resurfacing may not be suitable for people with very dark skin or those who have a history of keloid scars. However, AMAE Med Spa in Birmingham, MI offers a wide variety of other skin resurfacing treatments that are safe for dark skin or patients with a predisposition to scarring.

Additionally, people with certain medical conditions, such as active infections or skin diseases, may not be good candidates for laser skin resurfacing. This includes patients with frequent facial blemishes such as active acne, rosacea, sensitive skin, skin cancer or sunburn in the past 6 weeks.

Laser Skin Resurfacing Recovery

Because laser skin resurfacing treatments remove the top layer of skin there is some discomfort. Dr. Ali will apply a local anesthetic before CO2RE laser skin resurfacing, to ensure a comfortable procedure.

The remarkable skin resurfacing results from CO2RE laser skin resurfacing will be immediately visible, since the dead, damaged and discolored top layer of skin has been removed. The results will continue to improve for the next several months as the body begins producing more collagen and elastin to build smoother, firmer, plumper skin cells.

While there may be a couple days of downtime while the redness and mild swelling subsides, our Birmingham, MI patients universally agree that it is “worth it” because the dramatically visible skin resurfacing results can last for years!

Other Skin Resurfacing Treatments

While laser treatments are generally considered the “gold standard” in skin resurfacing, we also offer a wide variety of other treatments for skin texture, lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, and scars. Many of these treatments come with no downtime, do not require anesthetic, and are safe for darker skin tones.

Chemical peels, IPL Photofacials, microneedling, and radiofrequency treatments (like Profound and Morpheus8) are all alternatives to laser skin resurfacing that are offered at AMAE Med Spa in Birmingham, MI.

One of our skin resurfacing experts will take the time to assess your individual needs, evaluate your skin type and condition, and determine if laser skin resurfacing or another one of our skincare treatments is right for you.

Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatments – Birmingham, MI

Birmingham board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ali offers the absolute best, state-of-the-art technologies in laser skin care, skin resurfacing treatments, and wrinkle, line, redness and dark spot reduction.  In addition to CO2RE laser skin resurfacing treatments, we also offer Nordlys Ellipse IPL, Fraxel 1550 laser, Morpheus8 and ThermiSmooth radiofrequency, chemical peels and more.

Each skin resurfacing treatment begins with a professional skin consultation. Treatments are selected and optimized to meet the specific needs of each client with the most innovative and comprehensive products and technologies. For optimal results we also offer custom packages of laser treatments, under the guidance of Dr. Ali and our skilled nurses and medical aesthetician.

Schedule a laser skin treatment – and then relax in our Birmingham Med Spa, while we make you look and feel younger and even more attractive!

Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatments | Birmingham Med Spa: 248.335.7200