Facial rejuvenation with laser Colombia
Resurfacing laser Colombia
It consists of applying laser to the skin to generate a tightening effect on the dermis, generating a more rejuvenated face.
Laser facial peeling for scars and acne: By means of laser, superficial layers of the skin are removed, reducing the unsightly appearance of scars and acne.
Laser resurfacing What drives us?
The most common impulses to undergo this aesthetic treatment.
- Wrinkles from Superficial to Intermediate Depth.
- Solar photoaging.
- Acne scars.
- Epidermal Dysplasias.
- Dyschromias.
Types of Laser in Resurfacing
We will use the most appropriate laser depending on the area and thickness of the skin to be treated.
Erbium Laser Resurfacing Facial
This type of laser is used in cases where superficial or medium ablation is required.
The healing time is about 7 days, the period of redness is short, the thermal damage is relatively minimal, and the color changes are less evident than with the C02 laser. Therefore, it is a highly recommended option , but it should be the doctor who evaluates whether it is the best technique in your case.
Facial Resurfacing with CO2 Laser
When treating the skin with the CO2 laser, the possibility of reproducibility of results is mainly offered.
During the performance of CO2 laser resurfacing, a cutaneous retraction is caused by the heat transmitted during vaporization, which causes dehydration and shrinkage of the tissue. We will achieve smoother and more homogeneous skin on the surface.
The combined resurfacing of CO2 and erbium. The Derma-K
At the Medical-Surgical Laser Center we have the Derma-K, the only laser that combines carbon dioxide and Erbium, offering the best of each technique .
Lumeni Derma-K
The combination of both lasers offers the great advantage of obtaining the specific properties of each system: erbium is used in less damaged areas and CO2 is used in deeper areas. In addition, this combined system is ideal for a complete facial resufacing , which offers a series of advantages over partials such as greater ease in avoiding demarcation lines and color changes.
Care of facial laser Resurfacing
It has a preoperative and postoperative to show unbeatable results.
Post-resurfacing skin care is important not only to prevent future complications, but for long-term maintenance. If we do not take care of the results that we have obtained, it is very likely that the effects of the treatment will begin to disappear, having to restart it from the beginning.
Resurfacing treatment begins at home with preoperative treatment:
- The use of whitening creams (4% hydroquinone), or glycolic acid weeks before the procedure to reduce the risk of hyperpigmentation, especially in patients with dark skin.
- Ac application. Retinoic 21 days before treatment.
In addition, we must take into account the postoperative treatment:
Antiviral prophylaxis is undoubtedly essential, since herpes virus simplex infection occurs in 2 to 7% of all operated patients. The use of an antiviral agent is recommended for at least 24 hours prior to the procedure and maintained until revitalization is complete.
The use of antibacterial prophylaxis. Until the revitalization is complete, the area should be kept primarily in a humid environment, although there are differences between the authors between the choice between open or closed techniques
Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing
- What is resurfacing ?
We understand by resurfacing the formation of a new skin after removing the old one by using a laser . This renewal makes it possible to eliminate or improve all the signs of skin aging : brown and red spots (lentigines, telangiectasias), wrinkles, sagging and sagging, replacing them with new skin. The formation of a new layer of skin allows us to manufacture a large amount of new collagen and tighten the skin in a more than remarkable way ( lifting or skin tightening effect ).
Although the vast majority of times the use of resurfacing is aesthetic , it also has a medical indication , since the formation of new skin also eliminates accumulated sun damage and premalignant skin lesions ( actinic keratoses ). Therefore it also has a very effective therapeutic action, especially when there are large affected areas (scalp, face or cleavage).
What effects does a resurfacing have on the skin ?
The resurfacing ablative fractional laser is, today, the anti – aging treatment that gets better cosmetic results and with which all others are compared (the » gold standard «). The renewal of the skin obtained with the resurfacing causes a very important decrease in the lentigines (sun spots), the telangiectasias (capillaries), the wrinkles (of the forehead, of the eyebrows, of the crow’s feet, of the eyelids, of the code of bars), flaccidity (of the face, neck, dewlap), pore size and skin shine . There is no aesthetic treatment as effective or complete as resurfacing , since it treats all the signs of aging and not just some in isolation (as botulinum toxin does, for example, which only improves wrinkles; fillers, which only improve static grooves and wrinkles). It is also the most efficient : with a single session, more results are obtained than with any other aesthetic treatment. The aesthetic effects begin to be perceived a week after having carried out the treatment (once the crusts of the erosions have come off), increasing the improvement for a period of up to six months . The effects achieved are permanent .
How is ablative fractional resurfacing performed ?
It is an outpatient procedure , which does not require admission or performance in an operating room. The two days prior to treatment and up to two days after treatment, it is recommended to take an oral antiviral if there is a history of having had herpes simplex (this is also necessary in the case of using fillers). An hour before proceeding with resurfacing , an anesthetic cream is applied in the doctor’s office that will remain on the skin for one hour. Subsequently the anesthetic cream is removed, the skin is cleaned with an antiseptic solution and the laser is applied. The laser head moves over the skin to be treated and it is shot sequentially in areas of maximum 2 cm square. As if it were a mosaic of tiles, these areas are treated contiguously. The pace of the procedure is fully adjustable . If the entire face is treated, the resurfacing lasts about 15 minutes , and is bothersome only in some areas (barcode and area closest to the eyelids): in the rest of the face, the discomfort is discreet. Although it is not necessary, if the patient wishes, local anesthesia can be administered in the most sensitive areas, or even sedation can be used for especially apprehensive people. Immediately at the end of the treatment, a burning / stinging sensation is perceived , similar to that of a sunburn in summer. At that time, cold wet compresses are applied for a few minutes to relieve, and then a re-epithelializing cream . In the case of treating limited areas (barcode or crow’s feet), the treatment lasts barely 5 minutes.
What happens after resurfacing ?
All treated skin is replaced . The procedure is exactly the same (but controlled) as when a drop of hot oil falls on us: redness , erosions , exudation , swelling and, later, scabs are observed . This process is necessary for it to produce improvement. Usually, the first day after the procedure, swelling and redness are more noticeable.
On the second day the crusts begin to form, which will come off over 5 – 14 days depending on the potency used in the treatment and the regenerative capacity of the patient’s skin. During these first days, you should clean your face with soap and water three times a day and use a specific cream to make healing faster and safer. It is recommended to take the drop for a period of 3-4 days so that the most intense epithelialization phase (which is drastic) is carried out at home.
In general, on the fifth or sixth day you can live a normal life and use makeup . It is absolutely necessary to use SPF 50 sun protection when going outside.
This recovery period can be reduced , if the patient wishes, using low powers . In this way, normal life can be carried out in 3 – 4 days, but the effect achieved is less and it is likely that in the coming months, a new session will be desired.
How many fractional resurfacing sessions are necessary?
In general, a single session at intermediate power achieves excellent results. However, it will depend on the intensity of the laser parameters that we use. The more energy is used, the more positive effect is obtained, although the duration of the epithelialization phase (crusts and exudate) also increases.
What are the side effects that can appear after an ablative fractional resurfacing ?
Although ablative fractional resurfacing is a safe procedure , some undesirable effects may occur in some cases: prolonged redness for weeks (transient), hyperpigmentation (less than 1% in fair skin), hypopigmentation (exceptional), and secondary scarring (exceptional at moderate powers and in the face).
Adverse effects are more frequent when treating the neck and décolleté area and in patients with dark skin (phototypes IV or higher), so caution is recommended in these cases.
What is the best indication for performing ablative fractional resurfacing ?
The best answers are obtained the “worse” the skin is. The aged skin of women who have brown, red spots and extensive wrinkles (deep or not) are the optimal indication of resurfacing . If the defects are minimal, or limited to one area, another therapeutic option is generally recommended, albeit temporary. Another application of resurfacing with excellent results is the “barcode” (longitudinal wrinkles in the mustache area and around the mouth) and the “crow’s feet” (transverse wrinkles on the outer corner of the eye).
In conclusion, ablative fractional resurfacing is the aesthetic treatment with the best results , with an optimal benefit / cost ratio , high sensitivity (response obtained per session) and with an immediate effect after the epithelialization phase. However, the patient has to be willing to spend a few days on leave (3-7, depending on the power used and the healing) in which he will have to carry out topical treatment three times a day.
