Newer and Older Lasers for Anti-Aging Procedures

Lasers for Anti-Aging Procedures

 

Lasers for Anti-Aging Procedures

You probably already know that lasers are among the most popular anti-aging procedures for treating certain skin problems associated with age, such as wrinkles. What you may not know is that laser techniques have grown changed over they years.

There are some older laser types that still work well, but there have also been new advancements that you should consider. Only by weighing all of your laser treatment choices against one another can you come up with the best answer.

The Latest Craze in Laser Treatment

 

The latest craze in laser treatment is fractional photothermolysis. It has been given the patented industry name of Fraxel laser treatment. So, what is a Fraxel laser? Well, to put it simply, it’s a laser that is capable of drilling small holes in your skin.

If you’re wondering why it’s important to drill those holes, it’s because your skin has multiple layers, but they are all made up of the same general components, like elastin and collagen. Your body makes those components on its own in large amounts when you’re younger. But under normal circumstances it will make less of them when you’re older. Using a laser capable of treating all layers of skin like a cosmetic laser will harm your skin just enough to make your body increase production of those components in an effort to repair the damage.

 

Older Treatments That Still Work

 

Of course, there are older laser treatments that still work as well. One of them is an ablative laser procedure, which is sometimes known as a laser peel or laser skin resurfacing. Generally, an ablative laser is used to get rid of dead skin cells on the surface of your skin. Getting rid of that top layer of dead cells can allow the health cells to replace them. That said, ablative lasers are also sometimes used to treat deeper skin layers as well.

 

Another older option is a non-ablative laser machine. In contrast to an ablative laser, a non-ablative one won’t focus on the visible part of your skin. Instead, it works to revitalize your skin’s lower layers, encouraging collagen production and holding the skin together tighter. With enough non-ablative treatments, shallow wrinkles can start to fill themselves out more until your skin has a healthier appearance.

 

What to Expect When Recovering from Laser Procedures

 

What to expect when recovering from laser procedures depends on the type of procedure you have. Ablative lasers have the most risk of infection, and can also be the most painful. After an ablative treatment you need to be careful to protect the surface of your skin from infections until it heals.

 

Other laser treatments often have no recovery time at all. But keep in mind that they aren’t nearly as strong as the machines used for ablative treatments. That means that part of your final decision about when procedure type to undergo will be based on how many repeat treatments you are willing to have and how quickly you want to see results. Of course, you’ll also have to ask a skincare professional which laser machines are likely to work best on your skin.