Laser Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing can be used to treat a wide variety of skin conditions such as wrinkles, scars and pigmentation changes. It works by creating precisely controlled damage to the dermis of the skin which triggers collagen formation and skin tightening to create a more youthful appearance.
While our practice offers a wide array of skin rejuvenation modalities such as Intense Pulse Light (IPL) and Broadband Light (BBL), Dr. Maiorino finds that the two lasers that provide the best, most consistent, results are the Erbium and CO2 lasers. An erbium laser is used to treat more superficial skin conditions and helps treat fine wrinkles, age spots, and skin laxity. A CO2 laser is an ablative laser that removes the top layers of skin to allow for a more robust skin tightening thus allowing the treatment of deeper wrinkles, scars, and skin laxity.
Additional Information
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Patients who have age/sun spots, fine/deep wrinkles, acne scars, mild skin laxity, uneven skin tone, enlarged oil glands or rhinophyma are good candidates for laser skin resurfacing. Your normal skin tone can also determine whether or not you are a candidate for the procedure. Patients should not have active infections, have taken healing disorders, or have taken isotretinoin (Accutane) within the previous 6 months.
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After CO2/Erbium laser therapy, the skin may remain inflamed and pink for 1-2 weeks after the procedure until the skin can re-epithelialize. Once the skin heals, you’ll begin to see the skin tightening effects and improvement of pigmentation and texture. These results can continue to improve over the ensuing months with some patients benefiting from a secondary treatment at the 3-6 month period.
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The areas treated with laser will be raw and swollen after treatment so a thick layer of ointment will be applied to help protect the skin and keep it moisturized to maximize healing. You will be given a prescription for a pain reliever to help with any discomfort and may use ice packs or vinegar soaks to help with this. You’ll be asked to avoid sun exposure for 3-6 months with use of daily sun screen to help protect the skin as it is very sensitive to sun exposure during this time frame.
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The cost of laser therapy ranges from $1000 - $2000 depending on the location of treatment and type of laser chosen.
Interested? Find out what’s next!
If you are interested in having laser resurfacing performed and you reside in or near Washington, DC, or you are planning to visit this area, call Dr. Maiorino's office to schedule an initial consultation, or CLICK HERE to schedule now!
