Wrinkles caused by a loss of skin elasticity: laser treatments
There are two types of lasers:
- The first generation of CO2 lasers strongly abrade and are ideal for treating deep wrinkles or skin that has lost its elasticity. Generally used on all areas of the face, including the eyes and lips, the heat of CO2 lasers stimulates collagen production.
- The second generation Erbium Yag lasers have a finer abrasion and do not trigger skin shrinkage. Their use is reserved for fine, isolated lines, and for younger skin.
What are the results for laser treatments?
Perfectly suited to the thin skin of the eye area, light laser resurfacing achieves excellent results, with reddening of the skin for less than a week.
Laser resurfacing is also very effective in the grooves around the mouth. The redness, however, persists for three or four weeks, although it can be camouflaged after the eighth day with special make-up.
In terms of laser abrasion—laser resurfacing of the entire face—for wrinkled skins, the recovery period is lengthy and requires post-operative care. The face is red and swollen for four days, then the redness decreases slowly over the course of a month. The final results are very impressive, because the entire face is rejuvenated and subtly revitalized. Skin quality tangibly improves, becoming more fresh and firm.
For abrading specific wrinkles in the face, the new generation of Erbium lasers reduces the recuperation time. Redness lasts only 3 or 4 days, and disappears along with the wrinkles that were treated.
What are the risks of laser resurfacing?
The most common risk—in dark or matte skin—is hyperpigmentation in the form of small brown spots that disappear in a few months. This risk can be minimized if the skin is prepared beforehand with the proper depigmentation products. Persons with the herpes virus might also undergo a skin eruption around the mouth without proper preventative measures.
Laser resurfacing treatments are extremely safe and result in healthy, refreshed skin. They should be accompanied, however, by post-operative consultations to ensure optimal results.
