A fresh, smooth complexion is one of the secrets to a youthful appearance. The quality of one’s facial skin can be the difference to looking younger than your true age. Wrinkles around the mouth and eyes can be the first sign of facial aging. Years of sun damage or smoking can lead to visible patches of uneven pigmented skin, small skin growths, age spots, scars, and of course, wrinkles. Many people are also bothered by years of acne scars. Board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Warren Lent, can treat or improve upon all of these problems with laser skin resurfacing.
The two most common problems, wrinkles and scars, suffer from the same problem: an uneven skin surface. As light shines across this uneven surface, shadows are created in their depths. It is the shadowing, which makes the wrinkles or scars standout. The goal of laser therapy is to smooth the skin by vaporizing the raised areas and balancing out the uneven surface. The body induces an inflammatory response, which brings in new collagen as part of the process and improves the skin’s quality.
Who can Benefit from Laser Skin Resurfacing?
People who should consider laser skin resurfacing include those who have:
- Sun damaged facial skin
- Wrinkled or crepe-like skin of the face
- Wrinkles around the mouth and eyes
- Uneven brown patches
- Small skin growths or sun induced skin changes
- Acne scars
- Superficial scars of the face
The Two Different Types of Lasers
Two lasers are most appropriate for this form of treatment: the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Laser and the Erbium Laser. Both lasers are highly effective. The decision on which to use is often dependent on the extent of the patient’s problem, their skin type, and skin color.
Plastic surgeon, Dr. Warren Lent, is one of the country’s most experienced surgeons who use the laser for the treatment of facial aging. He has been a pioneer and on the forefront in the development of this technique. He has performed several thousand laser procedures with excellent success.
The Laser Skin Resurfacing Procedure
Plastic surgeons can perform the laser skin resurfacing procedure with the patient completely awake, sedated, or under full anesthesia. If the patient chooses to be fully awake, a layer of topical numbing cream will be applied to the face approximately thirty minutes prior to the start of the procedure. If needed, the numbing effect may be supplemented with facial nerve blocks. The procedure consists of treatment of the individual wrinkles or scars, followed by treatment of the entire face for proper blending of the facial skin color. The procedure usually takes between forty-five and ninety minutes to perform.
Post Surgery
The initial healing phase, whereby the new skin comes in, usually takes between seven and ten days. This is followed by a period of pink coloration to the skin, which lasts from several weeks to several months. Usually, patients can easily camouflage the coloration with make-up. The procedure is generally considered to be safe. However, like all medical treatments, there are certain risks including the risk of scarring, loss of color, extended periods of increased color, bleeding, infection and the risk of anesthesia. In the hands of a highly skilled, well trained board certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Warren Lent, great effort is made to minimize these risks.
Laser Skin Resurfacing and other types of Facial Plastic Surgery
Having a laser skin resurfacing is an excellent way to restore a youthful look. But, it may be just one component to an overall plan to improve your facial appearance. Patients should consider laser skin resurfacing as part of a total plan of facial rejuvenation. There are usually two components to the facial aging process, the loss of skin quality and an increase in skin quantity that leads to sagging facial skin. Treatment of the excess quantity of facial skin is best treated with procedures such as, a facelift, laser eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) and a forehead/brow Lift. A well thought out treatment plan that offers some combination of these procedures with laser skin resurfacing can lead to optimal results. The results of Laser Skin Resurfacing can bring immense satisfaction, especially when performed by highly experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Warren Lent.
Here at Dr. Warren Lent’s office, we show care for each patient from the initial consultation to the final post-surgery call. We look forward to hearing from you. For more information about the laser skin resurfacing, costs, or questions, please contact us at:
150 North Robertson Blvd. Suite 140
Beverly Hills, Ca 90211