Surgery: Smooth, luminous skin is the ideal. Yet, years of sun, stress and environmental factors can make this goal hard to achieve. Laser resurfacing can help reverse this damage by using this light based technology. This procedure is a good alternative for patients who fear scalpels or stitches. The CO2 (carbon dioxide) laser is a relatively new treatment that precisely vaporizes the superficial skin layer by layer. This procedure can be performed on the entire face for an overall rejuvenated appearance, or target specific areas of concern. This procedure leaves the skin smoother and tighter.
Procedure: In limited areas, this procedure can be done in-office under local anesthesia and an oral sedative. If treatment of the full face is desired, in-hospital and general anesthesia is needed. First, the skin is injected with xyldocaine to anesthetize the areas to be treated. The laser is aimed at the skin with pinpoint accuracy and a designated number of passes are determined for desired effectiveness. Another benefit of laser resurfacing is a surprisingly small amount of scarring, bleeding or bruising. CO2 laser resurfacing can be used to remove age spots, freckles, moles, lines, and wrinkles.
Post-Operative Recovery: Slight swelling is expected in the first 72 hours. A thick covering of an antibiotic ointment is to be applied for seven days to promote healing and add protection to the healing tissue. After one week, makeup can be used to mask the new pink skin. The patient can return to normal activities almost immediately, but it may take 1-2 months for all the redness to subside.
*Pre-requisite – Skin must be prepped with specific products for a minimum of six weeks*
Contact Joseph Russo, MD today to schedule your consultation and find out if CO2 Skin Resurfacing treatments are right for you. Our team will work with you to determine the most appropriate treatment options for your skin and your aesthetic concerns.
