Laser Resurfacing Revisited

One of the most important and effective adjuvant treatments available for enhancing facial aesthetic surgery has over the past several years received a “bum rap”! Ablative facial resurfacing has fallen out of favor despite its obvious success in smoothing out the skin because of its initial applications. The procedure would laser the skin very very deep which would cause a very very red, draining face for a very very long time. The facial skin would look wonderful after 6 months!!!

No one has the time or inclination for such recovery. Today you can have ablative resurfacing without the downtime. The depth of the controlled burn that is necessary for a good result can be divided into multiple quick procedures that leave a person red for a short time (1-2 days). Each procedure leaves a permanent depth difference so that the next treatment does not repeat the previous work but begins where the last one left off. The end point is when the patient is happy with their skin appearance. This varies with each individual.

We talk of 10 year olds having “bright, shiny faces”. The faces are shiny not because of hygiene but because their skin is smooth. As we age our facial skin become more textured with pitting, discoloration and age spots. The resurfacing laser will recapture some of the youth. I routinely offer complimentary laser treatments to all of my surgical facial patients because it makes the overall result that much better.