Question:
I’ve been reading up online about laser skin resurfacing. I’m a little confused, since I’ve read about CO2 lasers, Fraxel lasers, Dot lasers, etc. What might be the best laser skin resurfacing treatment for a 42-year-old woman with freckles and sun damage on the face, neck, and décolletage?
Answer:
With all the laser systems available today, choosing the right one can be challenging. The advantage of having so many systems available is that cosmetic surgeons can tailor specific treatments for each patient like never before. For someone with mild to moderate sun damage, IPL (intense pulsed light) is a great option. Theses treatments remove sun damage over a series of treatments with minimal downtime or side effects. In addition, compared to other laser resurfacing types, IPLs are effective at reducing the “reds” as well as the browns that come with sun damage. At Hamilton Facial Plastic Surgery, our aestheticians use the Limelight system from Cutera. It provides effective treatments that can be even further tailored to a patient depending on typre of sun damage. Treatments involve minimal to no discomfort and almost no downtime- make-up can be applied the next day. The first step to correcting sun damage is to meet with a licensed aesthetician or board certified physician to determine the best treatment options for your skin.