Laser Peels

Advances in technology are fast making laser peels the treatment of choice for many skin conditions. Many physicians now use lasers instead of stronger chemical peels to rejuvenate the skin

Laser peel is a novel technique to remove the upper layers of the skin. The Harmony Erbium: YAG laser is used to remove the top layer of the skin.

The Erbium Weekend Peel gets its name because of the typical 2-3 day downtime usually associated with the procedure.

The depth of the skin peeling depends on the power settings and the number of times the laser is passed over the same area.

The Erbium laser peel can provide a partial to full epidermal removal (20-50 microns deep). This is at least twice the depth of Microdermabrasion which only acts on the very superficial skin layer.

In addition to its beneficial effects on the outer layers of the skin, the laser has also been shown to stimulate collagen production and remodel the deeper layers of the skin- which eventually result in a fresher, healthier wrinkle free skin.

Recent data indicate that the laser peels have less effect on pigmented skin than chemical peels.

Unlike the chemical peels, the laser is more controlled and avoids the continual damage to the skin which often occurs with the deeper peels.

With the controlled resurfacing associated with the laser peel, most individuals report good results after just one procedure. However, most dermatologists' recommend that repeat treatments are required 1-2 months later to maintain the benefits of the laser peel.

Laser peel is painful and most individuals do require a local or topical anesthetic just prior to the procedure.

After the laser peel, it is recommended that one apply an oil based moisturizer to prevent the skin dryness.

The deeper laser resurfacing method id hyped to be a better and more efficient procedure, with less downtime, faster recovery and reduced pain.

Like chemical peels, sunscreens are highly recommended after the laser peel.

Todate, only minor side effects have been reported with the laser

The majority of individuals do claim to have a reduction in wrinkles and fine lines after the laser peel. However, these claims are all anecdotal.

There is some controversy surrounding the use of laser as a peel and the treatment is not universally accepted by all physicians.

For the moment, the few data available indicate that that laser peel is considered to be safe and effective

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