Resurfacing, new skin, scar removal, growths, fibromas with ablation laser

Fractional lasers have revolutionized laser skin resurfacing.

WHAT IS IT?
Fractional lasers allow safe skin rejuvenation, with minimal downtime. Just as a damaged painting is restored one small area at a time, or a photo is altered pixel by pixel, Fractional lasers improve the appearance of the skin by treating only a fraction of it at a time. Its thousands of microscopic laser spots create tiny but deep thermal « wounds » known as microscopic treatment zones (MTZs). Each MTZ is surrounded by parcels of unaffected skin tissue. This fractional treatment allows the skin to heal much faster than if the entire area were treated at once. The MTZs represent 25% of the surface treated which means the skin cells that are left intact can actively participate in the healing process. The end result is the creation of new, healthy and tighter tissue to replace the damaged skin. Fractional lasers are successful on all phototypes, including dark or Asian skin types, both on and off the face.

WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE?:
Firstly, the therapist determines the best treatment plan for the desired results and calibrates the Fractional laser accordingly: the energy level, spot size, treatment level and number of passes are tailored to the patient's needs.
1 ½ hours before the Fractional laser treatment, an anesthetic cream is applied. The procedure itself takes between 30 and 60 minutes for a full face. Altogether, it requires a total of 2 to 2 ½ hours spent in the treatment room.

WHAT CAN BE TREATED?:
Mild photo-damage (brown spots), fine lines (around the eyes and lips, cheeks), mild acne scars, actinic keratosis,dilated pores, irregular skin texture and tone, melasma, moderate photo-damage, fine wrinkles, severe acne scars, surgical scars

RESULTS?:
Results appear in two stages; certain are immediate, others progressive. A week after the Fractional laser treatment, the complexion starts to appear more even, the skin is softer and more radiant. After a few months, fine lines and scars are smoothed out. By then, the skin has had sufficient time to fully regenerate by producing new collagen, elastin and other essential components.

NUMBER OF SESSIONS?:
Fractional laser non ablative: 3 to 5 treatments performed 3 to 6 weeks apart.
Fractional laser ablative: 1 treatment session followed by a check-up 10 to 15 days later. Minimum of 1 year interval between 2 sessions.

SIDE EFFECTS?:
Fractional laser non ablative: a mild sunburn sensation immediately after the treatment, pinkish skin-tone and slight swelling for 3 to 7 days. Delayed side effects such as flaking and acne-like eruptions may be experienced when high Fractional laser energies are used.
Fractional laser ablative: bleeding, swelling, formation of scabs. Requires 1 week recuperation at home, after which makeup may be applied to conceal redness, and normal life may resume. Full skin color recuperation takes a couple of months.

PEELING

A chemical peel is a technique used to improve and smooth the texture of the skin. Facial skin is mostly treated but the body and scarring can be improved as well. Chemical peels are intended to remove the outermost layers of the skin. To accomplish this task, the chosen peel solution induces a controlled injury to the skin. Resulting wound healing processes begin to regenerate new tissues.The dead skin eventually peels off. The regenerated skin is usually smoother and less wrinkled than the old skin. Some types of chemical peels can be purchased and administered without a medical license, however people are advised to seek professional help from a dermatologist, esthetician, plastic surgeon, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, or otolaryngologist on a specific type of chemical peel before a procedure is performed.
There are several types of chemical peels.

Alpha hydroxy acid peels.
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are naturally occurring carboxylic acids such as glycolic acid, a natural constituent of sugar cane juice and lactic acid, found in sour milk and tomato juice. This is the mildest of the peel formulas and produces light peels for treatment of fine wrinkles, areas of dryness, uneven pigmentation and acne. Alpha hydroxy acids can also be mixed with facial washes, serums or creams in lesser concentrations as part of a daily skin-care regimen to improve the skin's texture. There are five usual fruit acids: citric acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid and tartaric acid. Many other alpha hydroxy acids exist and are used. AHA peels are not indicated for treating wrinkles.AHA peels may cause stinging, skin redness, mild skin irritation, and dryness. Higher pH levels and lower percentages of hydroxy acids are commonly used as home peels. These will not work as quickly as an in-office procedure, but can be economical for many people.

Beta hydroxy acid peels
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid. It is antibacterial and anti inflammatory and, as a result, works well for acne. Salicylic also has the ability to reduce the spots and bumps associated with acne. It is becoming common for beta hydroxy acid (BHA) peels to be used instead of the stronger alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) peels due to BHA's being oil soluble. Studies show that BHA peels control sebum excretion, acne as well as remove dead skin cells to a certain extent better than AHAs[citation needed] due to AHAs only working on the surface of the skin.
Jessner's peels
Jessner's peel solution, formerly known as the Coombe's formula, was pioneered by DMax Jessner, a German-American dermatologist. Jessner combined 14% salicylic acid, lactic acid, and resorcinol in an ethanol base. It is thought to break intracellular bridges between keratinocytes.[citation needed] It is very difficult to "overpeel" the skin due to the mild percentages associated with the acid combination, and does not penetrate as deeply as other chemical peels.

Retinoic acid peel
Retinoic acid is a retinoid. This type of facial peel is also performed in the office of a plastic surgeon, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, or a dermatologist in a medical spa setting. This is a deeper peel than the beta hydroxy acid peel and is used to remove scars as well as wrinkles and pigmentation problems. It is usually performed in conjunction with a Jessner; which is performed right before, in order to open up the skin, so the retinoic acid can penetrate on a deeper level. The client leaves with the chemical peel solution on their face. The peeling process takes place on the third day. More dramatic changes to the skin require multiple peels over time.

Croton oil / phenol peel
Formerly known as a phenol peel, this skin treatment was re-popularized by Gregory Hetter. In a series of articles, he covers its historical use on a clandestine basis by early Hollywood stars in the 1920s to maintain their youthful appearance, to its early incorporation into rejuvenating medical practice in the 1960s by Thomas Baker, all the way to developing a modern basis for its use and dosage. Briefly, the active ingredient is clearly the croton oil component, which previously was poorly understood or deliberately obfuscated. It is the basis for a deep chemical peel, which causes an intense caustic exfoliating reaction in the skin, and eventually results in regeneration of the dermal architecture, effectively restoring younger dermis in a way that cannot be replicated by other, more superficial peels.