Over the past 15 years, there has been great advancement in cosmetic laser technology. If you are concerned with fine lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, pigmented lesions or brown spots, vascular lesions, tattoos, unwanted or excess hair and even acne scars you are most likely a good candidate for a laser treatment. The advancements in laser technology are giving patients a wider range of options that fit into their busy lifestyles, allowing them to treat skin conditions and concerns in a safe and effective manner.
Lasers can be broken down into two main categories, ablative and non-ablative. Ablative lasers break the skin; non-ablative do not. There are multiple types of lasers in each of these categories that work at different wavelengths in the skin to address the patients concern. First, the patient should decide on the amount of down time that will work with their schedule and lifestyle. While ablative lasers will provide a more dramatic result, they also have a longer down time associated with them. Most Medical Spas offer complimentary consultations allowing you to meet with a laser technician to discuss pre- and post-care and make a decision on what laser would be the best option for you.
As we age, we loose collagen and elastin in our skin causing a laxity that was not previously there. The Active FX, a CO2 fractionated laser, is the gold standard in skin tightening devices. This ablative laser treatment not only tightens the skin, but also reduces the appearance of pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, acne scaring and pore size. It works by removing small cores of skin, which stimulates new growth of collagen and elastin. When doing the Active FX, one can count on approximately 5-7 days of down time. Patients will continue to see the benefits of increased collagen production for up to 6 months after receiving the treatment. While a single treatment is generally sufficient, some patients will choose to do another Active FX 6 to 12 months after the first to achieve even greater results.
Most of us have dealt with unwanted or excess hair on different parts of our bodies. In the past, our only option was to shave, wax, thread or use some type of depilatory cream. Today, one of the most common laser treatments performed in the United States is laser hair removal. Once a series of treatments are performed, an 85% – 95% clearance of the hair can be achieved. The average amount of treatments needed is 8, but that can range depending on the texture and color of the hair. Laser hair removal works best on darker, courser hair and will not be effective on white, blonde, gray or red hairs due to their lack of pigment. Laser hair removal is a quick and easy treatment that has no down time associated with it.
At Mirabile M.D. MedCosmetic, our providers have all undergone complete and extensive laser training. Our founder and on-site physician, James Mirabile, M.D. has trained medical professionals nationally on laser treatments.
