Deep laser resurfacing can wipe away years
Joe came to me because he was unhappy with the way he looked. He felt he looked older than people who were younger than he. Years of sun damage and smoking had taken its toll. Joe had many deep lines and wrinkles in the mid face area and around the eyes and wanted to know what could be done. After examining him, it was clear Joe would benefit from deep laser resurfacing, a procedure performed as an outpatient in our office that removes the upper layers of skin while encouraging collagen production over time. A local anesthetic is used to numb the area before treatment.
Laser resurfacing uses brief pulses of light that is absorbed by the skin and changed into heat energy, which destroys thin sections of skin, layer by layer. As the lasered area heals, new skin grows to replace the damaged skin that was removed by the laser.
Deep laser resurfacing does require significant social downtime while the skin’s surface heals. Typically, the area treated will be pink, tender and swollen for several days. Cold packs and over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen may be used. The new skin may remain somewhat pink for a few weeks.
To obtain the best results, it is important to stay out of the sun after the laser treatment, use sunscreen daily and follow all the post-procedure instructions you are given. The long-term results are not seen for several months but an immediate result is seen as soon as the new skin begins to grow.
Joe is thrilled with his new look. “It’s the best thing I ever did,” he said. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I am so happy with the result.”
Joe’s after picture is just two and one-half months after his procedure.
Turkle & Associates
11455 N. Meridian Street, Suite 150
Carmel, IN 46032
317-848-0001
