Here's How Lasers Can Improve Your Complexion
What bothers you about your skin? Is it scars from past bouts with acne? Advancing wrinkles? Age spots? Lasers can clear up those complaints and more — here’s how.
Spots, Scars, And Stretchmarks: Lasers Can Treat Them All
Each year, at least 100 million people acquire a new scar. For some, this is a chance to tell an awesome story, but for others, it’s an embarrassing and unsightly reminder. Scars used to be one of those things you had to learn how to live with. But not anymore!
With the use of lasers, patients can now receive treatment for many different unwanted skin conditions. Michelle Smith, RN, is our resident laser expert here at the office of Rick J. Smith, MD.
Her experience as a plastic surgery nurse allows her to utilize a variety of lasers to improve the appearance of skin blemishes.
Removing scars
If you have ever gotten injured, then you may have an unsightly scar. This is a result of your skin’s natural healing process.
Your body wants to seal the area off and prevent dangerous germs from getting in. A scar happens when your body produces an excess of collagen in the injury area, creating a dense fibrous layer of skin.
A normal level of collagen in your skin is what gives it that “bounce back” feeling. But when there is too much, you end up with skin that is much tougher than the surrounding skin. This is your body trying to reinforce an area that has been weakened by trauma.
Scars can be both lighter and darker than the rest of your skin. They can also be raised or depressed from the surrounding skin. Lasers can help with all of these issues.
Treating stretch marks
If you have stretch marks, you aren’t alone. Roughly 80% of Americans have stretch marks somewhere on their body. While stretch marks aren’t harmful, many people consider them unsightly.
Up until lasers, there was no reliable or provable method for treating stretch marks. Lasers and light treatment have scientifically shown they can encourage repigmentation and the production of collagen. Both of these things can help restore the look of your skin.
Get rid of spots
There are several causes for the dark spots you see on your skin. Whether you call them sun spots, liver spots, or age spots, they are all an overproduction of melanin, or pigment, in your skin. As we age, the melanin in our skin begins to “clump,” causing the spots we see that crop up on our skin.
Lasers are a great way to rid yourself of cosmetic marks on your skin, but be sure to consult a doctor to ensure your spots aren’t a sign of skin cancer—it’s the most common cancer in the United States, with 1 million people currently living with melanoma. Make sure you visit a reputable treatment center as you don’t want to laser away harmful spots.
How the lasers work
Even though these are all very different skin issues, the lasers that treat them work in similar ways. The first part of the process is to “remove” the unwanted skin tissue. Laser energy does this by penetrating your skin and breaking apart the skin tissue. This lets your body naturally cart it off for elimination.
The laser’s focused, deep heat creates a controlled injury to stimulate your skin’s natural healing process. This is where the lasers differ as you need a specific type of injury to trigger a particular healing process. What you end up with is firm, healthy, new skin.
It may be necessary to use multiple lasers to treat your skin issue fully. As each one targets a specific issue, layering your treatments can give you a complete treatment plan. For example, a fractional laser works best for treating stretch marks. But if your stretch marks are red, then adding a pulsed-dye laser will help eliminate the pigmentation.
Experience laser skin treatment today
If there is something about the appearance of your skin that you aren’t happy with, it’s time to do something about it. We have several laser options available to customize your treatment.
Having beautiful skin is within your reach, and with summer here, we want you to feel confident in your shorts or bathing suit.
Schedule your appointment with Michelle Smith, RN at the office of Rick J. Smith, MD today and find out what she can do for you and your skin.
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