If you have considered laser skin resurfacing treatments, you’ll know that recent advancements in laser technology have made cosmetic treatments more diverse and potent than ever. With lasers, you can quickly improve skin concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles, scarring, hyperpigmentation, textural issues, and sun damage.
The abundant options, however, often make it challenging to know which procedure to pursue. For many people, that treatment decision partly depends on how much recovery time is involved in a particular procedure. Read on to learn about the recovery time for some of today’s best laser skin resurfacing treatments.
Overview: Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing treatments remove the damaged outer layer of your skin and promote collagen production to create healthy, new skin cells. Ablative, nonablative, and fractional lasers are used for various laser skin treatments.
Ablative lasers remove the damaged upper layer of the skin and encourage healing so that new skin cells can grow. Nonablative lasers don’t impact the surface of the skin; instead, they promote collagen production in the medium layers of the skin. Fractional lasers, which can be ablative or nonablative, deliver energy to only a portion of the skin in the treatment area, leaving the surrounding skin untouched and encouraging faster healing.
Your recovery time after laser skin resurfacing will vary depending on the laser used. As a review in Seminars in Plastic Surgery explains, “Ablative lasers vaporize tissue and therefore are more aggressive compared with the gentler nonablative lasers that leave the skin intact.” While nonablative and fractional lasers are gentler on the skin, you may require more treatment sessions to get the desired results.
Different Types of Laser Skin Treatments
Let’s dive into the different laser skin treatments available and how recovery works for each treatment.
Fraxel® Skin Resurfacing
Fraxel is a fractional laser treatment that uses advanced technology and can precisely address your skin issue, whether it’s fine lines, hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, or another concern. Fraxel Dual is nonablative, so it’s a gentler treatment that will give you effective results with just 3 to 5 sessions. Fraxel re:pair® is a more aggressive, ablative treatment that usually needs only one session to produce results.
Typically, recovery time for Fraxel skin resurfacing is around 1 to 2 weeks. You will experience some swelling, redness, and peeling after a Fraxel treatment, but these symptoms should resolve quickly.
UltraPulse® CO2 Laser Treatment
This laser treatment stimulates collagen growth and targets the entire top layer of skin versus specific areas. This treatment improves sun damage, dark spots, acne scars, fine lines, and wrinkles.
The recovery time for UltraPulse CO2 laser treatment is around 1 to 2 weeks. Patients usually experience some skin sensitivity after this treatment.
Clear + Brilliant® Perméa
Clear + Brilliant laser treatment targets age-related brown spots, uneven pigmentation, enlarged pores, fine lines, and more. Similar to Fraxel Dual, this gentler treatment refreshes skin with minimal discomfort. It is suitable for all skin types.
No downtime is needed after a Clear + Brilliant treatment, although your face may be a bit red and slightly inflamed for a few hours afterward.
Recovery time is an important factor when choosing a laser skin resurfacing treatment. If you don’t have the capacity for a longer recovery period, it might be better to opt for a gentler treatment with more sessions. Our patients’ before and after pictures show the excellent results you can achieve with laser skin resurfacing. If you are ready for smoother, more radiant skin with laser skin resurfacing, request a consultation or call us at (214) 631-7546 to schedule an appointment.
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