Over the years, the beauty aesthetic industry has been upgrading its methods to find more quick and effective procedures to treat various skin concerns. From invasive procedures like face threadlifts to non-invasive procedures like anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers, there is a huge range of aesthetic treatments to choose from. Which one does the majority prefer, you may ask? Non-invasive procedures, of course! With its benefits from its minimal to no downtime, lower cost and reduced risk of complications, no wonder it is the clear winner!
Particularly, skin lasers have been popular for improving various skin problems such as acne, rosacea, wrinkles, pigmentation and many more. It is considered to be a great start for individuals who wish to start taking better care of their skin concerns. Before deciding to commit to skin lasers, let’s dive right into understanding this treatment and the things to consider:
What are skin lasers?
According to Lara Devgan, a top board-certified New York plastic surgeon, skin lasers use light and heat energy to improve skin tone texture and colouration. As contradicting as it may sound, lasers do cause damage to your skin tissue in a controlled manner to stimulate a healing response from your bodily reactions. This, in turn, creates new skin layers that boost collagen production, giving individuals a healthier appearance.
Younger individuals in their mid-20s use skin lasers to treat skin issues like enlarged pores, fine lines and uneven complexion. It is a form of preventive measure towards aging before these issues become more prominent and deeply embedded into the skin. Older individuals in their late 40s reap the skin lifting and tightening benefits from skin lasers while treating their deep wrinkles.
When considering skin lasers
While skin lasers are a powerful asset in the beauty aesthetic industry, there are no “one fits all” laser treatments that treat all your skin concerns. Instead, their concentrated beams are most effective in treating specific areas of your skin concerns. Ranging from treating skin conditions like acne to dealing with signs of aging, here are some basic knowledge about lasers that you should know:
Ablative lasers
In terms of the laser’s strength, it is known to be the strongest laser. Targeting the top two layers of your skin, this traditional laser treatment injures these layers by heating the moisture content in a controlled manner for the body to create newer and younger-looking skin. In exchange, fine lines and deep wrinkles are reduced while the skin is tighter and firmer. Also, pigmentation spots are lightened.
Due to powerful strength, its downtime would take about a week and should be treated with utmost care as the skin can be sensitive in its first few weeks after treatment. It is recommended to apply sunscreen for protection.
Non-ablative lasers:
Known as non-wounding lasers, this laser treatment aims at the deeper layers of skin to treat mid-range to moderate wrinkles and scars. While the methodology of this treatment is similar to its counterpart, ablative lasers, it does not remove any skin layers. This, in turn, leads to minimal downtime with results that are more gradual and subtle.
Fractionated lasers:
With its precise delivery of heat and light in a pixelated manner, it is a game changer for skin laser technology. This treatment allows little to no downtime as it only burns the targeted area. This laser treatment is a great mixture of ablative and non-ablative methods and has similar benefits to the ablative laser.
Meet Fraxel Dual laser! Consisting of two lasers, this non-ablative fractionated method targets two primary areas of skin concerns, (a) wrinkles and acne scarring and (b) pigmentation and sun damage. From this treatment, individuals will have a more youthful appearance as their skin tone would be improved while their fine lines and pores size are reduced.
Light laser therapies:
Rather than using just one laser, this gentle light therapy uses several wavelengths of light to rejuvenate the skin. Mainly, this treatment is used for skin maintenance, which younger individuals would go for as the complexion does not require as much work to be done. However, do take note that it would take a few sessions to see the desired results for its gentle procedure.
Check out Forever Young BBL, the newest addition to traditional Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment! With the use of short blasts in high-intensity light, it stimulates the skin to form new collagen.This, in turn, increases skin elasticity, leading to restoration in the skin’s natural and youthful glow.
When taking into consideration any of these laser treatments, be sure to seek professional advice from experienced aesthetic doctors that will be able to customise lasers and specific wavelengths to cater to your skin concerns.