Did you know that cooler temperatures are ideal to start treating your skin? The sun’s rays, and therefore its impact on our skin, aren’t so strong anymore. So now is a good time to look for solutions to the spots and wrinkles the sun has left on your skin all year round.
Because the sun’s rays aren’t as strong in winter and the summer tan has faded, all wavelengths can now be used in laser treatments. So they can be an optimal solution during this period! There are a lot of surgeons that can perform a skin tightening laser procedure so make sure to look for one this winter.
The laser light pulse targets pigmented areas (e.g. pigmentation spots or vascular lesions). Tanned skin can absorb this light instead of these pigmented areas, thus interfering negatively with the effectiveness of laser treatments. Thus, the winter skin pallor becomes an ideal context to start laser procedures.
In what situations can we opt for such procedures? Here are 5 skin imperfections that can be treated with laser.
1. Scars
Aesthetic medicine and advances in the field have led to more solutions for treating scars, a problem so difficult to address in the past. What types of laser are most effective for scars? Fractional carbon dioxide lasers. These do not affect the skin around the scarred area, operating at a precise depth in skin fragments and acting a targeted destruction. The destroyed tissue is then replaced by healthy tissue. This healing process can last up to 6 months. The procedure itself has a very short recovery time of 4-6 days, with minimal discomfort. More specifically, the procedure takes place after the application of an anaesthetic cream, so it is a safe non-surgical procedure.
2. Pigmentation spots
Those who experience pigmentation spots know that they sometimes appear even if you have taken all precautions: you have protected your skin, used large hats, etc. Why? Because even high temperatures stimulate melanin production, which can lead to the appearance of these spots. Treating them can be a challenge. Conventionally, pigmentation spots are treated with bleaching agents and chemical peels. Treatment with fractional carbon dioxide laser, possibly combined with pulsed dye laser is recommended. The laser penetrates deep enough into the skin to improve melasma. To treat pigmentation spots, 3-4 treatments are usually needed, performed at 4-6 week intervals. After the procedure, strict photoprotection is extremely important!
3. Vascular lesions and red spots
“Vascular spots”, as those red, blue or purplish vessels, usually small in size, which often appear on the face and legs, can be effectively treated by the VBeam Perfecta laser. The laser delivers intense light to the skin. The light is then absorbed by blood vessels in the dermis which are coagulated. Subsequently, these will be drained of blood during the natural healing process (thus becoming less visible). Most patients only need 1-3 sessions, and the good thing is that such a treatment only takes a few minutes. In the case of wine stains, haemangiomas or extensive rosacea, several treatments may be needed.
4. Irregular texture and uneven colour
Sun exposure can also cause that uneven skin colour that many people experience. In specialist clinics, this is treated with carbon dioxide lasers. Through advanced technology, the laser can remove the top and damaged layers of skin. The result is smooth, soft, rejuvenated skin. The procedure can also be done on specific areas, such as the eye area, cheeks or around the mouth, but also on the whole face.
5. Red and white stretch marks
Red stretch marks can be treated by lasers. The vascular action of a laser reduces redness and stimulates collagen production. On the other hand, white, mature and thin stretch marks are treated with the CO2 ablative fractional laser. The aim of laser treatment is to thicken the dermis of stretch marks and even out the colour with the surrounding skin. The treatment requires 4-5 sessions at 4-6 week intervals. They are also combined with a topical care regime.
