The main thing
The CO2 laser is an extremely high power carbon dioxide laser.
Compared to other types of lasers, this equipment penetrates deeper, providing not only superficial renewal of the skin, but also effective smoothing of scars, reducing skin porosity, and has a pronounced lifting effect. Having studied reviews of CO2 laser resurfacing, we can conclude that the procedure has proven its effectiveness on hundreds of satisfied patients.
Due to the fact that the device has a fairly strong effect on the skin, you should consult your doctor before the procedure. Perhaps a more gentle action will be enough for you. So, in the question of erbium laser or CO2, the first option is more gentle, but the efficiency of the second is much higher. Your doctor should tell you which option to prefer.
Contraindications and side effects
Complete contraindications include:
- period of bearing a child;
- lactation;
- tendency to form scars;
- oncological diseases;
- chronic infections;
- weak immunity;
- psoriasis at the acute stage.
Fractional laser rejuvenation has relative prohibitions:
- renal pathologies;
- increased blood glucose;
- mental disorders;
- recent sunbathing.
Within two days after laser resurfacing, the following symptoms are observed:
- redness;
- swelling;
- discomfort;
- dryness;
- peeling.
To alleviate the condition, use painkillers and cool the skin. After a while the face looks a little tanned. There is no need to do anything about this connection.
To get rid of puffiness in the eyes and nose, you need to take care of removing water from the body. It is necessary to eat less salty foods and hot spices. It's better to take a diuretic. The appearance of ichor is considered a natural reaction. When the scab peels off, a new layer of skin will appear underneath. You should not try to pick off the dry areas yourself, otherwise it may leave scars.
Rarely, the patient is bothered by a rash, itching, or different skin color. With time everything will pass. Side effects are more common for women with sensitive skin.
To avoid possible complications, it is advised to look for experienced cosmetologists with the appropriate skills. The key to a successful procedure will be choosing a good specialist.
Operating principle
CO2 laser in cosmetology produces an effect using many microbeams that act on the treated area pointwise, which makes the session absolutely safe and allows you to avoid a long rehabilitation period, as was the case with the use of previous generations of lasers.
CO2 laser resurfacing involves a partial, very deep and targeted action of a laser beam on the skin - causing many tiny thermal damages on the skin. In areas where the laser operates, microthermal zones appear, in which ablation of the skin occurs on the surface, the lower segment of the skin is coagulated, and thermal damage occurs even deeper with heating of neighboring skin tissues. In this case, the untreated skin remains untouched. The effect of laser can be much deeper and much stronger than with all other types of rejuvenation, while the likelihood of any side effects is virtually eliminated. As clinical trials and reviews of the CO2 laser procedure (scar resurfacing) show, an excellent rejuvenating effect of the skin is achieved with parallel non-surgical laser lifting.
To date, this procedure is the only one that can cure acne scars.
During the procedure using the Deca CO2 laser, micropillars of the skin up to 1.6 millimeters deep are removed. On average, about 6 grams of tissue are evaporated in one session, with more than 85 percent being the dermis. An accurately predicted amount of damaged tissue makes it possible to achieve the best results with complete safety, and thanks to the minimal diameter of the ablation microzones, the rehabilitation period is very short.
Rice. Application of CO2 laser, photo (reviews unnecessary)
Although the device is traditionally used to treat skin on the face, its use is also indicated on other areas of the body:
- neck (subject to strict precautions due to the risk of scarring when exposed to laser at this level);
- hands;
- décolleté area.
Indications:
- acne scars;
- fine and deep wrinkles;
- small wrinkles around the eyes – so-called “crow’s feet”;
- dark spots;
- decreased skin tone;
- dull, uneven complexion;
- stretch marks;
- scars.
Contraindications:
- malignant and benign neoplasms;
- epilepsy;
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- acute inflammatory skin diseases;
- Carrying out dermabrasion, chemical deep or medium peeling procedures less than 14 days before the session.
Indications
It is recommended to carry out fractional laser rejuvenation in the following situations:
- Post-acne . The procedure reduces the visibility of scars.
- Wrinkles around the eyes . The method allows you to eliminate creases, folds and dark circles under the eyelids. Getting rid of deep wrinkles will be difficult. For a noticeable effect you will need at least 5 procedures.
- Wrinkles at the mouth . Laser resurfacing reduces such defects after 4-5 sessions.
- Insufficient elasticity of the skin . The laser gives the epidermis density and elasticity.
- Pigmentation . The method removes dark spots that cause rough skin and spoil the appearance.
The technique is also designed for the following problems:
- sagging skin;
- spider veins;
- warts;
- papillomas;
- dullness of the skin;
- ugly oval face;
- stretch marks.
Rejuvenation courses can be used at any age. Most often they are used for aging skin after 40 years. The procedure is actively practiced after lipofilling and surgical skin tightening.
Main types of procedure
Laser rejuvenation is a general term for a number of techniques that work using the same mechanism. The procedure is based on the positive effects of laser beams of varying intensities and wavelengths. During the session, the gentle destruction of old cells and stimulation of the regeneration of new ones occurs. In addition, blood flow, metabolism and neural response of tissues improve.
After healing for 5-10 days, the appearance improves, fine wrinkles are smoothed out and the natural shade is restored. The choice of laser is determined by the cosmetologist based on the age and condition of the skin. They differ in power and type of impact.
Laser beams are actively used in cosmetology and medicine. With their help, you can not only improve your appearance, but also get rid of various dermatological problems - pimples, acne, neoplasms.
Ablative – benefits and harms
The name of the technique comes from the English word ablation - removal. During laser heating, old cells are burned out, in the place of which new ones begin to actively develop. This technique is recommended even with pronounced signs of aging and is suitable for clients with fair skin aged 40-65 years.
During the session, an anesthetic gel must be applied, and wound healing compounds are prescribed to speed up recovery. An ablative laser can eliminate deep wrinkles and age spots and does an excellent job of treating crow’s feet. Disadvantages: high cost, long rehabilitation and risk of side effects.
Non-ablative
A more gentle method of rejuvenation, during which laser beams do not destroy the top layer. They immediately enter the deep layers of the skin, stimulating the processes of blood supply, regeneration and metabolism. The procedure is suitable for any patient, regardless of phenotype. Allows you to get rid of fine wrinkles, scars and acne. To achieve results, 5-6 sessions lasting 30-45 minutes are required. The positive effect lasts up to 7 months.
Laser bioremediation
It is used for face lifting and eliminating early signs of aging. During the procedure, a gel with hyaluronic acid is applied, and then the surface is treated with a laser device. The rays help penetrate beneficial substances into the deep layers, thanks to which you can achieve quick and pronounced results after 3-5 sessions. This is a gentle technique that rarely leads to complications. A rehabilitation period of up to 2 days is required; anesthesia is not used.
Even at your first visit to a cosmetologist, you should clarify which type of laser treatment is suitable for your case. Not only the result, but also the features of recovery depend on this.
Price
The cost of fractional rejuvenation depends on certain factors:
- cosmetologist qualifications;
- the device used;
- the nature of the problem;
- type of fractional impact;
- surface area;
- pricing policy of the organization.
The average cost of a session in Moscow is 11,500 rubles. In the regions, the price for the procedure varies from 8 to 10 thousand rubles. In some clinics it reaches 25-30 thousand rubles.
The final amount depends on the area of influence. You can select the entire face and neck or one of the following options:
- area around the eyes;
- forehead;
- cheekbones;
- cheeks;
- temporal zone;
- chin.
If desired, it is permissible to treat the forearms, décolleté, abdomen, chest or hands. You should not trust dubious clinics that offer to perform the procedure at a suspiciously low price.
Laser resurfacing procedure
The skin is treated with a local antiseptic that is not flammable.
It is important that the solution does not accumulate as this can accumulate thermal energy and cause burns.
Laser parameters depend on the area and thickness of the tissue being processed. Some manufacturers preset parameters, which is quite convenient. Correct depth and uniformity of tissue removal are key considerations for the operator.
The initial light spot is used to evaluate the first pass effect. Clinical parameters are used to calibrate depth. There is no substitute for experience in assessing the changes seen in the skin as layers of tissue are evaporated by the laser.
The formation of milky blisters and crackling sounds indicate epidermal ablation. Removing the residual epidermis with a damp gauze pad exposes the pink surface, the papillary dermis. Vaporization of the pink layer causes contraction of the tissue, and the yellow color observed in this case indicates the reticular layer of the dermis. This is an important sign because skin that has been treated up to this layer should heal without scarring. If a brown color is observed, this is a sign of entry into the reticular layer of the dermis, in which case a scar may form. If charring occurs, thermal diffusion will exceed the depth of vaporization and scarring is almost inevitable.
Various strategies have been used to control the laser vaporization process in order to perform it as accurately as possible and reduce unwanted thermal damage. The goal of the process is to deliver sufficient energy to vaporize the tissue within the exposure time and to prevent unwanted heat diffusion into the surrounding tissue.
Currently, two types of carbon dioxide lasers are used for laser resurfacing. These are pulsed laser systems, in which high-energy pulses are scanned across the surface of the skin using a computerized generator (for example, Coherent Ultrapulse, USA), and helical scanner systems, in which a small spot of laser light (150 μm) rotates across the skin at a speed that provides a delay of irradiation at any point within the thermal relaxation time (Sharplan Silktouch).
The use of these automatic scanners allows you to control the energy density in such a way as to obtain a uniform treatment depth. The operator then uses clinical signs to determine the need for repeat passes.
When treating wrinkles, an average of 1-2 passes are required for infraorbital areas, for other areas - 2-3 passes.
Edited by A.D. Katsambasa, T.M. Lottie
“Laser facial skin resurfacing procedure, preparation and implementation”
article from the section
Additional Information:
- Contraindications to the use of laser facial skin resurfacing
- Therapeutic measures after laser resurfacing of facial skin
- All information on this issue
Skin restoration after resurfacing (preparations)
Skin care products during the recovery period are selected individually depending on the condition after the procedure. However, there are drugs that are most often prescribed after laser facial resurfacing. One of these remedies is Bepanten-plus. It is often attributed to its wound-healing and restorative properties; it also suppresses the activity of bacteria and prevents the development of inflammation.
Also, along with Bepanten, Solcoseryl, Panthenol, Levomekol, Pantesol, Radevit are often prescribed for the rehabilitation period. But again, for whomever is more suitable, it happens that one drug simply does not work, then it needs to be replaced with another. You can also use sea buckthorn oil, it will soften the crust that appears and prevent the development of inflammation. You need to apply the product at least once a day, but you also don’t need to overdo it. Five applications per day is the maximum.
Pain relief during rehabilitation
In general, the rehabilitation period is different for everyone. Some people do not feel any pain after 24 hours, while others suffer from pain for several days. One way or another, Ketanov, Nurafen, or any sufficiently strong painkiller that you have used before will help relieve pain after laser facial resurfacing.
If the pain does not go away after several days, you should contact the doctor who performed the procedure.
