Laser Skin Resurfacing

Serving Chattanooga, Tennessee

he science of skin rejuvenation has exploded over the past decade. This has afforded patients who have suffered extensive damage to their skin from years of overexposure to the sun new hope for a return to the skin of their youth. The Carbon Dioxide Laser has been the principal breakthrough and has played a significant role in the care of aging and damaged facial skin. It remains the gold standard by which other Lasers and skin treatment methods are judged.

As we age and have continued exposure to the sun, the damage to our skin continues to worsen. This damage becomes evident, particularly by the 40's and 50's. We begin to see a relaxation in skin firmness, as fine lines appear around the eyes and mouth. Skin loses its pink healthy glow, and this is replaced by a sallow complexion, which typically has an uneven pigmentation. If skin damage is severe enough, precancerous changes can appear as red flaky lesions called actinic keratoses. These lesions, left unattended, can lead to skin cancer.

The Carbon Dioxide Laser vaporizes the top layers of the skin and the damage contained within them. It then treats the deep skin layer leading to improvement in skin quality. The reason that this laser is so effective is that it has the ability to alter the collagen appearance in the dermis. If we envision the skin as a wall protecting us from our environment, then the dermis and its collagen is the sheet rock layer. The part we think of as skin is only the paint or wallpaper. If the sheet rock is poor, no matter how good the paint or paper, the wall will not look its best. So, in essence, the laser therapy removes the paint and repairs the drywall. This allows a new fresh layer of skin to regrow over the treated area.

Good candidates for laser rejuvenation are in good health. Lightly pigmented skin responds best to this treatment. It is performed as an outpatient with a sedative anesthetic. Because it produces a significant result, time is needed for healing. The first week after surgery is spent in a mask, which resembles a plastic wrap. This dressing holds moisture in the treated skin and encourages rapid healing. Antibiotics and antiviral drugs are part of the treatment, but patients use little in the way of pain medication. "Patience" while healing happens is the watchword. As patients pass into their second week after treatment, moisturizers become very important, as the new skin is still quite fragile. Prolonged redness can be treated with low dose steroid ointments, and the skin must be protected from the sun.

The changes produced by this procedure can be dramatic. They not only improve the appearance of the aging face, but also restore the general health of the skin. This health can then be preserved with sensible skin management and protection from the harmful rays of the sun.

The Plastic Surgery Group, P.C., in Chattanooga, Tennessee offers the latest plastic surgery procedures, including laser skin resurfacing surgery. For more information on the plastic surgery procedures we offer, visit our plastic surgery procedures page or call our plastic surgery staff at (423) 756-7134 or (800) 634-3334. You can also e-mail us your questions and we will be in touch with you shortly.