Who Is a Good Laser Therapy Patient? | Skin Wellness Physicians Blog (2024)

FAQs

Who is the ideal patient for laser therapy? ›

You may be an ideal candidate for laser skin resurfacing if you have: Scars from acne or chickenpox. Uneven skin pigmentation. Skin scars or birthmarks.

One of the best lasers for skin resurfacing, Fraxel Repair effectively treats deep lines and wrinkles, sunspots and age spots, uneven skin tone and texture, hyperpigmentation, scarring, and melasma. The laser is also renowned for producing long-lasting results.

Reasons You May Not Be a Good Candidate

You have deep wrinkles. You're on certain medications that might cause more damage to your skin. You have a skin condition that hasn't been properly treated.

Laser therapy can result in misdirected or excessively intense burns, bleeding from the choriocapillaris, damage to macular and other ocular structures, and breaks in Bruch's membrane.

Contraindications. Cold laser therapy should not be used over any suspicious cancerous lesions, or carcinoma, over the thyroid, on pregnant patients, and there should not be direct irradiation of the eyes, as the laser can cause permanent damage to the eyes.

Fraxel (CO2 Laser)

While more invasive than fillers, Thermage, and Ultherapy, Fraxel Re:Pair and other CO2 systems offer quick and dramatic results as they have the power to reduce the volume of jowl-causing sagging skin within a single treatment.

Infrared Therapy: Infrared therapy, such as red light therapy, focuses on stimulating collagen production and can be used for skin tightening. It's non-invasive, generally safe, and can be done in short sessions. Results are gradual and may require multiple sessions.

“Injectables and fillers are a good first step for someone who wants to address the early signs of skin aging, such as fine lines or mildly sagging skin,” explains Boahene. Facial fat grafting, or a fat transfer, is a more permanent solution to drooping skin and lost facial volume.

What is best for skin tightening? ›

One of the best-known skin tightening treatments, Ultherapy uses ultrasound waves to penetrate the deep layers of the skin, stimulating collagen and elastin production. Elevated collagen and elastin production firms and tightens the skin, minimizing facial lines and making skin appear more supple and resilient.

New skin usually covers the area in one or two weeks and full recovery takes at least a month. During this time do not use products that may irritate your face, such as cosmetics. And avoid situations that increase your risk of infection, such as public whirlpools. Always use sun protection following laser resurfacing.

Patients should remember that lasers can drastically improve their skin's appearance but are not guaranteed to produce flawless or perfect skin. Ideally, candidates should have good skin elasticity, a non-oily complexion, a light to medium skin color, and light or moderate blemishes.

The effects of laser skin resurfacing are long-lasting, whether it's through fractional or CO2 laser. Experts agree that the effects last for as long as eight years or even longer. CO2 laser skin resurfacing rarely requires any repeated treatment.

Laser therapy can treat many conditions, including pain, inflammation, wounds, skin conditions, and more. Some common conditions treated with laser therapy include arthritis, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendonitis.

Hair and Skin Type – The ideal hair type for laser hair removal is dark and coarse. However, with the changes in technology, laser hair removal can work on some types of lighter hairs.

If you are over 21 years old and have myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness) with or without astigmatism, you may be a candidate for laser vision correction. Laser eye surgery can reduce and potentially eliminate refractive errors in some patients.