Laser treatments can be extremely useful in treating acne scarring, sun spots, wrinkles and capillaries as well as redness and rosacea.
Before the procedure begins, your face will be cleansed and numbed using topical anesthetic. Next, the laser device will pass over your skin causing either a snapping sensation or mild heat sensations.
1. Redness
Redness is one of the more frequently seen side effects following laser treatment, yet fortunately it should resolve within a day or two as your skin begins to heal from its process of restoration after laser treatments. Aloe gel or hydrocortisone cream should help alleviate redness as these products will speed up recovery. Avoid products containing acids or harsh ingredients which could irritate or worsen redness further.
Pulsed dye laser, commonly referred to as V Beam or Cynosure laser treatment, is one of the most frequently employed approaches in treating rosacea symptoms. This laser uses light of different colors to penetrate visible blood vessels that cause redness in patients suffering from rosacea and correct excess tissue that makes the nose appear bulbous (phymatous rosacea symptom). These treatments are utilized by dermatologists, plastic surgeons and cosmetic doctors alike in treating various rosacea symptoms.
Fractional Resurfacing Laser treatments use tiny pinpoints of energy to resurface skin conditions such as sun damage and scarring, fine lines and wrinkles and acne. Fractional resurfacing treatments must be administered by experienced practitioners who know how to treat different skin tones since this can make treatment of dark-skinned patients without permanent harm to pigment harder than it needs to be.
After receiving laser treatment, your skin may appear red and itchy. To ensure optimal care is taken to protect it, such as keeping it clean and avoiding too much direct sunlight exposure, as well as regularly moisturizing it to prevent dry and flaky patches that could lead to scarring or even further treatments in the future.
One potential risk associated with laser resurfacing is infection. Laser treatments may cause bacteria, viral or fungal infections to arise – especially herpesvirus-caused cold sore outbreaks. For your own safety and peace of mind, speak to your physician about taking antiviral medication prior to and post laser treatments.
2. Swelling
Laser energy heats water in your skin’s upper layer, inducing damage that spurs collagen production by your body and temporarily puffing up areas that have been treated – this may last several hours before diminishing on its own; to reduce any swelling use a cold compress.
Rather, discuss this possibility with your physician prior to the procedure and use an anti-inflammatory cream that can reduce swelling. It’s also wise to avoid activities which might aggravate this side effect such as running, swimming or strenuous exercise that could potentially exacerbate swelling.
Before your session begins, a topical anesthetic will be administered to numb the treatment area. Your provider will then move a laser device across your face delivering short pulses of energy that could feel snappy or warm; these pulses could even just cause mild discomfort.
Once the treatment is finished, you will receive a cool compress and some anti-swelling medicine as a follow up. Please arrive for your appointment with clean skin; makeup can absorb too much of the laser’s heat. Typically your provider will wipe off your skin first with an alcohol pad prior to beginning therapy.
Depending on the type of laser treatment used, you may experience hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation in the treated area. This should only be temporary; typically fading after several weeks. To combat this side effect quickly and safely, bleaching creams can speed up its removal while broad-spectrum sunscreen should also be worn after each session.
Herpes outbreak is another potential side effect. While rare, this may occur if you have herpes simplex virus but aren’t taking adequate antiviral medication – especially if treatment area includes your mouth.
Antiviral cream can reduce your chances of herpes outbreak by directly applying it on the skin, as well as using broad spectrum sunscreen after laser treatments and taking all prescribed medications as directed. Should an outbreak occur, it should resolve itself within several days.
3. Discomfort
Lasers, light, radio frequency and ultrasound devices offer the capability of treating various skin issues with minimal pain or invasiveness. These devices utilize targeted pulses of energy to remove aged, sun-damaged tissue while stimulating healthy collagen growth in its place, thus helping reduce fine lines and wrinkles, blotches, scars, uneven skin tone, large pores and other common dermatological concerns. Although these procedures can be extremely effective they can sometimes cause discomfort depending on which laser type and size of treatment area are chosen.
Before your laser treatment begins, your doctor will cleanse your face and apply topical anesthetic to the areas to be treated. Depending on the procedure, passing of the laser device over your skin could feel similar to snapping sensation or mild heat; in more extensive ablative laser procedures however, sedation may be recommended for safety and comfort reasons.
Immediate following your laser treatment, your skin may appear pink and swollen for several days, particularly if an extensive resurfacing treatment was performed. Cold packs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help reduce swelling. Cold packs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) may also help. Furthermore, direct sunlight should be avoided and sunscreen applied over any treated areas to keep inflammation at bay.
Laser resurfacing treatments may cause discomfort if you’ve previously experienced skin irritations like acne or psoriasis in the area being treated, including acne or psoriasis. You may also develop an itchy red rash known as erythema that often fades to pink or white over several days – this condition usually fades over time.
Resurfacing may cause temporary changes to skin pigmentation that darken (hyperpigmentation) or lighten (hypopigmentation), more frequently in people with darker skin tones. Some techniques can help reduce this risk, but for maximum prevention speak with your physician and start taking an oral antiviral medication such as Valacyclovir/Acyclovir two days prior to and three days after any procedure.
4. Change in skin color
If you are considering facial laser treatment to address acne scarring, wrinkles, dark spots or spider veins, be aware that side effects are possible. Your doctor will work closely with you to ensure both comfort and safety throughout the procedure – for instance ensuring all vaccinations have been up-to-date as well as not taking any medication which might interfere with healing like isotretinoin (Accutane) or aspirin which interfere with skin healing processes.
Facial laser treatments often result in changes to skin color, caused by laser heat energy absorbing into pigment cells which produce color on your face and dispersing this energy through absorption by bleaching creams or broad-spectrum sunscreens. Bleaching creams can often speed up removal, while broad-spectrum sunscreens will prevent future changes to skin color.
Laser skin resurfacing treatments involve having your face held taut while being coated in protective ointment. A doctor will then fire a laser beam at your skin’s surface, creating small tears that your body will later repair by producing new cells and collagen.
Laser treatments can help address an array of skin concerns, from acne scarring and fine lines and wrinkles to brown sun spots, rosacea redness uneven skin tone and spider veins. Furthermore, these procedures may reduce pore appearance; however results will depend on patient and type of laser used during procedure – although results should generally improve significantly after one of these sessions.
Before going under the laser’s gaze, it’s advisable to consult a cosmetic surgeon about your desired results and to evaluate all available options to you. Your physician will conduct a consultation during which they’ll inquire into any medical history that could alter the result of treatment, for instance keloids can increase risk significantly following laser procedures.
