Overview of Laser Skin Treatments

Unfortunately, not everyone has a "peaches and cream" complexion. Many external factors affect our skin, but for the most part, age, hormones and genes play the greatest role. But, thanks to medical and technological advances, we don't have to live with it… well, we have to live with it, but we don't have to accept it. Laser skin treatment can seemingly "reverse" the process of aging.

The two main culprits to most peoples' skin woes are acne and aging. Individually bad enough, but together, they're a disheartening combination.

Acne:

Not everyone gets acne, but if you're one of the unlucky ones who currently suffer with acne, or developed acne as a teenager, you can blame it on either poor genes or rampant hormonal surges, or a combination of both, as the factors that contributed to it. People with acne who undergo acne laser treatment find that there is a significant reduction in sebum, which is the oily substance found in the pores and which causes the acne. For individuals who are long past the day of their last acne blemish, but whose skin bears the evidence of acne, with scarring and pitting, laser acne treatment can resurface the skin's texture. Acne laser treatment also has the effect of stimulating collagen cells, which helps the skin to renew itself.

Aging:

Several celebrities have gained notoriety (or in some cases infamy) for the number of times they've undergone traditional plastic surgery - Phyllis Diller, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson - to name only a few. As for the regular mortals, you either had to save a lot of money to visit a plastic surgeon, or use ineffective creams, lotions and exercises in an effort to ward off the signs of aging. You've probably heard of them - they're called wrinkles and sags. As you get older, your skin gets thinner, has less elasticity, and produces less collagen; the result, wrinkled and saggy skin. The good news is that laser skin rejuvenation can reduce the effects of aging, as well as environmental factors such as too much sun, smoking, etc.

• Laser skin rejuvenation removes the damaged layers of your skin, which then stimulates cellular collagen production which helps to grow new skin cells, and brings about healthier, smoother and younger looking skin.
• Laser skin tightening (or firming) is a non-surgical procedure which uses a laser to tighten the skin by heating up the collagen beneath the surface, thereby causing the skin to tighten. Most patients choose this procedure for sagging skin on the face or neck, and most see results almost immediately. For optimal results, expect to undergo two or three treatments over the course of three months. This procedure is also sometimes called laser skin firming.