Which Laser Should I Choose For My Face?

By Craig E. Vigliante, MD, DMD

Potomac Surgical Arts, PC

. http://www.potomacsurgicalarts.com/

More Beauty Skin Care & Gorgeous Smiles Articles

Which Laser Should I Choose For My Face?

In the world of cosmetic facial surgery, not all facial lasers are created equal. It is very difficult to compare one laser result to another, due to patient and laser variables. In this arena, one thing is certain. All doctors who practice cosmetic facial surgery are aware that the results of all facial lasers are compared to the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Laser. The CO2 laser effectively treats fine lines around the eyes, deep wrinkles, lip lines, sun damage, brown spots, acne scars, surgical scars, and totally rejuvenates the skin.

So what are the advantages of the CO2 Fractional Laser? First and foremost, it is the only laser that has withstood the test of time thus far. Physicians have been using this device to treat the aging face for decades. In addition, it is the only laser on the market (in my opinion and others) that give you that “bang for the buck” result that most patients are looking for. It does all of this with one treatment. Most other lasers take anywhere from 3 to 6 treatments to give you the same result as one CO2 facial laser treatment.

What are the disadvantages of facial laser treatments including the CO2 Fractional Laser? The biggest disadvantage of any facial laser treatment is that there will be some element of downtime no matter which facial laser treatment you choose. The downtime will usually last anywhere from 5 to 7 days. This downtime is certainly much improved since the early days of facial laser treatments 20 years ago.

Years ago, patients needed to allow 2 weeks for their skin to recover. The results were fantastic, but at the expense of downtime. Fractional facial laser treatments have done the job of decreasing downtime while giving satisfying results, all with patient safety in mind.

So which facial laser is right for you? If you are looking to decrease wrinkles, improve skin tone, and remove decades of sun damage all with one treatment, then the CO2 Fractional Facial Laser is the one for you. This in-office procedure takes only 45 minutes to perform. This laser can take 5 to 10 years of facial aging off of your face in one sitting.