As the skin ages, it begins to lose its elasticity, leading to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. In addition, the skin can develop spots and uneven coloring around the face. These fine lines are often distressing to women and men who wish to fight aging and appear young. Dr. Pamela Henderson, can help reverse these distressing signs of aging with a simple procedure known as laser skin resurfacing in Scottsdale. This noninvasive procedure is quite effective in removing wrinkles, skin damage, and spots.

 

How does skin damage occur?

Skin damage occurs through sun exposure and the natural aging process. As the skin ages it loses elasticity due to decreasing collagen levels. Collagen is a vital compound that allows the skin to hold in hydration and produce new cells. As aging occurs the collagen producing cells decrease leading to less collagen being made. As less collagen is available for the skin cells, the skin dries outs and becomes less supple leading to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines. In addition, the sun can damage the skin by hastening the aging process. It can also lead to unwanted spots and discoloration.

What is laser skin resurfacing?

Laser skin resurfacing is a procedure designed to remove blemishes and lines without the need for invasive surgery. Dr. Henderson performs this procedure with a special laser that removes the layers of dead or damaged skin. When this skin is removed, new skin growth can occur at a faster rate than normal. With accelerate skin growth, the old damaged skin is gradually replaced with new clear skin. This way, wrinkles and fine lines disappear with treatment.

Am I candidate for laser skin resurfacing?

Dr. Henderson’s laser resurfacing procedure is very safe for patients of all ages. She uses specialized medically safe lasers to target areas of damaged skin. Patients with light to medium skin tones are candidates for the procedure with lighter treatments being used as the tone darkens to decrease risk of hyperpigmentation.  She recommends that if you suffer from any skin conditions such as dermatitis, rosacea, psoriasis, or any allergies, you alert her to your condition so that she can let you know if laser resurfacing is the best option.

What are the types of resurfacing lasers?

Dr. Henderson offers several kinds of laser skin resurfacing. Depending on the severity of your blemishes, she will recommend one of the few listed below.

CO2 laser and Erbium Laser

These are gold standard lasers that are the most aggressive because they are fully ablative, ie they treat the entire skin surface.  They produce the most dramatic results but also have the longest downtime.   They should only be used in lighter skinned patients due to risks of pigmentation change including hyper- and hypo-pigmentation.

Fractionated CO2 and Erbium lasers

These types of laser are fractionated or partially ablative, ie they only treat a portion of the skin surface depending on the density setting on the machine.  Small laser beams target columns of skin to promote collagen growth between the columns.  This method is less aggressive with faster recovery but it is not designed for severe wrinkles or lines. They can effectively lighten brown spots and irregularities.

What should I expect during a laser skin resurfacing procedure?

Dr. Henderson performs her laser skin resurfacing procedures on an outpatient basis so that you can recover in the comfort of your own home. The entire procedure takes around 45 minutes to complete. Before using the lasers, she will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area and also she can provide oral medications that will allow you to relax. She will place special lenses over your eyes to protect your eyes from lasers. Once you are prepared, she will take a laser and treat the areas of your face with imperfections. She may target one area several times. Clearer results will be evident after a couple of weeks post treatment.

Do you want to reverse aging without having to resort to invasive surgery? Dr. Henderson’s laser skin resurfacing is a very safe and effective method to bring out your inner youth. To learn more about laser skin resurfacing, contact her office today at (480) 596-6886 or fill out the online form to schedule your consultation.