When you look in the mirror, do you see something you wish wasn’t there?
Many people — even those who appear to have “perfect” skin — have something they wish they could correct. If you’ve tried a variety of over-the-counter products, switched up your skin care routine or opted for aesthetic procedures, you’re not alone.
Skin care products and procedures like microdermabrasion only address the very top layers of your skin. Surgical procedures like dermabrasion go deeper. But now there’s technology that is just as effective and doesn’t require surgery.
Sciton® laser treatments improve the look of your skin.
“Sciton technology helps you achieve firmer, smoother, more youthful looking skin without surgery or injections,” says Lester Yen, MD, plastic surgeon at The Iowa Clinic’s West Des Moines Campus. “It provides excellent control, reliability and predictability of results. Those all go into making the treatment a very good experience.”
Sciton’s state-of-the-art laser delivers exacting precision with better quality than many other laser technologies. That results in healthier skin. Over the course of several treatments, plastic surgeons can get down to the deepest layer of the skin, which provides longer lasting results.
“Other types of treatments that aim to smooth skin and reduce wrinkles, such as Botox® and wrinkle fillers, do work well. But the results probably last a much shorter time,” Dr. Yen says.
However, he cautions patients from having too high of expectations from any treatment aimed at smoothing or repairing damaged skin. “These laser treatments will deliver improvement, but they may not deliver perfection,” he says.
Lasers can treat a wide variety of skin problems without surgery.
From sun damage to spider veins, laser treatments can help clear up the most common skin issues. Using intensive light therapy, the Sciton laser pinpoints the problem area to bring out the natural beauty of your skin and give you a more youthful look.
And there are some other advantages. Compared to surgical procedures like dermabrasion that have similar skin rejuvenation benefits, laser treatments provide a more comfortable experience. While your skin may feel a little like it’s sunburned after treatment, the recovery time is shorter overall.
If you want clearer, firmer skin with a younger look and feel, lasers can be used in these sought-after skin solutions:
Acne Treatments
Everyone gets acne. It’s the most common skin condition in the country. If it persists into adulthood, it presents a real image issue for a lot of people. Laser acne treatment gets deeper than traditional creams to reduce your pimples and improve the appearance of acne scars.
Permanent Hair Removal
Unwanted hair is another common problem. For women, fine or dark facial hairs are especially problematic. Tweezing, waxing and hair removal creams are often used for different parts of the body. But they’re all short-term solutions. One dose of a laser treatment has similar, temporary results. Over the course of several weeks or months, multiple laser hair removal sessions can lead to lasting results.
Skin Resurfacing
Instead of going deep into your skin, lasers can stick closer to the surface and target deeper issues layer by layer. Laser skin resurfacing reduces the signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone and discoloration. And in the process, it tightens your skin to create a smoother texture.
Scar Treatments
Every scar is different, from the source to the size and shape. They all share one thing: people want to make them less obvious or want to get rid of them entirely. Laser treatments can’t completely remove a scar. But they can reduce its appearance or make it look more natural next to nearby skin.
Skin Tightening
As you get older, your skin gets a little looser. You might feel like you’ve grown extra skin but it’s really just lost its elasticity. There are a number of skin firming creams or skin tightening lotions. Like topical acne treatments, those products only go skin-deep. Laser skin tightening targets the soft tissue beneath your skin to stimulate collagen growth that firms it up.
Skin Pigmentation and Melasma Treatments
Like with elasticity, your skin pigmentation changes as you age. Instead of one even tone, you have more melasma, freckles, moles, sun spots and brown spots. You can cycle through a variety of creams and lotions to correct your pigmentation problems, but lasers offer a more targeted and effective fix.
Spider Vein Removal
The tiny veins that sit just below the surface of your skin cause a different kind of skin tone problem. When damaged, they turn red or blue, and are often stubborn to treatment. Laser spider vein removal sends strong bursts of light into the damaged veins, causing them to die off and disappear.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to laser treatment for your skin. Your skin type, your problem and the severity of the condition affect the number of treatments and the types of lasers your plastic surgeon will use.
If there’s something about your skin or appearance that other treatments haven’t resolved, consult with a plastic surgeon at the Med Spa. After an evaluation, they’ll explain the recommended laser treatment, outline the process and tell you what kind of results you’ll see in your more beautiful skin.
