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There is a new kid in the town of laser surgery. With the introduction of the high energy pulsed CO2 laser (powerful enough to vapourise the outer layer of skin tissue), new opportunities in cosmetic surgery have opened up. The heat of this laser penetrates no deeper than half the thickness of human hair. So the risk of burning or scarring is extremely low. This high energy CO2 laser vaporises old, damaged skin and reveals fresh, new skin with fewer wrinkles, sometimes just on specific areas such as around the eyes, lips and forehead and also all over the face. It can smooth out scars caused by acne or chicken pox and can work wonders on skin that has got sun-damaged. But the down side is that it involves more than just a little discomfort and a healing period in which your face is less-than-lovely!
A typical session can take up to an hour and a half. After this, your face will appear to be covered with a pale grey dust, which is the burnt-away skin. When wiped off, you`ll see skin that`s noticeably wrinkle-free, but it will also be red, puffy and bloated. You should, in particular, protect your skin from the sun. This is important for two reasons: Firstly because the sun is responsible for most of the damage that contributes to skin ageing and secondly because your treated skin is likely to be more sensitive to the sun than before.
Expect scabbing for at least a week, redness for a fortnight and some degree of reddening for up to four months. Within a few days, the swelling will decrease although the skin will still be ultra-sensitive and will look like it`s been burnt. But within a week you will be able to see the improvement and the redness will fade noticeably as each day passes. Of course, if you have only specific areas treated, then discomfort will be less and recovery will be quicker. When you are fully recovered, your face will be smoother, much more finely textured and will look younger.