CO2 Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing

“Face lift” without the surgery in Tunbridge Wells, Kent & Sussex

Fractional CO₂ Laser excels other non-surgical procedures when it comes to treating deeper wrinkles, more severe textural changes from sun damage, blotchiness, acne scars, and surgical or traumatic scars. It can be used on the delicate skin on the eyelids and around the mouth. It is also a very effective treatment for sun damage and precancerous growths. Here at rtwskin we use DEKA Smartxide Dot^® Fractional CO₂ Laser.

Treatment:

During the treatment, the fractional CO2 laser beams remove tiny fractions of skin creating tiny microscopic channels, finer than a human hair, in the tissue. The skin then repairs those tiny shafts by pushing out the old sun damaged skin and replacing it with new skin. The procedure generates an entirely new layer of epidermal tissue (the top layer of skin) as well as tightening dermal tissue (the deeper layer of skin). There is no comparison to laser resurfacing using a CO2 Laser for improvement of skin texture, colour irregularities, and skin tightening. It is ideally suited to those patients who desire improvement in the depth of their wrinkles, particularly around the eyes and mouth. Because only a fraction of the skin is removed, healing is very quick and pretty painless. Treatment is usually applied to the entire face and/or neck to allow blending of the treatment along the hairline, jawline and the ears to hide any visible transition between treated and untreated areas. We will recommend a home skincare treatment programme before and after laser resurfacing to prepare your skin for the procedure, speed up healing and maintain your results. The results of CO2 Laser treatment are long-term and with a proper maintenance program, can last for many years. Most effects of the treatment become visible immediately, whereas others – such as new collagen formation – build up gradually and become more evident over time.

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A single treatment with the DEKA Smartxide Dot®: Fractional CO2 Laser resurfacing has the following benefits:

Tightens loose skin and reduces wrinkles. Immediate shrinkage of damaged skin, giving the appearance of a ‘facelift’
Softens fine lines and wrinkles.
Improves irregular skin texture (removes pigmentation problems, reduces pore size, wrinkles, acne scars, and other textural irregularities).
Noticeable improvements in skin laxity. New collagen production for up to one year following treatment.
Reduces incidents of pre-cancerous actinic keratosis and sun damage (pre-cancerous cells that may be invisible to the naked eye).
Removes age, sun spots and reduces sun-induced redness.
Reduces acne or post-traumatic scarring.
Improves stretch marks due to new collagen production.

How many treatments will I need?

The number of treatments will depend on the extent of your wrinkles, sun damage or scarring, and on how much downtime you can manage. In some cases only 1 treatment is needed, but for deeper wrinkles and deep acne scars additional treatments will be required for optimum results. A course of 3 – 5 treatments is usual.

DEKA SmartXide Dot^® Fractional CO₂ Laser resurfacing treatment can be customized to each individual patient and their skin condition. Treatments can be deep with longer recovery time, or more superficial with less healing time. The best result is usually achieved with deep treatments. But some patients prefer to have a course of more superficial treatments that will avoid a lot of downtime.

How long do the effects of a Fractional CO₂ Laser Resurfacing treatment last?

You can expect to have long-lasting benefits from CO₂ Laser Resurfacing. Obviously, the more aggressive the treatment the greater and longer-lasting benefit you will receive. It also depends on how well you protect your skin from the sun and other factors that cause ageing like your general health, smoking, changes in weight, etc. We will recommend a home skincare and maintenance treatment programme before and after laser resurfacing to prepare your skin for the procedure, speed up healing and maintain your results. The results of CO2 Laser treatment are long-term and, with a proper sun protection and home care regime, can last for many years.

All laser procedures will require a test patch a minimum of 24 hours prior to treatment. This is a standard requirement for safety and insurance purposes.

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When do I see result?

You will see skin tightening and shrinking immediately after the treatment but the quality of the skin continues to improve over the coming months. Therefore optimum/final results of the treatment are most apparent around 3–6 months after the procedure. It must be noted that although you will see results after your first treatment, normally you will require a course of 3 – 5 treatments for optimal effect. Heavy Acne scarring may require more

Can I have Fractional CO2 Laser Resurfacing treatment in combination with other cosmetic treatments?

CO₂ Laser Resurfacing can be combined with other treatments although we cannot do other treatments in the same area(s) treated on the same day. We advise you to wait for full recovery of the skin. We may recommend Botox treatment 2 weeks prior to the laser treatment as studies have shown that this may enhance the effect on wrinkles caused by movement. We will then usually wait 2 weeks before we would offer dermal filler treatment if this is requested.

Does CO2 laser resurfacing hurt?

The treatment takes about an hour for a full face procedure and feels like a “pins and needles” sensation. Local anaesthetic cream will be applied to your skin an hour prior to the treatment and a strong stream of cold air (Zimmer cooler) will be directed on the area during the treatment to make it more comfortable. The discomfort ranges from mild to moderate. Your complete procedure will take about 2 ½ hours in total.

During the first 24 hours after treatment, you may feel a sensation similar to that of severe sunburn. The healing process usually takes 3-14 days. There will be a period of 4-6 weeks after that when your skin may continue to be slightly pink. During this period, your skin will become smoother and looks less blotchy. As the colour returns to normal, you will see a fewer lines, and tighter skin with a youthful glow.