Quick Summary
- Laser skin resurfacing improves concerns such as sun damage, fine lines, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, rough texture, enlarged pores, and acne scars.
- Treatments may be performed on the face, neck, chest, hands, or forearms and are customized based on skin type, treatment area, and desired results.
- Fractional resurfacing generally offers a shorter recovery, while more intensive full-surface treatment may produce more significant improvement with longer healing.
- Recovery and side effects vary by treatment depth but may include temporary redness, swelling, itching, peeling, or sensitivity.
- Fante Eye & Face Center helps patients compare laser resurfacing with chemical peels, microneedling, injectables, skin care, and surgical facial rejuvenation.
Laser skin resurfacing is a skin rejuvenation treatment designed to improve visible signs of aging and sun damage, including fine lines, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, rough texture, age spots, acne scarring, and other surface irregularities. By treating damaged outer layers of skin and encouraging renewal, laser resurfacing can help create a smoother, clearer, and more refreshed appearance.
At Fante Eye & Face Center, patients from Denver, Greenwood Village, and surrounding Colorado communities receive laser resurfacing care from a team with advanced experience in facial aesthetics, skin rejuvenation, and oculofacial plastic surgery. Dr. Robert Fante is recognized as a pioneer in minimally invasive facial surgery, while both Dr. Levitt and Dr. Huang are ASOPRS-trained surgeons and ASOPRS Candidate Members. Together, the team can help determine whether laser resurfacing, injectables, surgery, or another treatment is the best fit for your skin and goals.
What is Laser Skin Resurfacing?
Laser resurfacing treatments remove damaged skin and rejuvenate a patient’s appearance. State-of-the-art laser treatments can provide meaningful improvement even for environmentally damaged or discolored skin. In milder cases, light chemical peels may help tighten fine wrinkles, lighten age spots, and soften skin texture around the eyes. Laser treatments and chemical peels may also be combined with Botox® or fillers to optimize facial rejuvenation without surgery.
What is Laser Skin Resurfacing Used to Treat?
We use a variety of lasers and other light-based therapies to address skin texture and color changes, including:
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Patches of brown pigmentation
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Broken blood vessels and visible capillaries
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Large pore size
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Fine wrinkles
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Deeper wrinkles and creases
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Unwanted hair
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Melasma
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Acne Rosacea
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Scars from adolescent acne
Dr. Fante’s First Halo Treatment for Brown Spots and Pigmentation
What Areas Can Laser Skin Resurfacing Target?
Laser resurfacing is typically conducted on parts of the face or the entire face. However, it may also be possible to utilize various laser devices to reduce signs of sun damage on the neck, chest, hands, and forearms. Laser resurfacing tends to be more effective for lighter-skinned people with light hair and light eyes who usually have more obvious sun damage than dark-skinned people. Variations in technique can also be used for people with darker skin, and our staff has specialized expertise to help in such situations.
Fractional Laser Vs. Complete Laser
Laser resurfacing can be accomplished with many different kinds of lasers that use different wavelengths for different purposes and different intensities for different skin types and ages. In addition, laser energy can be applied to the facial skin in limited fractions to treat a small percentage of the surface area using a grid pattern, or to the entire surface of the skin. Fractional laser usually has a faster recovery but is less dramatic in its effects, while Complete laser takes longer to heal but can provide a more complete improvement.
How to Prepare for Laser Skin Resurfacing
As with all facial plastic surgery, good health and realistic expectations are desirable.
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A complete medical history will be taken. Be sure to tell our staff if you have any allergies.
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Our staff will explain the techniques they’ll use, the anesthesia, and the risks involved.
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Our doctors and staff will give you guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and any vitamins, herbs, and medications you should take or avoid.
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Depending on your skin type and the procedure(s) selected, pre-treatment with medications such as tretinoin or hydroquinone may be recommended. Oral medications may also be prescribed, possibly including anti-viral prophylaxis, pain medication, and antibiotics.
The Laser Resurfacing Procedure
In general, laser resurfacing procedures take about 30 to 90 minutes and are performed under local anesthetic with a sedative. Depending on the type of laser used, your eyes and teeth may be protected with special devices. Depending on your specific situation, surgery may be performed in our office or at an ambulatory surgery center.
There are many procedures to choose from, and your treatment plan will be customized to your unique skin, face, and goals.
You’ll be very pleased with your new, refreshed look. Our team is always available to answer questions and provide support.
Watch Dr. Fante’s Journey With Bbl & Halo Laser Resurfacing
Who Is A Candidate For Laser Skin Resurfacing?
Ideal candidates for laser skin resurfacing are adults with fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, blemishes, and facial texture concerns. The best skin types for this treatment are non-oily and medium- to light-colored skin. While a darker skin tone may not disqualify you from being a laser skin resurfacing candidate, it may increase your risk of scarring from the procedure. Patients with slightly loose skin can also benefit from this treatment’s tightening effects.
While laser skin resurfacing can improve the appearance of acne scarring, patients with active acne cannot undergo laser treatment until their acne is healed. Laser skin resurfacing will not eliminate excessive skin, sagging skin, or deep wrinkles. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, laser treatment is not recommended until after childbirth.
Laser Skin Resurfacing Aftercare
After treatment, you can go home, though you’ll need someone to drive you if you’ve taken any sedatives. There’ll be ointment temporarily blurring your vision, and you’ll have a prescription for an oral pain reliever if you need it. There’ll be some swelling and bruising, which you can minimize with an ice pack. Herbal and homeopathic medicines can sometimes also help with bruising, and you will be given information on which ones to consider.
Skincare after laser resurfacing may depend somewhat on the type of laser used and the extent of ablation of the uppermost layers of tissue. Some general guidelines most patients can expect include applying an appropriate moisturizer while the skin heals and using ice packs or cold compresses as needed to manage swelling and provide comfort. Patients may also perform vinegar soak treatments at home, applying a cloth soaked in one tablespoon of white vinegar diluted in water for a few minutes, a few times each day. This remedy may promote faster healing during the first few days after resurfacing.
Our staff discusses post-treatment instructions before laser resurfacing and provides clear written details that patients can take home. We are also available by phone to answer any questions that arise after laser skin resurfacing.
Potential Side Effects of Laser Resurfacing
The most common side effects of laser skin resurfacing include redness, itching, and swelling. The extent to which these side effects occur depends on the intensity of the laser treatment. Although not as common, an acne breakout or infection may occur after laser skin resurfacing. Burns and other complications, such as infection and loss or gain of pigmentation, are rare. Risks are mitigated by choosing a trained, licensed professional to conduct laser resurfacing treatments.
Alternatives to Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing is not the only option for improving skin texture, pigmentation, wrinkles, or facial aging. Depending on your concerns, our team may recommend alternatives such as chemical peels, microneedling, Botox®, fillers, skin care products, or light-based treatments.
For patients with loose skin, deeper folds, or more advanced facial aging, surgical procedures such as eyelid surgery or facelift surgery may be more appropriate. During your consultation, our team can help determine whether laser resurfacing or another treatment option is the best fit for your skin, anatomy, and goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Laser skin resurfacing may be a nice follow-up to a surgical procedure conducted to rejuvenate the face. Scar improvement is one of many reasons that treatment may be performed. Depending on your skin type and the type of surgery you have had, we can discuss how laser skin resurfacing can enhance your results.
It may be possible to apply makeup as early as the day of treatment, depending on the extent of in-office tissue ablation. When deeper layers of tissue have been affected by laser treatment, healing may involve redness and peeling that require gentler care and avoidance of certain chemicals. Once you have decided on the laser treatment you wish to undergo, we can provide you with detailed instructions about cleansing, moisturizing, and makeup.
You can get laser skin resurfacing once every 4 weeks. Some patients will need multiple treatments in order to achieve their desired results. Once you achieve your desired look, a good skincare routine and sun protection will help maintain an improved complexion. We recommend getting laser skin resurfacing once a year to maintain your results.
Your results from laser skin resurfacing can last several years with the proper sun protection and a great skincare regimen. While most patients will see immediate improvement in their skin after healing from their laser skin resurfacing treatment, their skin’s appearance may continue to improve for up to a year.
For most patients, laser skin resurfacing is a quick process that only involves a slight, stinging or snapping sensation, similar to a rubberband hitting skin. Many do not consider the laser treatment to be overly painful. However, numbing medication can be applied to the treatment area before your procedure if needed. For patients with large treatment areas, sedation may be administered before treatment so that nothing is felt during the laser skin resurfacing.
Laser skin resurfacing is often combined with surgical facial procedures such as blepharoplasty and facelift surgery. After the tissue has healed completely, patients may also schedule injectable treatments to further enhance their youthful appearance.
Why Choose Fante Eye & Face Center for Laser Skin Resurfacing?
Laser skin resurfacing requires careful treatment planning because skin type, pigmentation, texture, sun damage, scarring, and downtime goals all affect which approach is safest and most effective. At Fante Eye & Face Center, our team evaluates each patient’s skin and goals before recommending a resurfacing treatment, chemical peel, injectable treatment, or surgical option.
The practice offers experience in facial aesthetics, skin rejuvenation, and oculofacial plastic surgery, allowing the team to consider both skin quality and overall facial balance. This is especially important for patients considering laser resurfacing around delicate areas, such as the eyes, or in combination with procedures such as eyelid or facelift surgery.
Our team will explain what laser resurfacing can and cannot improve, how to prepare, what recovery may involve, and how to maintain results with sun protection and appropriate skin care.
Laser Skin Resurfacing Consultation in Denver, Greenwood Village, Castle Pines and Highlands Ranch
If you are interested in improving sun damage, fine lines, wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, acne scarring, or skin texture, Fante Eye & Face Center can help you explore whether laser skin resurfacing is right for you. During your consultation, our team will evaluate your skin, discuss your goals, and explain whether laser resurfacing, chemical peels, microneedling, injectables, surgery, or another treatment may be appropriate.
To book a consultation with Fante Eye & Face Center in Denver, CO, serving patients from Greenwood Village, Castle Pines and the surrounding communities, call (303) 839-1616 today.