Erbium YAG laser resurfacing removes the upper most layers of skin and encourages the growth of new collagen.
Several Important Benefits of Erbium Laser Resurfacing
This laser is used to treat locations on the torso, the face, the neck, and the hands. It vaporizes wrinkles, skin spots, and surface irregularities after acne scarring. Patients require only topical pain control medications during this procedure.
Using an erbium laser for resurfacing offers some important advantages. Key reasons to utilize this procedure include:
- Fewer side effects (for most patients).
- Typically, fast recovery periods of three days to a week.
- The stimulation of collagen formation, promoting skin tightening in some locations.
Erbium YAG Laser vs CO2 Laser
Today, physicians use both carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers and erbium lasers. CO2 laser resurfacing procedures produce extensive side effects, causing swelling, redness, and prolonged healing times up to 2 weeks. Unlike carbon dioxide lasers, erbium lasers tend to produce milder side effects. Patients sometimes compare this experience to a sunburn. Most patients recover fully from an erbium laser resurfacing treatment session within three to five days.
Many patients undergo a series of Erbium YAG treatments extending over the course of several weeks or months, where as a CO2 laser is a bigger recovery but performed one time.
Who is a Good Candidate for Resurfacing Procedures?
In general, erbium laser surgery works well for most patients with lighter skin tones, and for some patients with darker skin tones, too. This type of laser tends to produce milder side effects than a carbon dioxide laser. It serves as a preferred choice for resurfacing procedures in some circumstances. A variety of considerations enter into the suitability of erbium laser resurfacing procedures for a patient.
FAQ’s About Erbium
How long is each Erbium treatment?
The procedure should take just around 30 minutes. However, the patient should stay in the office for an hour, after the treatment is complete.
When will I recover?
When the treatment is over, your skin will be tight, red, and swollen. You should put ice on the area for half an hour, immediately after the treatment. By day 3, your skin should feel dry, so you should use a moisturizer. By week 1 or 2, your treated area should be fully recovered.
How many treatments do I need?
For optimal results, we recommend 2-3 treatments, in 1-month intervals. To maintain your beautiful results, we recommend coming in once a year to get a touch up.
How painful will the procedure be?
During the treatment, you should feel a warm, prickly sensation. The pain has been reported to be very tolerable.
What are potential side effects of the erbium laser treatment?
There is a chance that a patient can experience redness and swelling, after the treatment. There is also a smaller chance, that you can experience mild acne in the treated areas.
Schedule Your Laser Resurfacing Consultation Today
To obtain more information about erbium laser resurfacing, and to determine whether this procedure might assist you, consider contacting our office. To schedule a consultation about erbium laser resurfacing or any other cosmetic procedures, call us at (516)773-2424.