Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser resurfacing has become a valuable tool for rejuvenating aged and sun damaged skin. The new erbium: YAG laser has a healing time measured in days, not weeks or months as in the case of the old CO2, and there is little chance of pigmentation loss.

At the Surgery Institute of Australia, they performed clinical trials comparing the two lasers on voluntary patients. The results showed erbium laser to be better than CO2 laser for skin resurfacing in all patients. The improvement in both deep and superficial wrinkles was equally impressive with both lasers, but patients healed more quickly and were back to normal sooner with Erbium. Also, there were fewer complications with erbium, especially permanent loss of pigmentation which quite commonly starts to appear six months after CO2 resurfacing.

If you are considering laser resurfacing, ask for erbium laser. Here's why: Skin resurfacing lasers work by heating the water in skin cells and vaporizing them. The erbium laser is 10 times more efficient at doing this, so it is 10 times more controllable than CO2 laser. Unlike CO2 laser, it does not leave behind an uncontrolled layer of dead burnt tissue. This is the layer that causes prolonged redness and swelling and can cause loss of pigment and even scarring.

Some surgeons advocate the use of combined erbium and CO2 Lasers. This is based on the belief C02 is needed to shrink collagen and tighten the skin. The results of our studies and those overseas have shown this is not true. Skin samples taken several months after treatment show just as much new, tight collagen after erbium as CO2. Adding CO2 just prolongs healing and increases the chance of complications.

With the erbium laser it is possible to sculpt deep wrinkles or to resurface the skin very superficially in patients who show only the earliest signs of sun damage. This is not possible with the CO2 laser.

The results of laser resurfacing, both good and bad, depend on the depth of treatment. Since erbium offers such precise depth control, the skill and experience of your surgeon is even more important than CO2 laser. Therefore, before deciding on laser resurfacing make sure your surgeon is experienced in erbium laser and is prepared to show you plenty of 'before and after' photographs of their own patients as evidence of this.