As we age, signs of the passing of time can appear on the face, such as the development of fine lines and wrinkles, the appearance of age spots, and increased skin laxity. Scarring from infected acne breakouts or severe injury can mar the skin, and benign and malignant lesions may develop on the skin due to sun damage. Previously, many patients falsely believed that to achieve complete facial rejuvenation, you needed to visit a plastic surgeon for a facelift, which can have significant side effects and risk for major adverse events. Luckily, a safe and effective alternative to plastic surgery is available at The Vitality Co., which helps reverse the signs of the natural aging process with limited downtime necessary: the Erbium Yag skin resurfacing laser treatment.
The Erbium Yag is anablative laser designed for laser resurfacing and skin rejuvenation. The ablative nature of the laser means that the outer layer of skin is removed, which triggers the natural healing process to promote skin cell turnover, revealing healthy, clear, and tight skin as the treated area heals. The light energy can also penetrate deep into the dermis, boosting the production of new collagen and treating skin conditions from the inside out. And, compared to other ablative lasers like the carbon dioxide laser, less recovery time is necessary post-treatment, and the risk of side effects is lower.
What is Erbium laser resurfacing?
Erbium laser resurfacing is an ablative laser treatment option that removes the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and causes controlled damage to the inner layer of skin (dermis) to rejuvenate the skin for an overall more youthful appearance. Used with varying wavelength intensities, the Erbium Yag laser (Er: YAG) can be used for superficial resurfacing or medium-depth resurfacing on the face, hands, neck, and chest. The treatment can address several skin conditions to reduce hyperpigmentation, improve the appearance of acne scars and injury scarring, eliminate fine lines and wrinkles, tighten the skin, remove malignant lesions, and even out skin tone and texture. Compared to other ablative lasers, such as the carbon dioxide laser, the Erbium laser requires less recovery time and less risk of adverse events.
How does the Erbium laser work?
The Erbium laser, also known as the Er: YAG ablative laser, works via the emission of light energy that affects the skin in two ways: skin resurfacing on the epidermal layer of skin and thermal damage to boost collagen production in the dermal layer of skin. On the skin’s surface, or epidermis, damage caused by the laser vaporizing the treatment area triggers the body’s natural healing process, leading to skin cell turnover and skin rejuvenation to improve skin texture and tone, reduce the appearance of acne scars and surgery scars, and eliminate hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage. The light energy also penetrates the deeper layers of skin, with the penetration depth dependent upon the wavelength of energy emitted. At peak capacity, the laser energy is absorbed by water in the dermis, causing targeted tissue damage and increasing the production of the structural proteins collagen and elastin. New collagen production helps to tighten the skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and improve skin tone. With the fractional laser properties of the Er: YAG, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and scarring in the treated area can be explicitly targeted without damaging the surrounding tissue.
What is the procedure for Erbium laser skin resurfacing?
The first step of the Erbium laser resurfacing treatment is to schedule a consultation appointment to examine the treatment area and discuss your aesthetic goals to determine if the Erbium laser is the best treatment to meet your needs. Not all patients are good candidates for ablative laser treatment, as some patients may be at a higher risk of developing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, or post-treatment cold sores.
The Erbium laser resurfacing procedure will begin with cleaning the skin and applying a topicalanesthetic to the treated area. In the weeks leading to the treatment session, we stronlgy reccomend avoiding sun exposure and avoiding exfoliating treatments, creams, or serums, such as chemical peels and topical retinoids. The amount of time necessary for the procedure will depend on the size and scope of the treatment area. Detailed aftercare instructions for recovery will be provided.
Who is a good candidate for the Erbium yag laser?
A good candidate for the Erbium Yag laser resurfacing treatment is a patient looking to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, surgical scars, hyperpigmentation, or sun damage, tighten the skin, and remove benign or malignant lesions.
What are the benefits of Erbium laser skin resurfacing?
Laser skin resurfacing treatment has many benefits and can help to address a range of cosmetic concerns, reversing signs of the natural aging process and improving skin tone and texture. Compared to other ablative lasers, such as the carbon dioxide laser (CO2 laser), the Erbium Yag laser has comparable cosmetic results with less downtime necessary and fewer adverse events, like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The Erbium Yag laser can treat specific areas of the skin with fractional laser technology, allowing for a more targeted approach to treatment and leaving the surrounding tissue unharmed. Studies have shown that this also decreases the recovery time, allowing for fewer side effects.
What is the Erbium laser used for?
The Erbium laser can treat various skin conditions, rejuvenating the skin and clearing the face of blemishes. The treatment can be used to:
- Eliminate hyperpigmentation from the skin, including sun damage, dark spots, and age spots
- Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, particularly those around the eyes and mouth
- Reduce the appearance of acne scars, surgical scars, and injury scars
- Correct skin texture irregularities
- Tighten the skin by decreasing skin laxity
FAQ’s About Erbium
How long is each Erbium treatment?
The procedure should take 30-45 minutes. A topical numbing gel will be applied one hour before treatment.
When will I recover?
When the treatment is over, your skin will be tight, red, and swollen. 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.
