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Laser Skin Resurfacing in Houston, TX
Houston facial plastic surgery experts, Dr. Sean Delaney and Dr. Russell Kridel perform the most advanced laser skin resurfacing treatments to help patients improve or remove fine lines and deep wrinkles, as well as lighten skin blemishes due to sun damage. At FPSA, we were one of the first Houston area plastic surgeons to introduce laser skin resurfacing to the local market, and have 3 different types of the most advanced lasers that reverse the signs of aging skin for a more youthful, refreshed and rejuvenated appearance.
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About Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing is an advanced skin rejuvenation treatment that uses laser beams of focused light localized to target trouble areas on the face. When a laser light hits its target, energy is released often in the form of heat to erase out the specific intended target without harming the surrounding tissues. It treats sun damage by stripping injured skin layer-by-layer with controlled precision. There are ablative and non-ablative laser skin resurfacing treatments. During an ablative procedure, an intense beam of laser light energy is directed at the skin, removing the outer thin layers. This is a one-time treatment, but also results in a longer recovery. The results, however, can be quite dramatic. A non-ablative laser does not remove any layers of skin. Instead, it stimulates the growth of collagen, which helps tighten underlying skin. This process offers a shorter recovery period and in most cases requires more than one treatment. Since there are different strengths/powers of lasers, a good rule of thumb is that the more powerful the laser, the longer the downtime. It is also important to understand that no one laser does it all, and that in some instances, Dr. Kridel may use different laser types to help you achieve optimum results.
What Sets Us Apart
At FPSA, your laser skin resurfacing procedures are performed by a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Sean Delaney or Dr. Russell Kridel. This provides patients with the peace of mind that they are in the hands of a physician who focuses solely on the neck, and the procedure is done in the safety and comfort of a medical office environment. It takes great skill and finesse to provide a laser skin resurfacing treatment that is unique to each patient and provides the best possible facial rejuvenation outcome, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach at many medical spas. Dr. Kridel is a leading expert on laser technology, and has performed thousands of successful treatments. Dr. Kridel has written numerous medical journal articles and textbook chapters on the aging face and the various uses of lasers. He has also presented lectures at international conferences on many of the different laser modalities available.
Procedure Techniques
Laser skin resurfacing procedures are performed at our beautiful medical offices in our AAAHC-accredited suite for maximum comfort and patient safety. Depending on the size of area you desire to have covered, the treatment can take 1 to 3 hours. At FPSA, we make sure patients are as comfortable as possible, so numbing medication or ProNox is available and often preferred. For full CO2 patients, “twilight anesthesia” is recommended. At FPSA, we offer 3 different advanced laser skin resurfacing technique options described below.
During/after The Procedure
Depending on which laser is used, there can be some mild swelling or redness after a laser resurfacing treatment. The amount of downtime will also very. Full CO2 laser treatments will require the longest downtime, while Fraxel patients may only need up to a couple of days. While this will vary in severity, it is common for the face to have crust and scaling as it heals. Laser skin resurfacing will leave the face exposed with a new layer of healthy, yet sensitive, skin. So, it is advised to wear sunscreen every day and restrict sun exposure as much as possible.
Expected Cost
Dr. Sean Delaney and Dr. Russell Kridel have extensive experience with “true” CO2. They have published journal articles on this laser surgical technique. The cost for laser skin resurfacing varies according to the technology used and the number and size of areas treated. The cost for Full Face CO2 (Ablative) range from $8,500 to $12,000 and include surgeon’s fees, FPSA OR (operating room) and Anesthesia (IV Sedation). The cost for Full Face Fractionated CO2 range from $5,500 to $6,500 and include surgeon’s fees, FPSA OR (operating room) and Anesthesia (IV Sedation).
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Laser Options
Co2: Carbon Dioxide Laser
Don’t let the name throw you. Carbon dioxide is just the type of medium that the laser uses. This is a fully ablative laser or one that works on the whole skin surface. It is considered the gold standard, but it also has the longest recovery period. The CO2 laser vaporizes, not burns, the top layers of the skin. Then, over a matter of weeks and months, the skin regenerates to form new, smooth skin and eliminate wrinkles. In addition, the collagen in the skin reforms and remodels. For the first two weeks of the recovery period, new skin in forming. As a result, patients traditionally do not go outside. After about two to three weeks, patients can use makeup and go out and about. There is still some redness to the skin for a few months afterward depending on the patient, but this dissipates. CO2 laser resurfacing can give tightening to the face, as well as get rid of the sun damage, spots and fine lines that occur with age. Results from CO2 laser skin resurfacing show the most dramatic results and improvement.
Fractionated Co2 Laser
The fractionated CO2 laser technique uses the same basic technology as the full CO2. However, this laser is less powerful. Instead of burning off a large section of skin, the fractional approach sends down little pulses of energy in only selected sections of skin. It does not totally take off the top layer of skin. Since the skin between the burned areas is still healthy, healing times can be significantly improved. The results are still quite good, but it’s not the same as the fully ablative CO2. The recovery time is about 10-14 days. The settings can also be modified so the recovery is even less. Both of these carbon dioxide lasers — the fully ablative CO2 and the fractionated CO2 are one-time treatments. While Full C02 can only be done on the face, Fractionated CO2 and Fraxel can be done on the face and neck area.
Fraxel Laser
The Fraxel Laser is the only device specially designed to resurface a fraction of the skin at a time without breaking its protective outer barrier. Think of a digital photo that is comprised of thousands of pixels. Now, imagine damaged skin that is delicately repaired, pixel by pixel, spot by spot. That’s the principle behind Fraxel Laser Treatment. It’s like Adobe Photoshop® for your skin.This treatment approach allows for dramatic cosmetic improvement without the redness, downtime and discomfort of more traditional abrasive techniques. This laser is the least powerful of the lasers. Less power means less downtime, but it also means that more than one treatment (3 to 5) will be needed to get optimum results. The Fraxel Laser technology is very popular. It is ideal for adults with mild to moderate periorbital wrinkles, age spots and skin discoloration and require little or no downtime. In fact, it can be used on practically any area of the body. There may be some redness and peeling after the treatment, but most patients return to work the next day or after a weekend.
Laser Skin Resurfacing Faqs
For mild laser treatments, patients often use numbing cream to help ease any discomfort. Patients can also utilize local anesthesia with PO meds for their laser resurfacing procedures. With this approach, patients will need to have someone pick them up following the treatment. Pro Nox is a wonderful option for patients who want to relieve the anxiety and pain from minimally invasive laser techniques, but still have the ability to drive home. For the more invasive, fully ablative CO2 laser procedure, IV sedation is most commonly recommended by our surgeons.
While laser skin resurfacing does not stop the aging process, the results can be both dramatic and long lasting.
It is very common for patients to combine laser skin resurfacing with surgical procedures. For example, facelift surgery addresses loose and sagging skin, but does not address skin texture. As a result, facelift patients often have CO2 laser around the mouth to permanently remove deeper wrinkles. Some have a full face CO2 laser treatment with a facelift for a more complete facial transformation. Eyelid surgery patients have laser treatment to address crow’s feet and fine lines around the eyes if they desire a more permanent solution than fillers or wrinkle relaxers.
Laser skin resurfacing takes a great deal of skill. So, it is extremely important to trust your face only to an expert facial plastic surgeon with laser resurfacing experience. During your consultation, it is important to ask a few important questions:
- How many of these procedures have you done?
- Do you have before and post op pictures from this device?
- How long have you been using this device?
- Why did you select this device over the others available?
- How long have you been performing laser procedures?
- Have you written any papers on laser resurfacing or the different laser devices?
The CO2 laser is best used for the face, in general, where wrinkles exist. One of the areas that can change most dramatically are the lines around the mouth, where many women show aging. Full CO2 laser treatment can also be used for vaporization of lesions, such as keratoses, syringomas, and hyperplasia. It can also help even out scars. CO2 is also one of the best treatments for rhinophyma — the condition that some men get that enlarges the tip of the nose with bumps. The amount of improvement from CO2 Laser Resurfacing can be quite significant.
Fully Accredited
On-Site Surgical Facility
Dr, Sean Delaney, Dr. Russell Kridel and Team FPSA provide patients with an exceptional surgical experience at our AAAHC accredited on-site operating facility. Our patients enjoy the comfort, ease and convenience of having surgical and medical aesthetic procedures in our beautiful practice environment. Facial Plastic Surgery Associates’ operating room has been certified by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Accreditation by this highly regarded, independent organization ensures that our in-office operating room meets the highest quality of standards and safety. This accreditation is similar to the process completed for out-patient surgical facilities associated with hospital systems.
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