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FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Laser treatment for face rejuvenescence is called “resurfacing with laser”, and is a frequent technique used to rejuvenate the face and to treat facial wrinkles and skin injures.

The technique consists in the vaporization of thin cutaneous layers with a precise control of the depth it reaches, representing thus one of the great advantages of laser over peeling and dermabrasion.

Selective destruction caused by laser’s thermal effect is based upon two main elements, basis of selective photothermolysis to prevent the destruction of the surrounding tissue avoiding thermal diffusion.

• Adequate wavelength, the absorption of which is determined by the tissue chromophore, yielding selectivity.
• Sufficient energy or fluency density to evaporate the tissue, considering that irradiation time must be less than skin thermal relaxation time (time the target tissue requires to cool 50% of its incident temperature without spreading heat to neighbouring tissue).

Laser, pulsed light and radio frequency are employed in the following treatments:

• Depilation: Progressive hair removal (also known as permanent) can reduce hair growth gradually. It can be applied on the whole body: face, upper lip, chin, armpits, nipple, abdomen, back, pelvis (regular, full, etc.), legs, arms and hands.
• Rejuvenescence: This technology aims at the face and body rejuvenescence. It improves skin quality because it renews it; brings more elasticity; decreases wrinkles, blemishes and aberrant scars (caused by acne or by any other factor); decreases the diameter of skin pores. It acts upon damaged tissues: soft wrinkles around the eyes, wrinkles on cheeks (associated with excess of sunbathing or sun damage), wrinkles around the mouth (associated with the decrease of supporting tissue), wrinkles on neck and neckline, sun lentigo, keratosis, skin surface abnormalities, etc.
• Acne and rosacea: It is a simple and well tolerated technique for the treatment of these pathologies. As regards acne, it works upon sequelae and scars left by this disorder. It can be applied on face, chest, neckline and back, and it decreases hyperpigmented scars. As regards rosacea, couperose, it is a treatment that tries to repair the surface damage on skin. It removes veins red spots, dilated reticular or lineal blue or purple capillaries, and reduces skin dilatation, due to this disorder.
• Skin tightening: It improves cells metabolism and, due to the increase of collagen production on skin and on the subcutaneous tissue it increases tonicity on skin.

• Vascular and pigmented disorders: During the back flow of blood, some vein valves may be damaged or their walls may turn weak leading to the development of “spider veins” (telangiectasias), permanent dilatation of capillaries or pigmentation on skin. In order to repair any surface damage, laser can be used.
• Acne: Acne is a follicular disorder of the skin occurring due to one or several factors: personal predisposition, hormonal changes, increase in sebum production, follicle swelling, infection of the follicle inner material, defective daily skin hygiene, etc. Laser is used for this kind of disease to remove pigmented sequelae due to melanin neoformation and to fill altered areas, since laser not only causes skin abrasion and thinness, but it also fosters collagen and proteoglycans production which have a filling effect on those injuries.
• Rosacea: It is a dermopathy affecting face skin, characterized by the dilatation of capillary vessels, telangiectasias and, in some cases, it combines with the formation of pustules, papules on seborrheic and medio-facial areas and, after some time, there may also appear brownish pigmentations. Under such circumstances, the treatment combines well with laser use, since it improves skin look, reduces capillar dilatation and removes “spots” or their pigmentation.