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There are not a thousand ways to boost our skin,
especially on our face. Photo-Rejuvenation with lasers and
soft peels
(or other peels such as 15% TCAs) are efficacious methods to bring
back light on our face and health to our skin.
These options are simple and easy to do.
Photo-rejuvenation with the appropriate laser provides
long lasting results due to
its action on fibroblasts, cells that
produce neo-collagen in our skin. With the newest lasers now
available, there will be no downtime in your social or professional
life.
Nevertheless, with laser resurfacing (CO2 lasers / Erbium
lasers) or some deep TCA peels, there is some downtime since your skin
will be affected. Your skin is vaporized with laser resurfacing
through a controlled burning process. It’s similar with a deep peel
although the skin cells are still on your face but fall off just over
a few days. Laser resurfacing is not considered as photo rejuvenation
but heavy cosmetic medicine or even plastic surgery. The skin rebuilds
itself over a two week period, sometimes a bit longer. People usually
resume normal daily activities within 8 to 10 days while remaining
pinkish for about 2-3 months.
Photo Rejuvenation can be performed with 3 types of
equipment :
a) a NdYAG Long Pulse Laser
b) a Dye Pulsed Laser (at settings not yielding to
purpura or blue marks under the skin)
c) Intense Pulsed Light
These methods do NOT vaporize your skin, your skin stays
on your face. Some minor redness may last from an hour up
to a half day. Some rare side effects could occur such as
dyschromias (discolored skin) with Flash Lamps that use a
radio frequency option.
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For maximum safety, these photo rejuvenation sessions
should be done in a Laser Center of Excellence. It’s preferable to
have your first session done under a laser physician’s supervision
even if a laser technician follows up with subsequent sessions.
If you have questions, please consult :
practical questions
The following drawings indicate how Photo Rejuvenation
induces a brightening of your skin :
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Before treatment
(skin is damaged: sun, aging,etc…) |
During treatment, target areas respond well to laser beam |
After treatment, skin is smooth and its color is now homogenous |
On a face, the little red and blue blood vessels usually
around the nose, on the cheeks and under the lower eyelid respond
better to NdYAG laser treatment with higher energy levels. On the
opposite, skin usually damaged by the sun that presents sun or age
spots will respond better to Alexandrite laser. Regardless of the
indication, one to three sessions are enough to take these spots
and/or vessels out.
Photo Rejuvenation sessions with an NdYAG Long Pulse laser
will use lower energy levels and will concentrate more on skin density
and overall redness. Laser heat will reach the collagen layer beneath
the skin and promote fibroblast action. This will lead to firmer and
thicker skin thus giving the appearance of reduced wrinkles and less
skin fatigue.
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The big advantage of these non-invasive treatments is that
they don’t leave scars or marks on the skin, they don’t take the skin
away. This approach allows us to address photo-aging damage primarily
caused by too much exposure to the sun with very minimal side effects
and no downtime. You can consult our
Before-After photos.
The most frequently targeted indications with
photo-rejuvenation lasers or IPL (FDA approved) are age/sun spots,
melasma, sun induced freckles and some redness called flush.
Finally, photo-rejuvenation may bring tonicity and light
back to your skin that sun or aging may have slowly taken away. This
result will be obtained without inflicting pain or severe consequences
usually found in other treatments such as deep peels or dermabrasion
(using or not a laser CO2 or Erbium).
These methods induce a 2 week downtime and may provoke serious
complications.
Photo-rejuvenation may offer a softer and smoother
alternative to those like many of us who live a full professional and
social life.
Nd Yag Long Pulse lasers and IPLs offer a comfortable
level of security with tangible results expected by people who live
active lives. The best areas for Photo Rejuvenation are: face ; neck,
chest, hands or any body area except the eyes.
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PRACTICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT PHOTO REJUVENATION :
1) How
long does a session last?
A Photo Rejuvenation session lasts about 20 minutes on the
face (plus 5-7 minutes if the neck is added), 30 minutes on the legs.
A frame or a map will be drawn on your legs to ensure the entire
surface has been covered and to avoid a crisscrossing of laser beams.
2) What
are Photo Rejuvenation best indications?
Skin imperfections due to sun exposure without sunscreen
or with the wrong SPF: brown spots, redness not fading away after sun
exposure. Dilated pores, grayish face (city life –pollution), in
people of all ages are good indications.
After a series of 5 to 7 sessions, tangible results will
be observed such as reduced yellowish or grayish color, tightened skin
pores, smoother and revitalized skin.
3) Why
are many sessions necessary?
Depending on the number and status of the areas to be
treated, 5 to 7 sessions may be necessary. The fibroblasts, our real
targets, have a three-week cycle for neo-collagen production. They
need to be « excited » every 7 to 10 days. Over that number of
sessions you will notice a gradual improvement in your skin condition
and will continue to leave a normal life without interruption (what
every body is looking for) while minimizing side effects. You can go
back to your activities right at the end of your Photo-Rejuvenation
session
4) When
is the best time to undergo a Photo-Rejuvenation program?
The best season is October through July; you should not be
too tanned. A session can be scheduled during your lunch hour or early
in the morning or on your way back home in the evening. In fact, as
soon as you have a 30 minute break. Regarding the waiting time at your
center, you should know that Centers of Excellence tend to be on time
or at the latest ready within 15 minutes of your appointment. Have a
good session!
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Photos : Before- After
 
Little
red blood vessels
 
Rosacea
 
Sun
damage: sun/brown spots
 
Sun exposure, melasma
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