Laser Skin Resurfacing and Rejuvenation

Laser skin resurfacing and rejuvenation are the latest advancements in skin care for improving skin color, texture and tone, and reducing wrinkles and fine lines. Lasers can improve minor facial flaws, such as:

• Fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, forehead and mouth
• Aged or sun-damaged skin
• Liver spots
• Precancerous lesions
• Rosacea Acne scarring
• Enlarged oil glands on the nose

The Penn Experience

What to expect during laser skin treatments

Our rejuvenation laser treatment cycles take place over 60 days, during which your experienced plastic surgeon will personalize your specific combination of laser treatments to create a tightened, toned, and soft look and feel just for you.

To achieve that effect, your provider uses a combination of three laser technologies:

• Pixel laser: Laser creates thousands of microscopic perforations, stimulating new collagen to grow.
• Alma laser: Deep heating firms up loose skin.
• Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): Pulses of light even out your skin color and reduce tiny broken blood vessels.

During the resurfacing procedure, the expert surgeon guides an invisible carbon dioxide laser to rapidly evaporate water in the skin, removing top skin layers and tightening lower layers. This helps minimize wrinkles and improves skin irregularities, while resulting in less scarring and bruising than other resurfacing treatments.

Our laser specialists are also able to use the lasers to an extremely accurate depth, meaning that you see the best possible results. And we’re able to closely target problem areas, such as fine lines around the eyes and mouth.

To prepare for treatments, your surgeon may prescribe an antibiotic regimen, glycolic acid, and other special skin care instructions. If you have herpes, your surgeon may also recommend an antiviral medication to prevent a breakout.

The good news is that while our laser treatments do require some prep on your part, the rejuvenation program requires little recovery time. Most patients return to daily activities immediately after a treatment session; although, you may have to avoid the sun or use sunblock.

Recovery from the resurfacing treatment is more involved than recovery from our rejuvenation treatment. Your surgeon will cover your treatment area with a dressing, and you’ll need to arrange for a ride home afterward due to potential discomfort and swelling. You will likely experience those side effects for days following the procedure as your skin works to heal itself. Your surgeon may recommend pain medication and a special skin care regimen to ease the process.

Laser skin care risks

Our laser treatments are safe, comfortable, and effective, requiring no injections or surgery. Carefully follow your surgeon’s pre- and post-surgery instructions to avoid potential risks and complications. However, there are a few risks specific to laser skin treatments:

• Burns from the laser’s heat
• Scars Skin pigmentation changes
• Herpes breakout, if you’re susceptible to infection