Find out what it is, what it can do for your skin, the different options available, and more…
If you dream of having glowing, youthful, blemish-free skin, you’ve probably already heard of – and perhaps considered having – laser skin resurfacing. But you’re possibly also wondering if it’s really as good as all those Instagram posts and before-and-after blogs suggest, or simply if it’s the right treatment for you?
Laser skin resurfacing is one of the most effective treatments for reversing and preventing signs of aging and damage caused by sun exposure. It’s also very popular, with more and more Americans opting for this type of procedure every year and the global market expected to reach a whopping $649.9 million by 2031.
While it’s not a surgical procedure, some versions of laser skin resurfacing can be relatively intensive and come with fairly long recovery times. However, others – such as the MOXI laser resurfacing that we offer at BodyTonic, Medspa in Cleveland – are non-invasive, pain-free, have no downtime, and still provide incredible results.
Ultimately, as with any type of cosmetic treatment, you can’t decide whether it’s right for you without knowing some of the facts.
So we’re here to help.
What Is Laser Skin Resurfacing?
It’s a facial rejuvenation treatment that uses lasers to improve the overall appearance of skin and treat specific minor flaws such as sunspots, acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, and much more.
There are lots of different types of lasers now in existence, so laser skin resurfacing is actually a broad term that encompasses the full range of treatments of this type. However, they all follow the same basic principle of using the heat and light energy of a laser to create micro-injuries to the skin, which then stimulates the body’s natural healing responses and leads to the creation of new skin.
The main differences between the types of laser skin resurfacing treatment available come down to two core options: using ablative or non-ablative lasers.
Ablative Lasers
These are the most powerful lasers. They remove the thin outer layer of skin and heat the underlying skin, basically causing a controlled vaporization of skin cells and encouraging the body to create fresh, new, younger-looking skin in its place. It creates a more intense “injury” which means more downtime, and there’s more risk associated with it, but it also comes with the most noticeable results after just one treatment.
The most common types of ablative lasers are carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers and erbium lasers.
Non-Ablative Lasers
This type of laser is much gentler, targeting the deeper layer of skin to instigate the same healing process and collagen growth, but not removing any of the outer skin layers. This means a less painful procedure, fewer risks, and a shorter recovery time, but results are more subtle.
Common non-ablative laser treatments include pulsed-dye laser, IPL (intense pulsed light) therapy, and the cutting-edge MOXI by Sciton.
You’ll also come across the term “fractional laser” a lot. Both ablative and non-ablative treatments can be delivered with a fractional laser, which basically means the laser is delivered in a pixelated manner that leaves microscopic columns of untreated tissue (rather than wounding 100% of the skin) – allowing for quicker healing and fewer side effects, but equally powerful results.
Benefits of Laser Skin Resurfacing
Whether opting for ablative or non-ablative lasers, you can expect to enjoy the following benefits from laser skin resurfacing treatments:
- Minimized appearance of scars
- Less noticeable fine lines and wrinkles
- More-even skin tone and texture
- Reduced signs of sun damage and age spots
- Tighter-looking, fuller skin
- A brighter, clearer, glowing complexion
As ablative lasers are more intensive, they provide more noticeable versions of these results and are more effective on deeper wrinkles, scars, heavy discoloration, and other more noticeable skin damage.
Non-ablative lasers are a more gentle approach and are ideal as a form of preventive “prejuventation”, addressing more of the early signs of aging and maintaining a vibrant and healthy glow to the skin. Non-ablative lasers are also effective at addressing rosacea, spider veins, and acne-related skin conditions.
Is Laser Skin Resurfacing Right for Me?
Laser skin resurfacing is a great option for anyone who wants to reverse (or prevent!) the worst signs of aging, sun damage, acne scarring, and other skin conditions that over-the-counter products just can’t help with.
- It isn’t suitable for people with active skin conditions such as acne, or if you’re on certain medications or have certain allergies. But otherwise, it’s a treatment that’s suited to most people – with non-ablative treatments better suited to younger or less-damaged skin, and ablative the better option for more significant skin concerns.
- Your skin’s pigment is one of the main factors to consider, as the darker your skin, the greater the risk of hyperpigmentation from laser treatments. However, this is mainly with the more aggressive ablative lasers, so if you have darker skin and more serious skin concerns you want to tackle, it might be worth considering a microneedling treatment instead, as these also produce exceptional skin rejuvenation results and come with zero risk for darker skin tones.
The more gentle non-ablative lasers are suited to a much greater range of skin tones, and are ideal for anyone wanting to refresh and revitalize their skin or as a form of skin maintenance. At BodyTonic Cleveland, we offer the revolutionary MOXI laser resurfacing by Sciton, which is a fractional non-ablative laser that’s suited to almost every skin type and is known for being one of the best skin rejuvenating laser treatments on the market.
However, ultimately – a treatment such as this should always be the result of an in-depth consultation with a professional, who will be able to recommend the best options for your specific skin type and skin goals. If you’re in the Cleveland area, pop in to BodyTonic for a free consultation and we’ll be able to tell you exactly what we recommend for your individual needs!
What to Expect from Laser Skin Resurfacing?
The exact laser resurfacing treatment you choose will greatly influence what you can expect – both in terms of the treatment process and the results.
- Ablative lasers are generally more painful and require a longer healing time (sometimes as much as 3+ weeks), but results will be noticeable after just one treatment and can drastically improve more advanced skin damage.
- Non-ablative lasers are generally faster treatments, pain-free (light topical anesthetics are sufficient), and have much shorter recovery times – usually just a few days, and up to one week maximum. You can expect to enjoy noticeably brighter, smoother, and younger-looking skin within a week of having the treatment, and while it won’t be quite as dramatic as from an ablative treatment, it will still be very noticeable.
Non-ablative treatments are usually recommended as a series of treatments to get the best results, and continuing with annual maintenance treatments is one of the best ways to ensure your skin will stay looking as young as possible for the long term.
With both ablative and non-ablative laser treatments, it’s vital you keep your face well protected against the sun. This is particularly important in the period just after your treatment, but your skin can remain more sensitive for a long period after, so if you don’t already, make sure you get into the habit of wearing sunscreen on a daily basis, even when cloudy.
MOXI Laser Skin Resurfacing at BodyTonic Cleveland
At BodyTonic Cleveland, we offer one of the most advanced laser skin resurfacing treatments on the market: MOXI by Sciton.
Known for its ability to “prejuvenate” skin, it’s a fast, pain-free treatment with next to no downtime, and it delivers amazing results in terms of improving skin texture and uneven complexions, correcting pigmentation issues and sun damage, and improving the appearance of wrinkles.
On its own, it’s the ideal treatment for anyone looking for a gentle and light skin rejuvenation, and it’s highly effective at preventing the signs of aging in the longer term if used as part of an ongoing maintenance plan. However, when combined with BBL Hero – its “sister treatment”, also from Sciton – it’s an absolute powerhouse in skin rejuvenation.
Sound interesting? Book a consultation today, and we’ll show you exactly what it could do for you!
