Cape Coral Cosmetic Dermatology

Dr. Kimberly Davidson is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology. Here the doctor has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Cosmetic Dermatology.

Q.    What is the difference between ablative and non-ablative laser treatment?

A.    Ablative laser procedures are designed to remove the top layers of skin with the goal of regeneration of fresh skin that is more even and smooth.  Non-Ablative procedures smoothen and repair lines, wrinkles, and other defects where the intent is not to remove the epidermal layer of skin.  The epidermis is left intact and injury occurs deeper in the skin instead of on the surface.  Non-ablative resurfacing has less downtime and less risk of side effects.

Q.    How does the Fraxel laser treatment work?  

A.    The Fraxel Laser is a fractionated laser which produces thousands of tiny but deep laser columns in your skin, known as microthermal treatment zones. This procedure eliminates old epidermal pigmented cells and penetrates deep into the dermis. Just as important, though, are the areas of skin the Fraxel laser leaves untouched. For every microthermal zone the laser targets and treats intensively, it leaves the surrounding tissue unaffected and intact. This "fractional"  treatment allows the skin to heal much faster than if the entire area were treated at once, using the body’s natural healing process to create new, healthy tighter tissue to replace skin imperfections. 

 
Q.     What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Fraxel laser treatment?

A.    The advantage of treating the skin this way is that there is less downtime and risk of adverse events while obtaining a significant clinical improvement. This process is specifically designed to give rise to smoother, radiant skin with minimal risks and down time. The other advantage of this approach is that, unlike some ablative resurfacing procedures, it is safe enough to treat areas off the face such as the neck, chest and hands. The disadvantages are that the patient needs more than one treatment to get the full cosmetic effect.  Patients do not see results until after the third to fourth treatment,  whereas the Sciton laser and other ablative lasers produce more immediate results after one treatment.  

Q.    How soon can the clients see results after the Fraxel laser treatment?

A.    Most patients see some improvement within two to three weeks, but the final results may not be apparent for a month or more after their final treatment. Optimal results are usually obtained after 4 treatments spaced out every 3-4 weeks.  

Q.    What skin conditions can the Fraxel laser treatment treat?

A.    Fraxel Laser treatments treat numerous skin conditions such as all levels of sun damage, wrinkles, fine lines and age spots.  It can even out your skin’s texture and surface, smooth out the fine lines around your eyes, and treat discoloration or uneven pigmentation.  It also reduces the appearance of acne scars and surgical scars.  Fraxel Laser will create smoother and healthier skin not only to your face, but the neck, chest and hands.

Q.    How does laser treatment help  to lighten or completely remove unsightly birthmarks?

A.    True "birthmarks" should be evaluated by a dermatologist before undergoing any laser treatment.  Typically, "birthmarks" are not responsive to fractionated lasers such as the Fraxel.  Red birthmarks such as hemangiomas or port-wine stains can be treated with pulsed-dye lasers.  Darkly pigmented "birthmarks" may need to be surgically removed.  Fraxel Laser is better for lightly-colored tan lentigos, freckles, or sun spots.  

Q.    What are Telangiectasias and how can laser treatment help?

A.    Telangiectasias are small, linear blood vessels that occur on the surface of the skin. Some people may refer to them as "broken blood vessels."  They appear either red or purple in color.  Common areas where these lesions occur are the face, particularly on the nose around the nostrils and on the cheeks.  These lesions may require multiple treatments with a pulsed-dye laser or Nd:YAG laser.