5 Laser Therapies for Better Looking Skin

There are so many skin treatments that claim to give you beautiful skin, from creams to medicated ointments, oral medication to facial scrubs. Some of these may provide results over time, but what do you do when you want results now? The best and immediate solution for beautiful skin is laser therapy. With several types, it is only necessary that we examine the many types of laser therapies and why they work better than other treatments.

1) CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Laser

The CO2 laser is used mainly in resurfacing of the skin. In resurfacing, a tool (in this case, the CO2 laser) is passed over the skin in order to slightly damage it. The body will begin to heal the small injuries by forming fresh, new skin. The newer skin is smooth and younger looking. The CO2 laser resurfacing treatment relies on light energy emitted in either short pulses or continuous beams to remove a very thin layer of the skin. With this technique, the damage is precise and even. This allows the skin to regenerate the entire area at once.

2) Nd:YAG Laser (A Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet)

Nd:YAG is actually a crystal that is used inside of a laser. The Nd:YAG laser has many applications including hair removal, tattoo removal and even dark spot corrector. The wavelength of the light emitted from the laser reacts with the pigmentation cells of the skin, hair follicles, or tattoo ink depending on the type of treatment. The reaction causes the pigmentation cells to rupture, leaving behind the original skin tone.

3) Intense Pulsed Light

Intense Pulsed Light or IPL isn’t exactly a laser. It is classified as a phototherapy treatment– in other words, light therapy. IPL sends pulsed light to your skin to interact with the pigmentation cells in the same way as the Nd:YAG laser does. What is different is that IPL can emit light at multiple wavelengths. Because of this, IPL can treat several skin conditions at once. IPL is used for acne, dark spots, moles, wrinkles, freckles, and scars. It can even be used to remove unwanted hair.

4) Pulsed-dye Laser

Used mostly in the treatment of warts and vascular conditions, pulsed-dye lasers emit a soft but intense beam of yellow light to the treatment area. This yellow light is easily absorbed by the blood vessels. Like other lasers, once the light is absorbed by the vessels from the pulse-dye laser, it converts into heat. This heat damages the blood vessel’s lining, which is then absorbed into the body. When the vessels “disappear,” the flowing blood finds another way to travel via the deeper vessels further down into the skin. This lessens the appearance of vessels that cause varicose veins and even deep wrinkles.

5) Light Emitting Diode (LED) Therapy

Very similar to IPL, LED therapy uses light at multiple wavelengths to treat acne, dark spots and wrinkles. LED therapy treatment has become a very popular skin care option for dermatologists and even those wanting in-home treatment. It has garnered so much popularity due to the fact that the treatment relies on LEDs to deliver the light energy to the skin and not ultraviolet light that some lasers use which can be harmful with possible side effects. LED therapy is completely safe and can be used multiple times within a small window.

These skin care options are all beneficial for the skin and when practiced safely, can be exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re lucky enough to be in Central Ohio, our experts at The Dermatology Group are just the ones to offer resources, advice, and treatment to those ready to win back their skin. Give us a call today!