Probably no advance in medicine has had more of an impact than the development of laser surgery. Lasers are now the preferred method of skin enhancement in cosmetic surgery, and have replaced some conventional procedures for improving appearance.

Recent advances in carbon dioxide laser technology have made skin rejuvenation with the C02 laser a practical reality. C02 lasers work by emitting a powerful beam of light which causes a superficial burn of the skin. As layers of dead skin are replaced by new living cells, the skin tightens and grows back smoother and wrinkle-free. The advantages of laser surgery are that there is usually no need for hospitalization, there is no cutting or bleeding, and there is normally no scarring.

Lasers are effective for treating sun-damaged skin, mild acne scarring, age spots, skin discoloration and many facial scars and wrinkles. CO2 laser treatment may be performed on the whole face or designated facial areas such as around the eyes or the mouth. It can be carried out under local or general anesthesia, depending on the specific needs of each individual.

Our office employs the use of other lasers such as the Gentle Touch for hair removal and the Coherent Versapulse laser for treatment of spider veins, tattoos, pigmented skin lesions and liver spots. Laser hair removal must be performed in multiple treatments and will last several months. Laser hair removal is not permanent and will require maintenance treatments afterward.

Spider vein removal is also done with the laser. It involves targeting the hemoglobin in your red blood cells so that the veins clot and then disappear. Laser treatment is effective for superficial purple or maroon veins which are less than one millimeter in diameter. Larger veins require sclerotherapy (injections). Here again, multiple treatments are usually required and the final results will be seen four to six weeks after each treatment.

My consultations for laser treatments are complimentary and include a review of cases performed on patients with similar problems.