Laser skin resurfacing is an ideal cosmetic surgery substitute for some people who want to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles and lines, acne scars, and irregular pigmentation.
However, some other people with certain skin type, skin tone, or health condition may be at a greater risk of complications, which may make them unsuitable for laser skin resurfacing.
A dedicated treatment provider will carefully assess the patient’s skin condition and other aspects to determine their candidacy for laser skin resurfacing. Board certified, terrific, and sagacious plastic surgeon Dr. Bryson Richards provides laser and various other surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures to patients in Las Vegas, NV, and surrounding locations.
Ideal Candidates
The ideal candidate for laser skin resurfacing would be an adult who wants to enhance skin appearance without involving plastic surgery. At the same time, the extent of their skin imperfections is such that they are not likely to respond well to gentler non-surgical treatments. The candidate would ideally have a fair amount of skin elasticity and non-oily skin that is not prone to scarring after limited or minor injury.
The candidate should ideally be free of any major underlying health conditions, and should not be taking any such prescription drugs that may interfere with the procedure or healing.
The goal is to minimize the risk of significant side effects during or after the procedure. People with lighter skin tones are preferable candidates than those with darker skin tones because the risk of permanent skin discoloration is minimized in their case.
A good candidate for laser skin resurfacing would have reasonable expectations from the results, and would be committed to following the provider’s recovery instructions such as protecting against sun exposure as long as required. The candidates should educate themselves about the benefits and limitations of laser skin resurfacing in order to appreciate the final outcomes and gain maximum satisfaction from the procedure.
Who is Not a Candidate?
If an individual only has very minor skin imperfections, they should preferably avoid a major non-surgical aesthetic procedure such as laser skin resurfacing. Gentler alternative cosmetic treatments are available for such candidates, and they may not require a more aggressive procedure to meet their skin care needs.
The risks, side effects and downtime involved in laser skin resurfacing are significant, which can be avoided in the case of candidates with minor skin concerns.
People with dark skin tone will also usually be considered unsuitable for laser skin resurfacing. The laser beams during the treatment are absorbed by the pigment in the targeted skin cell to cause their destruction. Any excess laser light may get absorbed by surrounding healthy skin cells, which can do more harm than good. In a candidate with dark skin, more pigment is present, which increases the risk of excess laser energy being absorbed.
Excessive absorption can lead to side effects such as skin discoloration and even blistering. Fractional laser and RF or IPL techniques may be more appropriate for such candidates. Dedicated cosmetic surgeon Dr. Richards receives patients from Las Vegas, NV, and other cities and areas across the horizon for laser skin resurfacing.
If you would like more information on cosmetic surgery procedures and treatments performed by Las Vegas, Nevada plastic surgeon, Dr. Bryson Richards please contact us at 702.870.7070
Taking new patients from Las Vegas, Bullhead City, Laughlin, Pahrump, Mesquite NV and surrounding areas.