After thirty years, the first signs of aging begin to appear on the face. At first, they are barely noticeable, but soon the condition worsens, open wrinkles appear, the skin becomes dull and loses its tone. Therefore, experts recommend not to allow the situation to worsen and to start anti-aging procedures.
One of the popular methods of facial care is fractional laser rejuvenation. This method was used not so long ago, but it has already proven itself well.
What does hardware cosmetology offer?
Rejuvenation is carried out using the following methods:
- The problem area is uniformly heated with radio frequency energy. The skin does not suffer much and recovery is quite short;
- This device allows you to create a beautiful oval face, smooth out wrinkles, remove acne, scars and cicatrices. The skin becomes smoother, firmer and fresher.
- The effect affects the melanin, elastin and collagen of the skin.
Fractional or spot resurfacing with the CO2 laser has become very popular.
Pinpoint radiation, invented by an American company, allows you to have very precise and targeted effects on the skin and even small problem areas.
Features of the procedure
There are several types of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser resurfacing:
- The ablative method is quite aggressive. A special laser hand tool heats the skin up to 150 degrees. At the same time, fluid and cells evaporate quickly. The restoration process begins in these areas. Of course, skin recovery takes a long time, but as a result, the face becomes more toned, refreshed, and wrinkles are smoothed out. Scars and scars can be removed with the help of CO2 resurfacing. ;
- non-ablative. Laser rays penetrate deeply, but the upper layer of the epidermis is not damaged. It takes longer to achieve results, but the feel is smoother.
If we talk about the fractional rejuvenation method, it is more gentle, because the effect is on certain areas of the skin, and therefore everything is not so traumatic and painful. In this case, it works not with the laser beam, but with its microwaves. They form a lattice on the skin that moves over the tissue in a checkerboard pattern. Healthy cells located around the microzone begin to divide rapidly, contributing to rejuvenation. The activity directly depends on the depth of the beam.
CO2 laser resurfacing helps stimulate the production of substances such as collagen and elastin, which help to improve skin condition. The tissue structure improves, it becomes more dense and elastic, a healthy color appears.
Who is it recommended for and what to expect
The CO2 laser is indicated for the following problems:
- stretch marks on the skin;
- wrinkles on the lips and eyelids, crow's feet;
- clear pores;
- scars;
- pale and pale skin color;
- loss of elasticity and firmness, stickiness;
- increased pigmentation;
- pronounced signs and symptoms after acne;
- vascular network (asterisks).
After completing the CO2 laser resurfacing course, a light lifting effect is observed, young and healthy skin returns, tissues become denser and more elastic, problems such as wrinkles, wrinkles and scars are gradually smoothed and disappear.
What can CO2 laser resurfacing not do? Of course, the rejuvenation procedure is very effective, but even it cannot cope with some problems:
- severe sagging of the skin, a high percentage of sagging. It should be removed surgically, not with a laser;
- if the skin has not been properly and properly cared for, that is, if a person has not done anything to preserve beauty and youth for 30-40 years, one procedure will not be of any use;
- very open scars, they are best removed surgically - by excision.
The good and the bad
There are a number of benefits that can be achieved as a result of CO2 laser rejuvenation:
- fractional or spot beam minimally damages the skin, so the traces of the procedure disappear after five days;
- Large areas can be treated in one session, preserving the tissue regeneration process. Thanks to this, the recovery period is quite fast;
- no need to use anesthesia;
- the procedure is suitable for cleaning the décolletage and neck area;
- side effects are extremely rare;
- The procedure is indicated for patients of different ages.
Numerous reviews of people who have undergone such facial rejuvenation confirm the effectiveness of the procedure.
The skin becomes really smooth, more elastic and toned, fine wrinkles disappear. Those with scars get excellent results. At the same time, you can see a positive result after the first session, but experts prescribe a course depending on the complexity of the problem and the client's wishes. On average, to see a really good effect, experts recommend at least 5-8 sessions.
Disadvantages of CO2 grinding include:
- redness of the treated area;
- swelling;
- stripping;
- itching;
- painful sensations.
After laser resurfacing, there may be some complications, such as infection, which will cause scarring. Sometimes people develop pigmentation, which is related to individual body reactions and skin characteristics.
Adverse effects of CO2 resurfacing also include erythema (persistent), herpes, "marbling" of the skin, increased acne, keloid scars, and the formation of lines when both treated and intact skin are clearly visible.
Such cases are extremely rare and occur in four out of a hundred customers. But you need to know about this possibility.
It should be remembered that the cost of such a procedure is quite high.
Laser rejuvenation: contraindications
There is no specific age limit for CO2 laser resurfacing. Therefore, it can be done from the age of thirty or the first signs of skin aging, scars, etc. you can start from the moment it appears.
There are some nuances in which you should refuse the procedure:
- pregnancy or lactation period;
- dermatosis;
- herpes;
- acute inflammatory processes in the area where laser work is planned;
- final chemical peeling;
- diseases related to blood, immune system, connective tissue;
- oncological formations;
- diabetes;
- hypertension, coronary heart disease;
- varicose veins in the area that needs treatment.
If you have health problems, then first of all you should get rid of them and only after that you should carry out the cosmetic procedure.
Stages of the procedure
Fractional laser rejuvenation is performed with preliminary preparation. This means that two weeks before that you will have to give up tanning (sun or solarium).
With skin phototype 3 or 5, you should start using a depigmentation cream.
The CO2 laser resurfacing process itself is as follows:
- the specialist thoroughly cleans the skin using scrubbing and abrasive agents;
- if the patient has a low pain threshold, a special pain reliever is applied to reduce discomfort;
- the device is set to a mode corresponding to the selected work method and work starts from the problem area;
- in one session, a specialist with good experience can treat areas that require correction on the face, neck and décolleté;
- After completing the procedure, the specialist applies an emollient cream to the treated areas, which helps reduce redness, irritation and swelling.
Usually the whole procedure takes an hour.
After the CO2 facial renewal, it is necessary to take appropriate care in order for the skin regeneration process to continue faster and correctly:
- For the next two weeks, make masks and also use a moisturizing cream. It is better to use products containing hyaluronic;
- In order not to further damage the slightly damaged skin, it is better not to use decorative cosmetics in the first days. In addition, makeup can contribute to infection, etc. ;
- Scrubs and peelings should be excluded from home and professional care for several weeks;
- if there is a possibility and tendency to develop pigmentation, then it is imperative to apply sunscreen on your face;
- It is better to wash your face with boiled water cooled to room temperature;
- To speed up the recovery process, you can include foods rich in vitamins in your diet or start taking a vitamin complex;
- spend more time outdoors, ideally in areas with high humidity.
With high-quality and proper care, skin regeneration after CO2 laser resurfacing occurs quickly and without complications.
Modern cosmetology makes it possible to prolong and preserve youth using highly effective hardware methods. An experienced cosmetologist with appropriate training will be able to choose a set of measures that will allow you to properly care for your skin and improve its appearance. The main thing is to follow the recommendations of all specialists.