Laser Skin Enhancements

Ah, the joys of modern technology. Plastic surgery benefits from our advances in technology just like any other industry or medical field. This brings us to the subject of laser skin enhancements.

If you think you might be in need of a procedure to rejuvenate your face and restore your youthful appearance, you might be considering facial plastic surgery. However, for some individuals, surgical intervention is not the proper choice due to medical conditions or the particulars of your situation. In such cases, laser skin enhancements offers corrective solutions not previously available.

A laser skin enhancement is performed by plastic surgeons using advanced laser technology. The laser is strong enough to burn the first layer of dead tissue and a few living cells on the surface of the skin, but does not affect the other layers of skin tissue. The laser also reaches down to the underlying collagen. Instead of removing the collagen, the heat results in a reduction of the collagen. This reduction results in the tightening up of the collagen and skin giving the patient a less wrinkled look. In practical terms, laser skin enhancements give you a bit of a lift and peel at the same time.

A laser enhancement is not the best procedure for all facial concerns. It does not work well on areas such as deep creases in the neck and cheek, creases around the lips and the upper eyelids. For smaller, fine lines and light wrinkles, however, it can be a less invasive choice than surgery. There are many advantages to choosing the laser procedure. There is less recovery time, general anesthesia is generally not necessary, and there is very little blood loss. There are also normally no scars following the procedure.

There are some potential side effects to having laser enhancements as there are with any cosmetic surgery. The recovery takes about ten days during which you can have very sensitive skin with some weeping. During this period, you will see a progression of skin color from red to pink to normal. There can also be a permanent lightening of the area treated, which can be a problem for some dark skin individuals. It is also not recommended for people looking to remove large quantities of skin or who have severe facial damage due to sun or age. If you are such a patient, laser enhancements can help but will not be a total solution.

Laser skin enhancements are a popular alternative to traditional facial surgeries. Make sure to speak with your doctor to find out your options and whether this surgery is appropriate for you.

Collagen Injection

Collagen injection is a type of cosmetic procedure that augments skin and soft tissue to make them firmer and younger looking. The benefits of collagen injections are that collagen is a natural substance to be in the body so it incorporates with the body and doesn’t degrade as quickly over time, there aren’t serious complications or side effects, and it is a non-invasive procedure. Collagen injections are used to improve unsightly scars and fill in cheeks that have sunken in.

Different types of collagen fillers have different advantages. Zyderm is a bovine collagen that lasts for six to ten months and is used for shallow scars.

Zyplast is another bovine collagen, but is crossed with a heavier filler so it lasts longer than Zyderm (nine months to a year.) These two are easy to implant and are not often abused but certain patients can have allergic reactions to the collagen.

Fibrel is a filler containing gelatin, amino caprotic acid and plasma or saline and lidocaine. Its effects are seen for one to five years and is a good alternative for people who are allergic to Zyderm and Zyplast.

Artecoll is a synthetic filler consisting of polymethyl methacrylate microspheres (PMMA), collagen, lidocaine and saline. After the collagen degrades, the PMMA spheres are left. It has been shown to be reliable and long lasting in European markets but has yet to be released in the United States.

Hylan B gel is another filler made from substances in rooster coxcombs. It lasts nine months to a year but requires a series of injections rather than just one session and, again, has not yet been released in the United States.

Resoplast is another bovine collagen similar to Zyderm and causing the same allergic reactions.

Autologen is a filler made from autologous collagen which resists enzymatic degradation and allergic reactions and has been shown to last for over a year. Similarly, Isolagen is autologous collagen taken from the patient and prepared for intradermal injection. Isolagen has not been fully tested yet. AlloDerm is, in fact, not an injection at all, but is a dermal sheet and has been used mostly for burn victims and patients undergoing oral surgery.

Finally there are fat injections. These take time and careful preparation before they can be used. The fat is removed from a region such as the abdomen, thighs, knees, or backside. The fat has to be purified, washed, separated, centrifuged and prepared before use.