How Often To Do Laser Skin Resurfacing (2024)

How Often To Do Laser Skin Resurfacing (1)

Do you have acne scars, age spots, or uneven skin tone? Perhaps you’re bothered by your fine lines, wrinkles, or sagging skin. Thanks to advancements in the cosmetic industry, more and more beauty treatments are now available to address these skin irregularities. One of the newer state-of-the-art procedures is laser skin resurfacing. It’s a type of skin rejuvenation technique that’s less invasive and provides more predictable results. It’s also known to help patients heal faster than other treatments like dermabrasion or chemical peels.

It Depends on the Type of Laser Used

If your plastic surgeon or aesthetician uses less powerful lasers for skin issues, you may need more treatments to get the desired results. Laser treatment that involves fractional or non-ablative laser doesn’t burn away or vaporize as many layers of the imperfections on your skin. This means that it will not cause the same repair level per session as the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, known for deep skin resurfacing. Fractional lasers generally require one to three treatments to achieve the look you want. If you need multiple treatments, it’s recommended to set the sessions two weeks apart. Scheduling them as close together will help in maximizing the desired results within a short period.

What Happens the Moment You’ve Achieved the Desired Results?

You will likely no longer require additional treatments once you’re satisfied with the look you always wanted. The effects of laser skin resurfacing are long-lasting, whether it’s through fractional or CO2 laser. Experts agree that the effects last for as long as eight years or even longer. CO2 laser skin resurfacing rarely requires any repeated treatment. If your doctor is doing a facelift, they may go over the same area on your skin very lightly once more. Otherwise, you no longer have to go through the procedure again. If follow-up sessions are necessary, expect it to be a lot less intensive than your initial treatment.

Excellent Skincare Tips to Reduce Future Treatments

Undergoing laser skin resurfacing may leave your skin vulnerable to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. It generally takes more than a year since your session. It’s highly recommended that you wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen. This will help protect your skin from sun exposure. It’s best to choose the one that offers the maximum possible sun protection factor (SPF). If not possible, opt a sunscreen with at least an SPF of five every day. Even when it’s cloudy outside, you should still apply your sunscreen to minimize the risk of sun damage.

Another way to preserve the fantastic results from your laser skin resurfacing treatment is by using anti-aging creams with retinoids. These products are excellent at stimulating your skin. This way, they keep generating new, fresh layers, hence slowing new fine lines or wrinkles. Once your skin has healed from the treatment, which usually takes a couple of weeks or so, your doctor will surely recommend a tested and proven cream to keep your skin smooth, firm, and wrinkle-free. Peels, Botox, and other less-invasive treatments may also be an excellent idea to keep that youthful glow.

Laser skin surfacing has become a prevalent beauty treatment for a wide variety of facial skin problems.

Clear away blemishes or firm up aging skin with laser skin resurfacing, contact Gupta Plastic Surgery in San Diego or Carlsbad, CA (858) 408-6100.

 How Often To Do Laser Skin Resurfacing (2024)

FAQs

 How Often To Do Laser Skin Resurfacing? ›

You may see noticeable results from one treatment, but for optimal rejuvenation, a series of treatments is often recommended. Dr. Levine will discuss with you what treatment plan will meet your specific needs. Typical schedules include a series of 3 to 6 treatments spaced 3 to 6 weeks apart.

How long between laser resurfacing sessions? ›

It's best to wait about 4 to 6 weeks between laser skin treatments. This gives your skin plenty of time to heal before your next session. Between treatments, you'll need to avoid sun exposure and wear plenty of SPF as your skin will be especially sensitive to UV rays.

How often should you get laser skin rejuvenation? ›

Most patients require four to eight treatments spaced one month apart before they see optimal results. You can enjoy long-lasting results by returning every three to four months for touch-up maintenance.

Which laser resurfacing lasts the longest? ›

The effects of laser skin resurfacing are long-lasting, whether it's through fractional or CO2 laser. Experts agree that the effects last for as long as eight years or even longer. CO2 laser skin resurfacing rarely requires any repeated treatment.

Can laser resurfacing be repeated? ›

It is important to note that laser resurfacing cannot remove deep wrinkles or excessive or sagging skin. In addition, the effects aren't permanent because as you age, you continue to develop wrinkles. Repeated treatments may be necessary.

What are the cons of laser resurfacing? ›

Laser resurfacing can cause side effects. Side effects are milder and less likely with nonablative approaches than with ablative laser resurfacing. Redness, swelling, itching and pain. Treated skin may swell, itch or have a burning sensation.

Can you overdo laser? ›

Yes, indeed you can overdo laser. Not only by having too many session in a short period of time, but even by overlapping the same area during a single session.

How much younger does laser resurfacing make you look? ›

The skin resurfacing laser works by sending a beam through the skin to create tiny columns within it. The skin will naturally go to work to repair those columns by pushing out old skin and replacing it with new skin. The newer and healthier skin can make people look up to ten years younger very quickly.

How long after laser resurfacing do you see results? ›

For most people, this means it may take two to three weeks to see any significant results of this treatment. Many patients opt to take time off of work for at least 10 to 14 days for this reason. You may notice the best results of your resurfacing treatment about 30 days after your appointment.

What happens to your skin after laser resurfacing? ›

After laser resurfacing treatment it's common to experience redness, swelling, itching or stinging, and a mild sunburn-like feeling. Treatments that go deeper can also incur a period of extreme dryness and flaking as skin heals.

What is better than laser resurfacing? ›

Microneedling can be used for both problem areas and the entire face. Microneedling can be a bit more budget friendly than Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing. Microneedling is better for darker skin tones, whereas Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing is used more frequently with lighter skin tones.

Who is not a good candidate for laser resurfacing? ›

Reasons You May Not Be a Good Candidate
  • You have deep wrinkles.
  • You're on certain medications that might cause more damage to your skin.
  • You have a skin condition that hasn't been properly treated.
  • You have darker skin pigmentation,
  • You have certain allergies.
  • You have the herpes virus or are prone to cold sore breakouts.

What is the strongest laser for skin resurfacing? ›

One of the best lasers for skin resurfacing, Fraxel Repair effectively treats deep lines and wrinkles, sunspots and age spots, uneven skin tone and texture, hyperpigmentation, scarring, and melasma. The laser is also renowned for producing long-lasting results.

What is the newest laser resurfacing? ›

The newest version of CO2 laser resurfacing (fractionated CO2) uses very short pulsed light energy (known as ultrapulse) or continuous light beams that are delivered in a scanning pattern to remove thin layers of skin with minimal heat damage. Recovery takes up to two weeks.

What is better IPL or laser resurfacing? ›

Laser skin resurfacing is best for patients who want to minimize wrinkling, improve the skin's tone and texture, and treat discoloration. The following types of sun damage are best treated with IPL: Pigmentation changes such as age spots, liver spots (solar lentigines), and freckles.

What happens if you laser too often? ›

If you treat the area in every 2 weeks, you are simply treating too soon and essentially just shooting heat against the skin, but not destroying anything. So you should definitely not to laser in every 2 weeks. Not mention undergoing laser too frequently can lead to skin irritation, burns, or other complications.

Is it better to wait longer between laser sessions? ›

For most people, it's best to wait between four and eight weeks between each treatment, and we generally recommend six treatments for optimal results. We'll help you decide your personal treatment schedule when you come in for a consultation.

What happens if you do laser sessions too close together? ›

Average Treatment Timing Between Procedures

Impeding the process prematurely could result in scarring or a change in your natural skin tone. We normally wait 4 to 6 weeks between treatments. Laser Hair Removal: Hair grows in four various phases, each strand is in a different stage of the cycle.

Is it bad to wait too long between laser appointments? ›

If you finish your series of treatments and don't wait too long between hair removal sessions, you can expect long-lasting hair reduction results. However, if you wait too long between treatments, hair follicles can be too long and won't sustain enough damage with light energy to stop growing hair.

Why do you have to wait 4 weeks between laser treatments? ›

The hairs on our heads and bodies are in various phases and aren't all going to be synchronised in their growth. Hence the reason that it is important to wait around 4 to 6 weeks between laser hair removal treatments.

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