Men and women can rejuvenate their skin with a fractionated CO2 laser treatment
By Dr. Janna Bentley, medical doctor and founder of Lakeshore Vein & Aesthetics Clinic
I was born and raised in Kelowna, spending hours every day for the entire summer swimming in our beautiful Lake Okanagan. Inevitably, with time passing and loving the outdoors, we all can get a lot of sun exposure. Damaged and aging skin shows up as rough skin, spots, blemishes and lax or wrinkled skin. Most of us wish we could turn back the clock.
A recent Allergan/Leger poll said: “Close to one-half (41%) of women in their 40s want to look 6-10 years younger to reflect on the outside how they feel on the inside.” Canadian women want natural-looking results… and “For 30-60 year olds the #1 beauty priority is improving the appearance of skin on their face.” What is more natural than simply turning back your own clock by as much as 10 years?!
For serious skin rejuvenation with improved texture and spot removal, my recommendation: fractionated CO2 laser treatment. Very few other lasers or RF energy devices even comes close the results of this treatment, despite their claims – and we regularly test new devices against the CO2 Gold Standard.
Important Note: if there is volume loss due to aging (hollows around eyes or tire/angry look), volume needs to be replaced with dermal fillers such as Juvéderm. Typically, patients require a combination of laser resurfacing and dermal injectables for optimal results.
Treatable laser areas?
The face, eyelids, neck, chest/décolletage area, arms and hands.
How does it work?
When the word “laser” is mentioned, one thinks of advanced technology, high energy, danger and maybe even James Bond. Simply put, a laser generates energy in a beam of light made up of only one wavelength – versus visible (many different wavelengths). In medical cosmetic usage, this focused beam of light can target specific things.
Why is the fractionate CO2 great?
Our skin is largely water, and this is what the CO2 laser targets. The “fractionated” part is where the energy is distributed in a dot matrix manner. In other words, microscopic holes are punched into the skin in a computer-generated pattern; in a way, it is like aerating your skin! Only approximately 20% of the skin is actually treated, leaving the remaining 80% non-ablated. The treatment will be adjusted by the physician depending on skin type and area.
Post-treatment expectations:
Within the first few weeks after treatment, results include tightening of the pores, lessening of fine lines, improvement of “crepe-y” skin texture and rough sun-damaged areas, reduction of acne scarring, and removal or reduction of sun spots and redness. The skin appears fresher and rejuvenated. After 30 days, the collagen remodelling begins; tightening occurs and continues for the next 3–6 months. Patients are typically presentable within 5–7 days, though some feel best with another few days. If desired, lighter treatments can be administered, but results are not as significant.
Investment:
For smaller areas like around the eyes and eyelids, it is typically around $500 per treatment. A full package for face, eyes and neck for is typically $3000 per treatment. For optimal results, often 2 to 3 treatments are required per area.
Results are amazing:
Years can be taken off of the age of your skin due to collagen stimulation and removal of the outer, damaged layers.
The bottom-line is that lasers are a remarkable part of medicine. They are powerful – so expertise is important – but used competently a fractionated CO2 can give beautiful results. Talk to your doctor if you are interested in any of these treatments and they can safely refer you on.
