Lasers in Plastic Surgery

LASER RESURFACING

As long as there have been wrinkles and scars, someone has tried to smooth the skin. As the population ages, the demand for safe resurfacing is sure to continue increasing. Laser treatment offers the potential for long-lasting effect by stimulating collagen production in the skin. Over the past 15 years, laser technology has undergone a substantial evolution. Ablative devices, though very effective, are much less popular now because of difficult healing and the risks of scarring and infection. Early nonablative devices eliminated the downtime but suffered from marginal effectiveness. The latest crop of devices is a significant improvement, but I hope that the field continues to evolve.