Laser Treatment: Skin Type Matters!

To this day, when most people think of lasers, they think science fiction. They think space battles, Star Wars, weapons that fire energy.

The reality of lasers is quite different. Lasers have changed the world, but not in a violent, sci-fi way. Lasers are used extensively by plastic and cosmetic surgeons to treat skin conditions.

Laser skin treatments can minimize scarring, reduce acne, fade dark spots, improve wrinkles and eliminate sun damage. In the hands of a skilled, SkinSpaMED plastic surgeon, laser treatments can really make a huge difference in a patient’s complexion, literally resurfacing the skin.

Most laser treatments create a controlled injury to the skin, causing the body to begin to produce new collagen, helping to reverse pigmentation issues (such as sunspots) and photo-aging.

These procedures aren’t for everyone, however. There are a number of different kinds of laser treatments, and not all of them are appropriate to every skin type or skin condition.

 Why Does Skin Type Matter?

Not everyone has an ideal skin type for laser skin treatments. In the past, the rule of thumb for laser treatments has been: the fairer your skin color, the fewer the side effects and the better your results. Older laser treatments could cause discoloration or skin damage to those with darker skin colors.

Recent advances in laser skin treatments have mostly fixed this issue, but those with a darker complexion should still be cautious. Always talk to a trained SkinSpaMED professional in the Dallas, Texas area about your options, even if you know what kind of treatment you want.

In addition, there are other considerations when it comes to laser treatments and your skin type. If your skin scars easily, even because of surface injuries, then laser skin treatments might not be for you.

If you have a skin type that is not likely to respond well to cosmetic laser treatments, you still have many effective alternatives that will do a similar job in a different way.

Chemical peels, for example, use specialized chemicals to peel away the top layer of your skin.

Microdermabrasion essentially allows your SkinSpaMED technician to use a specialized mechanical tool to buff off the outer layers of your skin, kind of like sandblasting your face. 

Btw - don't sandblast your face.