Neither eyelid surgery nor facelift surgery removes the fine, spider-web wrinkles of dry, weather-beaten skin, the horizontal wrinkles of the forehead, crow’s-feet around the eyes, or the vertical wrinkles of the upper and lower lips.
What Can Facial Resurfacing Do For You?
Certain wrinkles can be improved by laser skin resurfacing or a chemical peel. Resurfacing usually causes the skin to look fuller and less wrinkled. Surgery is planned to improve sags and bags, and laser resurfacing or a chemical peel is used to improve wrinkles. In our experience, results last for a period of time measured in years.
Laser resurfacing may also improve patchy pigmentation of the facial skin and dark circles under the eyes (if these areas are caused by dark pigments in the skin). Laser resurfacing, however, cannot remove skin pores, or wrinkles that occur during facial expression.
Wrinkles such as creases around the eyes and along the sides of the mouth produced by:
- Smiling
- Forehead creases that occur with frowning
- Vertical lines of the lips that occur with puckering
All of these wrinkles occur due to muscle contractions. Also, excess, sagging skin or fatty bulges are not usually improved with the laser; these are best treated with eyelid surgery or a facelift.
The laser can produce an improvement in the texture of your facial skin. It may help the surgeon achieve fresher, more youthful looking skin. However, it does not necessarily improve wrinkles to the same degree on each individual and it is not indicated for every patient.
There are several different types of lasers, each designed to produce different results and please remember, no procedure can remove every wrinkle! We will provide you our opinion as to whether you are a good candidate for laser resurfacing.
Request a Consultation
If you have any questions or wish to schedule a personalized consultation with Dr. Langsdon, please contact our office.
Facial Resurfacing After Care
A sunburn type discomfort may occur. Oral medications usually ease this temporary sensation. There is usually significant redness and swelling of the face over the first three to four days. This initial appearance usually improves dramatically in seven to fourteen days. Warn family members of the expected redness and swelling before the procedure.
The skin is intensely pink for a period of weeks. This is the normal and expected process the skin goes through following laser resurfacing. The patient must be emotionally mature and willing to accept this temporary appearance to achieve the end result.
The day after surgery, a routine of gentle shower washes, followed by the application of a facial cream is begun. This allows the skin to heal in a more comfortable and rapid manner.
About 10-14 days after the treatment, most of the initial healing is complete, but the skin remains pink. Usually, by this time a water based, hypoallergenic make-up can be worn, and under certain circumstances, the patient may return to work and social functions. The pinkness usually fades in a few months, but may last longer in some patients.
If the pinkness persists, we may prescribe creams to help it diminish. In the meantime, it can be camouflaged with make-up. In most cases, you may return to light work or school two weeks postoperatively. Patients who do not live in the Memphis metropolitan area should stay in town for at least several days after the procedure.
Chemical Peel Before and After Photos
