Photorejuvenation
Laser resurfacing is a technique used during laser surgery wherein the molecular bonds are dissolved by laser. It is used for the treatment of wrinkles, solar lentigenes, sun damage, scars (see acne scar treatment), stretch marks, actinic keratosis and telangiectasias or spider veins.
Complete resurfacing was first done with a CO2 laser. More commonly now, a laser resurfacing is done with a fractional laser. The term fractional pertains to the method in which the laser light is transferred. Tiny pinpoints of laser light are used to deliver the laser to the surface of the skin in only a fraction of the area. Several hundred or thousands of pinpoints may be used per square inch, leaving healthy skin in between the ablated areas. This is intended to allow more rapid healing and lower risk.
The newest types of laser resurfacing were developed to remove skin more precisely, layer by layer, using very short pulsed light energy or continuous light beams that are delivered in a scanning pattern to remove thin layers of skin with minimal heat damage to the surrounding structures.
When compared to a chemical peel, dermabrasion or other forms of laser treatment, a laser allows the surgeon to customize the surgery not only for each patient but also to each area of the face.