Everything You Need To Know About Erbium Laser Resurfacing
These days, an everyday trip to the supermarket can prove that there aerbium laser treatmentre plenty of skincare products to choose from. Despite the variety of scrubs, cleansers, serums, and exfoliators that are available, does it feel like you’re not getting the results you want? That’s where laser treatments come in as an effective treatment for fine lines, uneven skin texture, scarring, hyperpigmentation, and sun damage.
What is Erbium Laser Resurfacing?
In erbium laser resurfacing, a trained professional uses laser technology to reduce the appearance of scars, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Using light energy, this cosmetic procedure can treat wrinkles, tighten the skin, and remove malignant and benign lesions on and around treatment sites.
This skin rejuvenation technique works by firing short, concentrated pulses of laser light at skin irregularities. The laser is highly precise at removing one layer of skin at a time. It effectively removes the outermost layer of your skin, called the epidermis, while heating the layer underneath. This is the dermis and it’s the layer of skin cells that contains connective tissues, blood vessels, and sweat glands.
The heat from erbium laser treatment stimulates the production of new collagen fibers, which results in smoother and firmer skin. The technique is also known by other names, like laser peel, erbium yag laser resurfacing, and laser abrasion.
Benefits of Erbium Laser Resurfacing Treatment
Here are some of the benefits of choosing erbium laser resurfacing for your skin concerns:
Treating Deep Wrinkles
For starters, erbium laser resurfacing is effective for reducing the appearance of mild to moderate fine lines and wrinkles that are caused by sun damage and aging. It can also smoothen moderately deep lines to some extent. It uses ablative lasers that direct an intense beam of light at your skin.
It removes the outermost layer of your skin using short pulsed light energy while activating the healing process of underlying tissue. This speeds up collagen production, which improves your skin tone and texture because of its importance in giving your skin a supple, hydrated look.
Short Recovery Time
A major advantage of erbium laser resurfacing is that it has a short recovery time compared to some other types of laser resurfacing. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons explains that it takes one full week to recover from erbium laser resurfacing.
Though, you can expect to go back to your regular skincare routine, including wearing makeup, after 2 to 3 days. In contrast, you may need up to two weeks or more to recover from CO2 laser resurfacing.
Causes Little Discomfort
Because erbium lasers have limited thermal effects, they’re less painful than carbon dioxide laser treatment, which use continuous light beams. In fact, patients typically don’t need anesthesia when getting treated for small lesions.
In the event that resurfacing is needed for deeper wrinkles or scars, you can be given a local or topical anesthetic. After the procedure, your skin may feel as though it’s been sunburned, but this will reduce in a few days.
Lightens Acne Scars and Birthmarks
The erbium laser is fairly effective for various skin concerns, including scars and birthmarks, which may appear as reddish bumps of tissue and dark spots. It works by targeting the water in skin cells, vaporizing them to remove one layer of skin at a time.
And because it’s fractionated, it creates small channels that trigger the production of more collagen. Essentially, it replaces your scar with a less noticeable one and encourages the healing process. When the skin heals, areas with hyperpigmentation due to damage look lighter and feel smoother.
Improves Skin That Isn’t Responding To Products
If you have concerns like sun damaged skin or coarse skin texture that aren’t responding to regular topical treatments, you should consider getting erbium laser resurfacing instead. Though skincare creams and ointments can reduce the appearance of fine lines and lighten new scars, they’re not as effective for deeper wrinkles and older scars.
Instead of trying to supplement the existing skin, it removes the outer layer of the skin and encourages it to heal again.
Improves Skin Discoloration
If you’re struggling with skin discoloration because of damage and your skin isn’t responding to other forms of treatments, erbium laser resurfacing is recommended. Encouraging the healing process in the skin allows the treatment area to recover while reducing the visibility of issues like sun spots and hyperpigmentation. Your board-certified dermatologist will use the Fitzpatrick scale to determine the level of melanin in your skin. Very brown skin is a 5 or 6, and is at a lower risk of sun damage.
Ideal Candidates For Erbium Laser Skin Resurfacing
Just like with other medical procedures for aesthetic purposes, some skin concerns make you a better candidate for erbium laser resurfacing
Generally, you’re a suitable candidate for this laser procedure if you have wrinkles or fine lines around your forehead, mouth, or eyes or shallow cystic acne scars. You can also consider opting for the procedure if you have:
- Age spots: flat, black, or brown spots that appear on areas commonly exposed to the sun.
- Skin necrosis after a facelift: This is characterized by redness, blisters, swelling, and darkened discoloration of the skin.
- Enlarged oil glands on the nose: When the skin thickens, oil glands enlarge, making it seem as though there are small papules on the nose.
- Scars or birthmarks: If you have birthmarks or scars, erbium laser therapy can lighten their appearance, making them less noticeable.
On the other hand, skin concerns like deep wrinkles, active acne, or excessively sagging skin can make you unsuitable for laser resurfacing. It’s also recommended that you avoid erbium laser skin resurfacing if you’re currently pregnant or breastfeeding or have a condition that affects your immune system.
What If I Have Darker Skin?
To know if you’d be a good candidate for erbium laser resurfacing, it’s recommended that you consult a licensed dermatologist. This is especially recommended for people with very dark skin and a deeper skin tone since Erbium laser resurfacing is safest for lighter skin tones.
If you have a lighter Black, Hispanic, or Asian skin tone, erbium laser resurfacing can pose a lower risk of discoloration compared to a few different resurfacing lasers. But if your skin is a darker tone, it’s worth checking out other skin-resurfacing options, too.
If your skin tone ranges between types 4 and 6 on the Fitzpatrick scale, you may want to proceed with caution due to the risk of discoloration.
Preparing For Erbium Laser Resurfacing
If you’re set to attend an erbium laser resurfacing appointment, appropriate preparation is needed to reduce the risk of adverse reactions and uncomfortable side effects.
Arrive With Clean Skin
One instruction you’ll get from your dermatologist is to arrive with clean skin. This means not applying any creams or makeup on the day of your appointment. Leaving any product on the skin can affect the laser’s ability to evenly remove the uppermost layers, affecting its accuracy. This can lead to poor results or possible side effects.
Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure
When getting laser treatments, reducing sun exposure before and after sessions is critical for protecting your skin and ensuring safe results. Dermatologists advise that you should avoid excessive sun exposure for a month before and after your laser resurfacing appointments.
That’s because UV rays can cause changes in your skin’s pigment by increasing the level of melanocytes in the skin. This can increase the risk of poor results, patchiness, and scarring. Make sure your sunscreen has a sun protection factor of at least 30 or more.
Stop Smoking
Preferably, you should also stop smoking for two weeks before and after your erbium laser resurfacing treatment session. Smoking can dry out the skin, and because erbium laser technology targets the water in skin cells, the treatment becomes less effective.
It also prolongs the healing process, so you end up having to wait a longer time before going back to your everyday routine.
Avoid Facial Peels
It’s also best that you avoid facial peels for at least one month before your erbium laser resurfacing appointment. This includes other types of laser resurfacing treatments, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels. That’s because they can make your skin more sensitive, affecting the results of the erbium laser resurfacing process.
Ask Your Doctor About Discontinuing Topical Treatments
If you’re using any topical treatments like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, retinol, or vitamin C as part of your skincare routine, speak to your dermatologist about whether or not you can continue using them. These products can make your skin more sensitive to the effects of laser resurfacing, which could contribute to irritation.
Ask Your Doctor About Medications
Dermatologists generally recommend that you stop taking medications and supplements like ibuprofen, aspirin, vitamin E, or fish oils before your laser resurfacing treatment. Such medications tend to thin down the blood, increasing the risk of bruising after the procedure and prolonging the healing process.
What To Expect During And After The Procedure
When you approach a clinic for erbium laser resurfacing, they will perform a patch test. This is to see how your skin responds to the laser and determine whether it’s the right choice for you. A patch test also allows your specialist to find out the right energy settings for your treatment. If there are no side effects, they’ll proceed by setting a date for your appointment.
Preparation and Duration
On the day of your erbium laser resurfacing session, the technician will clean your skin and apply a numbing agent to reduce how much discomfort you experience. Depending on what area you’re getting erbium laser resurfacing for, the appointment can take between half an hour and 45 minutes. Meanwhile, full-face treatments can take upwards of two hours.
Post-treatment Dressing
After completing the treatment, the specialist will apply a nonstick dressing to the treatment site for 24 hours. Once the dressing is removed, you shouldn’t try to resume your daily routine.
Since your skin is still recovering, you should cleanse it two to five times a day using saline or other solution as recommended by your doctor. After cleansing, you’ll need to apply an emollient ointment, such as Aquaphor, so that your skin stays moist and doesn’t scab.
Swelling and Flaking
Though the treatment is generally safe, you should expect some slight swelling, redness, and bruising for the first few days after the treatment. This is followed by two or three days of skin flaking and peeling. After this, you can go back to applying your skincare and wearing light makeup.
That being said, the complete healing process takes about three to four weeks depending on the issue you’re trying to address. For instance, deeper wrinkles and scars may need more time, while fine lines may take less time to heal.
Following your practitioner’s prescribed post-procedure care is important to get the erbium laser results you’re expecting: smoother skin, lighter stretch marks, reduced discoloration.
How Many Treatments Are Needed To See Results
The total number of treatments needed to see results can vary from one person to the next. Fortunately, you can expect to see a difference after one treatment session, but it also depends on the kind of results you’re expecting.
So, most patients need about 3 to 4 laser resurfacing treatments for preferred results. However, some may need to take more sessions if they’re dealing with deep scars, wrinkles, or extensive pigmentation. After that, it’s recommended that you schedule maintenance sessions once or twice a year to keep your skin looking flawless.
When You Should Get Erbium Laser Resurfacing
Technically, you can book an Erbium laser resurfacing appointment throughout the year. However, according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, the months of September, October, and November are dubbed ‘laser season.’
During the fall and winter months, short days and low temperatures make it easier to stay out of the sun. In contrast, summer months come with 14 or more hours of sunshine, which makes it difficult to cut back on sun exposure.
Erbium Laser Resurfacing: Addressing Common Questions
Now that you’re aware of the benefits surrounding erbium laser resurfacing and what to expect when you go for a session, let’s go over some of the common concerns surrounding the procedure.
Pain Level
For many patients, pain and discomfort is a major factor used for determining whether or not they will get a laser treatment. Fortunately, erbium laser resurfacing isn’t painful and causes little discomfort that’s typically manageable.
Some describe a laser resurfacing procedure as causing a stinging sensation that feels like a rubber band being snapped on the skin.
Skin Tightening
Among the different types of laser treatments, erbium laser resurfacing is considered the best for skin tightening. The heat from the laser stimulates cell renewal and collagen remodelling, which gives you smoother and youthful-looking skin.
It also leads to a reduction in scarring, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines. When done by a professional and cared for properly, the results can last for a year or more.
Downtime
Usually, 3 to 5 days of downtime is enough for you to go back to your skincare routine and wearing makeup. During this time, you’ll go from applying a dressing to cleansing it with a saline solution. But if you’ve gone through more intensive erbium laser treatments, you may need to rest for a whole week.
Treatable Areas
Erbium laser technology is designed to eliminate mild to moderate deep lines and wrinkles on the hands, chest, neck, and face. It’s highly effective for addressing skin concerns affecting smaller areas with minimal chances of affecting the surrounding tissue.
Exercise
During the recovery period, you should avoid hot tubs, hot showers, and aerobic exercise for a full week to help the skin heal. If you’ve got laser resurfacing treatment during the winter, take quick cool to warm showers for the first few days.
That’s because activities like exercising and taking hot showers can cause blood vessels to dilate and increase blood flow to the skin. This increases redness and swelling typically experienced after treatment, prolonging the skin’s healing process.
Not to mention, sweating can irritate freshly treated skin, affecting your chances of getting satisfactory results.
Different Skin Tones
A common question among people considering getting erbium laser resurfacing is whether their skin tone affects their eligibility for the procedure. This stems from the misconception that laser resurfacing is only effective on light skin tones – this isn’t necessarily true.
Granted, certain lasers have a higher risk of causing discoloration on darker skin tones; this doesn’t apply to laser resurfacing as a whole. The best way to ensure a safe and effective laser resurfacing experience is to consult a specialist. A dermatologist who has experience in working with darker-skinned patients can recommend better solutions.
Side Effects of Erbium Laser Resurfacing
Despite offering many benefits, there are still a few side effects of erbium laser resurfacing that you should be aware of. Some of the most common ones include:
Redness, Swelling, and Irritation
When treated using a laser, your skin may experience a burning sensation coupled with itching and swelling. This is accompanied by redness that generally subsides in a few days as long as you take proper aftercare measures like staying out of the sun.
Infections
When not cared for properly, the skin can develop a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection after laser surfacing. The most common concern is that it reactivates herpes cold sores, but this only happens when the herpes virus is already present but dormant in the skin.
If you have a history of fever blisters or cold sores, inform your doctor if you get them on the face. Since laser resurfacing can cause an outbreak, they’ll prescribe an antiviral medication that you can take before and after the procedure.
Acne
Because your skin is highly sensitive after erbium laser resurfacing, there’s a higher risk of developing acne. Applying thick bandages or creams can worsen acne and cause you to develop small white bumps on the skin, along with acne scars.
Hyperpigmentation or Hypopigmentation
With laser resurfacing, there’s a risk of treated skin experiencing minimal heat damage. This means it becomes darker or lighter than it was before treatment. Also known as hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, these changes are typically short-lived and temporary.
However, people with darker skin tones risk experiencing permanent changes in skin color because of exposure to laser energy. If you have a darker skin tone, it’s recommended that you consult a cosmetic dermatology specialist to know which superficial resurfacing technique is most suitable for your skin type.
Costs of Erbium Laser Resurfacing
According to numbers by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of ablative laser skin resurfacing, like erbium laser resurfacing, is about $2,509. Meanwhile, non-ablative resurfacing treatments cost $1,445.
However, the overall cost of your treatment can vary depending on whether you’re getting full-face skin resurfacing or just a specific area. Similarly, the treatment area, where you’re based, and the credentials of the dermatologist can impact the cost of treatment.
Choosing The Right Provider For Erbium Yag Laser
When done by a skilled professional with extensive experience, erbium laser resurfacing can dramatically improve the appearance of your skin by removing the outer layers. But if you see someone who lacks appropriate training and experience, you won’t get the same results. At best, it’ll be ineffective, and at worst, it could be dangerous and damage your skin.
Remember to select an erbium laser resurfacing provider based on their training, qualifications, and experience. Don’t decide based on which clinic offers the lowest prices. Instead, do a careful check of their credentials, reviews, and what technology they use. It’s also possible that an experienced practitioner may recommend other facial rejuvenation treatments, like IPL (intense pulsed light) or fractional laser treatment.
At , director Jiyon Hwang, MD, has years of experience in delivering quality laser resurfacing solutions to clients of different skin types.
Conclusion
In essence, erbium laser resurfacing is a form of ablative laser treatment that can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, scarring, and sun damage.
It’s typically painless and only requires the use of a local anesthetic. Though it’s usually used on the face, it’s also suitable for the hands, chest, and neck. It offers many benefits, like being suitable for different treatment areas, requiring less downtime, and having a quicker procedure.
Before getting erbium laser resurfacing, it’s recommended that you avoid sun exposure and facial peels and cut back on smoking. You should also ask your dermatologist whether it’s required to stop taking certain medications or apply topical treatments.
Get Safe and Effective Erbium Laser Resurfacing At Donna Bella Laser MedSpa
Though erbium laser resurfacing has some side effects, proper care and seeing a professional can prevent the risk of long-term scarring, irritation, or hyperpigmentation. Call us at today to book a consultation for erbium laser resurfacing with our specialist.
