If you have decided to undergo laser skin tightening, you are in good company. Many people just like you have their skin tightened using lasers every day. In recent years, laser procedures have increased in popularity because they have become more accurate and versatile. Their widespread availability has also driven laser procedure prices down. Before you schedule your first skin tightening session, there are several things to know.
Laser Skin Tightening is Performed in Several Places
The first thing to know about laser skin tightening is it can be performed in a skincare clinic. However, certain laser procedures are also performed by doctors in medical facilities. The intensity of the procedure often dictates the methods used, as well as the location. In either case, laser skin tightening is best performed when the wrinkles or sags have not become too severe. That is because there is a maximum amount of elasticity the lasers can restore. Beyond that point, surgery is necessary.
Laser Skin Tightening Methods at a Glance
Laser skin tightening works because the laser beam has the ability to influence collagen in various ways. Collagen is a major component that helps keep one skin cell close to another. It also gives skin the ability to bounce back into place after it is stretched. The medical-lasers for sale in today’s skincare industry are capable of helping to strengthen the bonds between collagen molecules. They can also jump start processes in your body necessary to make additional collagen.
What Laser Skin Tightening Feels Like
When considering having laser skin tightening, a major concern may be what it will feel like to have a hot beam of light pointed at your skin. You may think the obvious answer is hot. However, the device is not designed to permanently burn your skin. Also, cooling air is often blown on the skin during the procedure to reduce the effects of the heat. Therefore, it should feel warm, but not scalding hot. You may also experience a mild sensation of something zapping or snapping against your skin.
Questions to Ask Your Laser Technician
Before you have a laser skin tightening procedure done, it is important to ask your technician if the laser device being used is meant for use on your chosen body part. Lasers can typically be used to treat almost any area on your body. However, some devices are better at treating certain areas. It is also important to understand you may need multiple treatment sessions. Ask your clinician how many and what the costs of one session and all required sessions combined are before you make your first appointment.
You should also ask your clinician about your laser skin tightening prognosis. Your skin will continue to lose elasticity as you age, so the results of laser skin tightening are not permanent. The length of time the results will last often depends on the current state of your skin at the time of treatment and other factors, like the part of your body treated.
Tightening Your Skin with Lasers May Not be the Only Step
Another thing you need to know about laser skin tightening is that it’s not always the only step required to fix skin problems. For example, one part of your body may need laser treatment, but another part may require surgery because the skin is too loose for lasers to correct. Your clinician will discuss whether you need a combination of both treatments at your consultation. Additionally, how you treat your skin after a laser procedure can greatly influence how long the effects last. Sun exposure can hamper the process, but applying sunscreen regularly and using approved skin-fortifying lotions and creams at home can help.
Shannon says
I’d never heard of this treatment before but it sounds really interesting. Thanks for sharing all of this useful information!