CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing

Dr. Leon Tcheupdjian MD began CO2 laser skin resurfacing in 1988 and since then he has successfully treated large number of patients from wrinkles to acne scars including brow lifts, lower and upper eyelid wrinkles (LASER blepharoplasty). “Satisfaction among my patients were very high. Unfortunately the down time was from three to seven days”.

Soon after the new ERBIUM LASER arrived into the scene, even though the down time was cut to half so were the results. Now more and more patients elect to accept the extra few days down time for better results.

University of Michigan researchers looked at 47 patients, with an average age of 52, who received the treatment between 1996 and 2004 and have published a study that gives the thumbs-up to CO2-based laser resurfacing when it comes to smoothing wrinkles. The surgery has previously been linked to side effects including hypo-pigmentation. After 2 years, patients see an average 45% reduction in the number of wrinkles and fine lines on their face, according to the study. This is excellent.

The finding is not entirely new. However, "The point is basically that carbon dioxide is still a very good treatment. It does have a downtime and some side effects, but it does cause a dramatic improvement in many patients that we can't achieve with anything else out there now," says Leon Tcheupdjian MD, director of the liposuction and Cosmetic Surgery Institute, with four Chicago and suburban offices in Illinois. He can be reached at 1-847-259-1000.

Whereas around half of the patients developed either acne or darkening or lightning of the skin as a result of the procedure, most of the side effects had cleared up within months.

At that point, the volunteers were measured according to an agreed score to determine the reduction in the number of wrinkles.

On average, patients had 45% fewer lines and wrinkles across all areas of their face than before the laser surgery, although some had up to 50% fewer, the findings, published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, show.

The surgery, called carbon dioxide laser resurfacing, has previously been linked to side effects including scarring and acne.

But new research suggests that the treatment is safe and that after two years patients see an average 45 per cent reduction in the number of wrinkles and fine lines on their face.

It works by removing layers of damaged skin as well as stimulating the face to produce more collagen, the elastic material which helps give skin its shape, filling in the wrinkles.

Thousands of the procedures are carried out in the US and all over the world every year and can cost up to $3500 to treat the full face.

The treatment is commonly used to remove fine lines and wrinkles from the whole face or can be used to target certain areas, such as crow's feet around the eyes.

It can also be used to tighten the skin, especially in the jowl area.

Researchers looked at 47 patients, with an average age of 52, who received the treatment between 1996 and 2004.

They found that while around half of the patients developed either acne or darkening of the skin as a result of the procedure most of the side effects had cleared up within two years.

At that stage the volunteers were measured according to an agreed score to determine the reduction in the number of wrinkles.

On average patients had 45 per cent fewer lines and wrinkles across all areas of their face than before the laser surgery, although some had up to 50 per cent fewer, the findings, published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery journal, show.

Patients who undergo the treatment can often go home the same day, although they are advised to stay out of the sun for at least a few weeks as their faces are left extremely susceptible to sun damage.

“Carbon dioxide lasers are the gold standard treatment, with fantastic long term results in wrinkle treatment skin tightening lifting and deep acne scars”

Although different laser treatments had been designed in recent years to reduce the number of side effects, none have been as successful at tackling wrinkles, he added