Acne & 
             SkinCare Clinic

          (division of North Dallas Aesthetics)

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Topics of Interest

January-June2007

Regaining that Youthful Glow is Only a Light Beam Away

Happy memories of outdoor fun during the  summer months with friends and family  can last a lifetime. Sadly, so too  can the harmful effects of the sun. Many who indulged in the summer sun in  their youth are seeing the damaging effects years later and are searching out ways to regain the skin they had years ago. Their solution may only be a light beam away.

Speaking today, dermatologist Arielle N.B. Kauvar, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, discussed how new non-ablative lasers can treat the signs of aging, such as wrinkles, brown spots and loss of elasticity.

"In the past, techniques for improving aging skin required invasive laser or surgical procedures which produce open wounds and require long recovery times," said Dr. Kauvar. "Today, men and women can choose from a variety of non-ablative laser procedures designed to reverse, improve or erase the  early signs of aging, take very little time to perform and have a minimal, if any, recovery period."

 Non-ablative lasers heat a layer of tissue under the skin’s surface  without damaging the top layer of the skin, therefore producing no visible wound. By emitting a beam of light that is absorbed by the water in skin cells, these high-energy lasers can improve superficial and moderately deep wrinkles, such as those on the upper lip, the crow’s feet around the eyes, as well as the shallow wrinkles on the cheeks and forehead. These treatments result in a microscopic wound healing response, which promotes new collagen formation. The production of a new layer of collagen leads to  improved skin tone and texture, and a decrease in wrinkles and scars. This procedure is known as laser toning.

      Using computer analysis of skin texture and devices to measure skin  elasticity, Dr. Kauvar studied the use of non-ablative lasers to treat aging skin. In Dr. Kauvar’s study, YAG lasers were used to treat fine lines, acne scars and overall skin tone. Dr. Kauvar’s research found that three to six treatments, at two to four week intervals, produced overall improvement in the skin’s appearance. Non-ablative laser rejuvenation generally takes 10 to 15 minutes.

      Following laser toning procedures, the skin may appear red and blotchy for  a period     of several hours. Since there are no visible wounds to the skin,  make-up may be applied immediately after treatment.The results from these laser treatments generally last six months. A series of treatments may be safely performed from time to time to maintain the outcome of the procedure."In addition to treating fine lines and wrinkles and overall skin toning effects, some of these non-ablative lasers are also being utilized to improve skin discoloration from dilated blood vessels or irregular pigmentation," said Dr. Kauvar The advantage these laser rejuvenation treatments have over other skin  rejuvenation procedures is that these enable the improvement of a variety of changes in skin texture and color in just a few visits with little to no downtime. Further, these laser techniques do not damage the skin’s natural pigmentation and almost any skin type or ethnic skin type can be

safely treated with non-ablative laser therapy. Ideal candidates for non-ablative laser therapy include younger patients with acne scars or early signs of wrinkling and sun damage, as well as patients with more extensive sun damage and skin aging, who have undergone other invasive laser or surgical procedures. In these older patients,     laser toning is used to improve the skin texture and color and return the skin to its youthful appearance.

"These newer non-ablative laser toning procedures are ideally suited for  today’s busy world," said Dr. Kauvar. "They provide a simple means of  improving or reversing skin aging in a series of brief office visits, with minimal recovery time."

For more information contact Dr. Fathi G. Fam at North Dallas Aesthetics.                   Tel   972-380-1510

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