In the past five years medical grade cosmetic treatments like blue light, neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) and Fraxel lasers have grown in popolularity for correcting aesthetic blemishes like wrinkles and acne scarring.
Several differences exist between the effectiveness, downtime and costs for each of these laser therapies. So, as you shop around for a laser treatment, be certain to ask these eight questions to make your laser experience affordable, healthy and positive.
1. What are the costs?
Although you are not looking for the cheapest service because that could prove unwise, you need to ensure that you can afford a complete series of lasser treatments. Typical costs range from $150-$2500 per treatment depending on the type of laser used, session time and the size of the treated area.
In some cases, you make require only one laser session to treat acne scars.
2. How many treatments will you need to get the results you want?
In most documented medical studies, patients needed 5-10 laser sessions before noting a marketed improvement in their skin.
3. How far apart will the treatments need to be?
With clinical trials for the Nd:YAG and Fraxel lasers, the time between treatments could vary between every three days to once a week.
4. Is there any downtime?
Reasons for downtime could include swelling and redness. Blue light therapy and nonablative lasers like Nd:YAG typically have little or no downtime. Since the Fraxel laser makes microscopic wounds on the skin, the recovery period could last five to seven days.
Also, inquire if your doctor will need to use an anesthetic during the laser session. If so, you may need to make arrangements to have someone pick you up after the treatment because of possible anesthesia induced drowsiness and/or weakness.
5. What type of improvements can you expect?
Ask to view some before and after images of the laser service you are considering. Make certain that these procedures were performed by your candidate doctor and are not clinical images supplied by the laser manufacture.
Providing laser surgeries, especially with the Fraxel laser requires much adeptness. Chances of post-treatment scarring soar with incompetent administration of the Fraxel laser.
6. What are the potential side effects?
Typical post-laser side effects could include hyperpigmentation, swelling and redness.
7. What type of post-treatment skincare regime will you need to follow?
Must you avoid direct sunlight for an extended period? Do you need to limit makeup usage?
8. Is there a more affordable and safe alternative including chemical peels?
Chemical peel alternatives and compliments to laser surgery include deep phenol-based peels or a series of alpha hydroxy peels.
Prices for peels can range from $150-$1550 depending on the depth of the peel applied.
Naweko San-Joyz founded Noixia- a self-service image makeover company based in San Diego. Noixia creates custom acne scar removal products for the face and body. San-Joyz has authored several books and articles that focus on do-it-yourself beauty makeovers including ?Acne Messages: Crack the code of your zits and say goodbye to acne? and ?Skinny Fat Chicks: Why we?re still not getting this dieting thing?. San-Joyz lives and works in San Diego, California. | |
