What is a laser peel?
Lasers have come a long way over the past several
decades.  They have been used in facial
plastic surgery for a long time, but new technologies have made them better and
better.  The lasers of the past have been
replaced with newer, safer, more effective ones.  While medical lasers have dozens of uses, specific
ones have been developed for facial peels.
So what is a laser peel? 
Think of a laser as a stimulator of new skin growth.  By removing old skin cells with the laser, newer
skin can regenerate in its place.  You
will see skin that is smoother, brighter, and more evenly toned.
Lasers of the past were designed to remove the entire top
layer of skin.  Think of this as “mowing
the lawn.”  While this was effective, the
recovery period was several weeks where the skin remained red and swollen.
Think of the new fractional lasers as “aerating the
lawn.”  These lasers essentially poke
microscopic holes in the skin. This removes a very small area of skin, but more
importantly, stimulates the body to renew and regenerate the skin around it as
well. Recovery time has been reduced from several weeks to just a few days.
Laser peels have taken the place of many chemical peels as
well.  A laser can be used more safely,
more precisely, and with less downtime.
Keep in mind that, while your skin is healing after a laser
peel, you will be more sun-sensitive. 
The winter is an ideal time to get yours done, as the sun is not out as
much, and you can stay warm and cozy indoors while you recover.
In our practice, we have a new fractional CO2 laser that
works very well for skin resurfacing. It can help treat sun spots and scarring
as well.
The next time you feel ready for some skin rejuvenation,
consider a laser peel as an excellent rebooting of your skin.
 
Here’s to the beautiful human face,
-Dr. Yamamoto