ProFractional Laser Treatment – Are you a Good Candidate?

Summer is almost here and so is the hottest laser treatment on the market, ProFractional laser treatment. You may recognize the name from Chelsea Handler’s latest Instagram post. This fractional laser gave Handler amazing results in only 4 days. If you have questions about this new treatment, Dr. Nadir Qazi has answers.

How is ProFractional Laser Skin Resurfacing Different From Other Laser Treatments?

The ProFractional laser from Sciton is a type of ablative fractional laser. Like other ablative fractional lasers, it works by applying heat to skin cells to destroy damaged cells. ProFractional treatment can hone in on the damaged skin without harming the surrounding cells. It offers a faster recovery time and more targeted results than other laser treatments. Fractional lasers can be completely customized in terms of depth, intensity, size, and coagulation.

Now is the perfect time to heal last summer’s sun damage and put your best face forward for spring. Qazi Cosmetic Clinic is now offering ProFractional skin resurfacing to eligible patients. Keep reading to learn if this new laser treatment is right for you!

What is ProFractional Laser Therapy?

ProFractional treatment with laser is a new type of laser treatment. It is similar to CO2 laser treatment, which is also offered at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic. Like the CO2 laser, the fractional laser is also designed to resurface the skin.

Resurfacing is a common aesthetic technique to smooth fine lines, wrinkles, and damaged skin. When the skin is safely and strategically damaged, like with a laser, the body jumps into gear to heal itself. During the healing process, the body produces more collagen. This is a protein that is responsible for skin texture and elasticity. As your skin heals from resurfacing, it will repair cosmetic flaws, like acne scars, and come out looking better than before. 

The key to skin resurfacing is safely destroying damaged skin cells.

This is where laser treatments come in. When you pop a pimple or scratch yourself, the skin may heal poorly, resulting in either an indent in the skin or a raised scar. If you do this too many times, your skin texture will suffer.

Unlike human fingers, laser treatments are gentle, targeted, and safe. The laser only destroys the top layer of the skin in a way that won’t scar you further. Laser treatments also target only the damaged cells. The heat from the laser also plays a big role in boosting collagen production, which ensures that your skin will heal over properly. 

ProFractional laser treatment is a little different from the standard resurfacing laser. It is far more focused, so it does not harm the surrounding tissue. Instead of blasting the skin, the laser creates channels in the skin to deliver the heat directly to the damaged cells. This means that patients can get a shorter recovery time. This is how Chelsea Handler was able to get the treatment on a Thursday and be back in the studio filming again on Monday.  It also treats everything from poor skin texture to signs of aging, pigmentation, and old acne scars. 

What Are the Benefits of ProFractional Laser Therapy?

1. Candidates for ProFractional laser can have many different areas of the body treated

Some cosmetic procedures are only for the face. However, the reality is that wrinkles, scars, pigmentation, and wrinkles don’t just happen to the face. It is common for people to get back and chest acne, sun damage on their legs, and for their hands to show age spots. ProFractional treatment is suitable for many areas of the body, including the face, back, neck, chest, hands, arms, and legs. 

One aspect of bikini season is slimming down, but patients at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic have also been interested in improving their skin. Laser skin resurfacing treatments may be just what you need to be completely bikini body ready!

2. Fractional Ablative Lasers are only minimally uncomfortable and Qazi Cosmetic Clinic offers many options for pain management.

If you are new to the world of cosmetic procedures, the idea of a laser on your face can sound scary. Many first time patients learn that the procedure destroys skin cells and immediately expect it to be as painful as an IUD insertion. The good news is that laser treatment isn’t that bad. Patients who have had laser resurfacing frequently report that they felt no pain during the procedure and only minor discomfort afterwards. 

Qazi Cosmetic Clinic has 2 different options for pain management during laser treatment: numbing cream and pro-nox. 

Numbing cream is standard with all laser treatments. It is applied to the face and takes effect within 30 minutes. Your face will be completely numb. You won’t feel any pain during the procedure, only a little heat and pressure. Numbing cream wears off soon after the procedure and you will be able to feel your face again.

Pro-nox can be utilized on its own or with numbing cream. Pro-nox is a gas that you can inhale during your procedure to keep you calm. It is half nitrous oxide (that stuff you get at the dentist for wisdom teeth removal) and half pure oxygen. Because it is not 100% nitrous oxide, you won’t be too loopy, say anything embarrassing, or need to be driven home. Pro-nox wears off after 10-15 minutes. Qazi Cosmetic Clinic patients can administer their own pro-nox by moving the tube closer or farther from their face. If you feel okay, you can stop inhaling it. If you still feel nervous, you can keep breathing in pro-nox.

3. ProFractional laser skin resurfacing requires fewer treatments than other lasers.

It is normal for patients to require multiple laser treatments in order to see their results. This is pretty standard for a lot of non-invasive cosmetic procedures. If you have relatively minor cosmetic flaws, 1 or 2 procedures may do the trick. However, patients with lots of fine lines, wrinkles, and facial sagging should expect 3 to 4 sessions to see their desired anti-aging results. 

Compared to similar ablative lasers, the ProFractional laser often requires fewer touch up treatments. One reason is because the fractional laser can be customized to reach deeper into the skin. This can treat stubborn conditions like pitted acne and smile lines more effectively. The way the laser creates channels in the skin means that it targets the damaged skin better than other lasers. Instead of wasting heat on perfectly healthy cells, it efficiently hones in on the damaged cells.

4. ProFractional laser therapy can be part of a skin care routine in addition to being a treatment.

Other laser therapies come with 2-3 weeks of recovery, so they are only utilized to treat damaged skin. However, this fractional laser is gentle enough that it can be a standard part of your skin care routine. Just ask Kim Kardashian, who does frequent laser treatments to maintain the quality and texture of her skin. 

Depending on the depth, area coverage, and intensity of your treatment, you could be healed and ready to go after a weekend. This is why Chelsea Manning was able to do ProFractional laser treatment on a Thursday and be on camera again on Monday. While greater intensity treatments may require a longer recovery, touch ups and skin rejuvenation procedures only take a few days to heal.

Many patients at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic get a quick laser treatment to give their skin a little collagen boost a few days before a big event.

Is ProFractional Laser Skin Resurfacing Right for Me?

You may be a good candidate for ProFractional laser if you:

• Have a cosmetic concern that can be treated with skin resurfacing. However, laser treatment is best for mild to moderate wrinkles, fine lines, acne scars, and facial sagging. More severe cases may require a more strenuous treatment.

• Are able and prepared to properly care for your skin after the procedure.

• Have a skin tone that can safely be treated with this type of laser. Some lasers are not safe for all skin tones because they can damage melanated skin. Dr. Qazi is an expert at treating all skin tones. This laser treatment may not be the right fit for you, but Dr. Qazi can recommend a different laser treatment that will be safe for your melanated skin.

• Are not on any medications that could adversely interact with the laser treatment. For example, medications that contain isotretinoin, like Accutane, can cause poor healing. Aspirin can also increase your risk of excessive bruising and bleeding. If you are on Accutane or another acne medication, you will need to discontinue it before the procedure.

• Do not smoke or are able to quit smoking at least 3 weeks before the procedure.

• Do not have any other conditions that are not safe for laser treatment. For example, you cannot get laser therapy if you have active acne or cold sores. Patients with diabetes and certain autoimmune skin conditions should not get laser treatment.

• Have realistic expectations for the procedure and no history of body dysmorphia.

• This laser treatment is suitable for all skin types, whether your skin is naturally dry, greasy, or mixed.

What Are Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatments Good For?

In addition to brightening the skin and improving overall texture, fractional lasers are ideal for treating a few different skin conditions. 

1. Signs of Aging – It is normal for the skin to lose elasticity with age. The body produces less collagen, so the skin develops fine lines, wrinkles, and general sagging. Laser resurfacing is ideal for smoothing out wrinkles in the skin and boosting your body’s collagen production. 

2. Uneven Skin Tone – Sun damage, acne scars, and conditions like melasma and rosacea can cause unwanted pigmentation on the skin. These are often eye-catching, annoying, and embarrassing spots that can be hard to conceal with makeup. Skin resurfacing is very effective at getting rid of hyperpigmentation on light skin tones.

3. Acne Scars – While laser treatment is not safe for use on areas with active acne, it is excellent for treating many types of acne scars. Laser resurfacing can heal depressed acne scars by removing the damaged skin and promoting collagen production to heal the hole. It can also be effective at destroying the cells that form raised acne scars.

What You Need to Know About Skin Care Before & After ProFractional Treatment

The key to getting the best results from ProFractional laser treatment is preparing for the procedure properly and doing good skin care after the procedure. You will receive personalized prep instructions during your consultation at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic.

Before the Procedure:

• Stop drinking alcohol, using nicotine products (including vaping), and using recreational substances at least 3 weeks before the procedure.
• Stop using harsh skin care products, including peels, chemical exfoliants, and at-home dermabrasion kits.
• Avoid sun exposure by wearing sunscreen and a hat or staying indoors.
• Stop using any self tanning products and if you have a tanning bed appointment, cancel it.
• Depending on your skin and health history, Dr. Qazi may prescribe a skin pretreatment or an antiviral medication.

While some of these steps may seem minor, they can have a big impact on your results. If you want to be camera ready within a few days of your procedure, you must do everything you can to encourage healing. Smoking, drinking, sun exposure, and harsh chemicals can slow down your skin’s healing process. 

After the Procedure:

• You are safe to take OTC medications to alleviate swelling and soreness.
• Apply a cold compress to your skin at 20 minute intervals – 20 minutes on, then 20 minutes off. Your cold compress should have a barrier of fabric between the ice pack and your skin, otherwise the cold can harm your skin.
• After laser treatment, your skin barrier will be compromised. Until the channels in the skin heal, apply either vaseline or a medicinal gel to the treatment area to prevent infection.
• Do not use any harsh skin care products. Before you apply anything new to your face, test it on your inner forearm to make sure it won’t irritate your fresh skin.
• Do not wash your face until at least 1 day after the treatment.
• When you wash your face, do not scrub or scratch your skin. Use lukewarm water instead of hot water.
• Stay hydrated and eat lots of fruits and veggies to nourish your body.
• Keep your skin hydrated with gels and serums that have healing ingredients, such as vitamin E, antioxidants, vitamin C, aloe, growth factors, hyaluronic acid, or ferulic acid.
• Avoid sun exposure by staying indoors and wearing a hat, sun glasses, and sunscreen when you go out.
• After 3-4 days, you can wear light makeup again. Be sure to wash your brushes thoroughly to avoid spreading bacteria to your face. Mineral-based makeup is the safest for post-laser skin. Be sure to let your skin breathe and to remove your makeup with gentle cleansers.

Are You a Good Candidate for ProFractional Laser Treatment?

Laser treatments can be confusing, especially when there are so many options on the market. You may be unsure if ProFractional laser skin resurfacing is safe for your skin type or skin tone. The best way to find out is to schedule a consultation at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic. When you arrive, be sure to have clean skin and to bring all your questions. Dr. Qazi can help you determine which laser treatment will give you the best results.