As you age, it isn't uncommon to develop wrinkles. With each passing year, your skin becomes thinner and loses some of its elasticity, prompting lines and wrinkles to form along the face, neck and other areas of the body. While there are numerous products that claim to improve the appearance of your skin, medical advancements have now provided a number of procedures that can reduce the signs of aging. One such method is laser therapy.
Types
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are two basic types of laser therapy treatments that can be used to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. The first is known as ablative laser therapy where the laser affects both the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. The second is non-ablative laser therapy, which only affects the dermal layers of the skin. The epidermal layers are left unharmed by the procedure.
Function
With ablative laser therapy, wrinkles are removed in two different ways. As the skin is exposed to the laser, a wound is created on the surface of the skin. The healing process brings about skin that appears tighter and smoother than before. However, the dermal layer of your skin has also been exposed to the laser, which stimulates the production of collagen. This essentially plumps the skin, reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
With non-ablative laser therapy, a lower level laser is used to permeate the epidermal layer of your skin. The Mayo Clinic states that the dermis of the skin is prompted to produce additional collagen, much like with ablative laser therapy. This causes the skin to become firmer than before, improving the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Significance
The only real limitation with this form of wrinkle removal is that it's only really effective on earlier or finer wrinkles. For deeper lines, folds or wrinkles, you may need to turn to other methods of skin rejuvenation, such as Botox injections, soft tissue fillers or a face lift, according to both American Academy of Dermatology and the Mayo Clinic.
Effects
As with almost any medical procedure, there's always the potential for side effects. The American Academy of Dermatology warns that you may suffer from swelling, redness or bruising after a laser therapy session. It's also possible to experience some discoloration and even scarring, especially when having an ablative procedure.
Other Laser Treatments
Though ablative and non-ablative methods are the most common forms of laser therapy for wrinkle removal, you may see an improvement in the appearance of your skin through other laser treatments. Intense pulsed light therapy and light emitting devices can also reduce the signs of lines and wrinkles in your skin. They work under the same principles as non-ablative laser therapy, since they can stimulate the production of collagen.
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