Winter Treatments with Downtime, Winter 2015 Newsletter

As the cold weather approaches and we all bundle up, this is a great time to think about addressing the sun damage you may have accumulated in warmer months. This is the perfect time for laser procedures that work best when you have minimal to no tan. Specifically, photorejuvenation is a great treatment to address not only brown spots induced by the sun but also broken capillaries or redness. This procedure has very minimal downtime and can be performed on the face, chest, or extremities—really any part of the body! It is ideal for more superficial sun damage.

To address more severe sun damage accompanied by fine lines and wrinkles, Fraxel^® Dual is a great choice. Advanced Dermatology is one of only 2 practices in Illinois to have this technology. This is a non-ablative fractional resurfacing laser procedure that allows us to treat skin texture irregularities (scars, pores, wrinkles) and pigment issues such as freckles. It is safe to use on the face, neck, chest, hands, and arms. It has even been FDA cleared to treat actinic keratosis, so this should help prevent skin cancer. This procedure does have a few days to a week (depending on settings used) of downtime as the skin heals. Treated skin will be red and swollen and can have peeling for a few days following the procedure (makeup can be applied, however). Winter is the perfect time for this procedure because you do need to avoid sun exposure after treatment. Only 2 treatments, 1-2 months apart are necessary for great results.

For more advanced sun damage and deeper lines, accompanied by sagging, CO₂RE is the best treatment, especially for patients who are looking for the most dramatic results in a single treatment. CO₂RE is a CO₂ laser for fractional resurfacing that removes columns of skin to reduce sun spots, wrinkles, and to improve skin laxity. Because this procedure is ablative (removes columns of skin), it does have more downtime. Patients can expect to have 7 to 14 days of healing. Although many people try to avoid downtime, it is actually more cost effective to have this one single procedure that treats almost every aspect of aging. Contact us at 847-459-6400 to schedule your cosmetic consultation and find out which treatment best suits your needs.