The radiant glow of healthy skin often emerges from smooth and even coloration. Yet aspects of daily living — primarily sun exposure — can create variations in skin tone. It’s not the only culprit. Medical conditions like acne and rosacea can also break up uniform skin tone. These discolorations tend to accumulate over time.
These problems group together in a condition called dyschromia, describing an interruption in your skin’s pigmentation. There are two types of dyschromia: Hyperpigmentation refers to areas of skin that are darker than your normal skin tone, and areas of hypopigmentation appear lighter.
While you can even out skin tone with concealers and other makeup techniques, aesthetic lasers may offer you a long-lasting solution that also improves the appearance of issues like fine lines, wrinkles, and large pores.
Dr. Carrie L. Morris and the team at Radiance Wellness MediSpa in Granbury and Southlake, Texas, recommend versatile carbon dioxide (CO2) laser skin resurfacing to restore uniformity across the skin of your face. Here’s how it works.
CO2 lasers work by transferring light energy to your skin, causing it to warm up, just as your skin does in the sun. However, lasers use only a single wavelength, which permits targeting specific tissue, even below the surface of your skin.
CO2 lasers are ablative. Your treatment removes a thin top layer of skin, much like aggressive chemical peels and dermabrasion treatments. Lasers add the benefit of warming below the surface in the middle dermis layer, stimulating the growth of new collagen tissue. Many of the dyschromia issues reside here, so the turnover in collagen reduces the presence of pigment issues, as does the replacement of the upper epidermis layer.
Because of the extent of a CO2 laser treatment, you’ll have downtime after a precision laser resurfacing. It takes about 7-10 days for the epidermis to recover, though this healing time varies between patients. You may still see a slight pink hue in your skin after two weeks, and full results typically emerge between three and six months.
Results are long-lasting, even with only a single treatment. Your skin tone may remain improved for years, particularly when you follow the laser resurfacing with aggressive sun care, including high SPF sunscreens, wide-brimmed hats, and a diligent home skin care regimen.
Depending on the level of dyschromia present in your skin, nonablative lasers or intense pulsed light (IPL) facial treatments may be used for less dramatic results but let you avoid the recovery time necessary for CO2 resurfacing.
Radiance Wellness MediSpa offers a wide range of treatments, including both laser and nonlaser procedures. Consult with our team to determine the best combination of services for your skin condition.
You can book an appointment at either of our offices by phone or online. Start on the road to even skin tone today by scheduling your session now.
