How Long Do Laser Skin Resurfacing Results Last?
How Long Does Laser Skin Resurfacing Last?
Years of sun exposure, repetitive facial movements, and the natural loss of collagen and elasticity can change the way your skin looks and feels, and leave you unsatisfied with your appearance. Age spots, acne scars, fine lines, or uneven texture may leave you wishing for a smoother, more radiant complexion. In Annapolis, MD, and Easton, MD, advanced laser skin resurfacing treatments designed to refresh and restore your skin provide results you can enjoy for years. Make your complexion shine again!
Why Patients Choose Laser Skin Resurfacing
Many people turn to laser skin resurfacing because it delivers noticeable results, works quickly, and can be performed right in our office. These treatments address a variety of concerns, from wrinkles and pigmentation to scarring and redness. With different laser technologies available, both ablative and non-ablative, we can customize your treatment for your unique needs and goals.
Whether you want a gentle BBL laser treatment to improve tone and texture or a more intensive resurfacing option for dramatic results, we’ll help you select the best approach during your consultation in Annapolis or Easton.
How Does Laser Skin Resurfacing Work?
A top question from patients is: “How long does laser skin resurfacing last?” While results vary, most patients see an immediate improvement in skin tone and texture, with continued enhancement over several months. Depending on which type of laser treatment you choose, you can see a difference within weeks. Even if you don’t see immediate improvement, your initial results will continue to improve throughout the year. On average, you can expect your results to last three to five years./p>
Many people extend their results with periodic touch-up sessions or by combining their resurfacing procedure with treatments like BBL laser treatment, which targets redness, pigmentation, and early signs of aging.
How to Extend Your Results
It is possible to extend your results beyond five years by mindfully caring for your skin and body. There are a few simple ways to ensure that you can enjoy great skin for as long as possible. The most important step you can take following each treatment is to protect yourself from sun exposure. Doing so may extend your results for up to an additional two years.
You can help your results last beyond five years by:
- Wearing SPF 30+ daily (even on cloudy days)
- Avoiding prolonged sun exposure and wearing protective hats
- Staying hydrated and using a quality moisturizer
- Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine
- Following a professional skincare plan recommended by our team
You don’t have to avoid the sun altogether, but make sure to protect new skin cells and slow future damage, allowing you to enjoy your results longer.
How Laser Skin Resurfacing Works
Laser resurfacing treatments use beams of light energy to target specific areas of your skin. Light wavelengths work to minimize blemishes like scars and age spots by removing or penetrating the top layer of skin.
As a result, your body can improve collagen and elastin production, and your unsightly imperfections will begin to fade. Skin that was once dull and sagging will improve in quality, texture, and firmness. Two different types of lasers can assist with laser skin resurfacing, each with a few key differences.
Ablative vs. Non-Ablative Lasers
Ablative lasers remove parts of your epidermis and stimulate new collagen growth by heating the skin underneath. As the outer layer of your skin heals, it becomes smoother and tighter. Non-ablative lasers help improve the tone and texture by using intense pulsed light to stimulate the growth of new skin. Many patients prefer treatments that use non-ablative lasers because it eliminates the need to remove the skin.
Ablative laser treatments can achieve dramatic results, and most patients are satisfied after a single treatment. Ablative treatments work fast but have traditionally come with a long recovery time. Non-ablative lasers are less invasive and require less downtime, but are also less effective, which means you might need to undergo multiple treatments to achieve your desired results.
Types of Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatments
O’Donnell Vein & Laser offers six types of laser therapies that can help you clear up dull and damaged skin. Regardless of whether these treatments are ablative or non-ablative, each one delivers fast results, and you can avoid having to take time off of work for recovery.
Types of Laser Skin Resurfacing Treatments
O’Donnell Vein & Laser, with convenient locations in Annapolis and Easton, MD, offers six types of laser therapies to help clear up dull and damaged skin. Whether the treatment is ablative or non-ablative, each option delivers fast, noticeable results — all with little to no downtime, so you can get back to your routine without missing work.
- BroadBand Light Treatments
- Halo Treatments
- MicroLaser Peel Treatments
- ProFractional Treatments
- Excel V+ Treatments
- Laser Genesis Treatments
If your goal is to enjoy refreshed and rejuvenated skin, BroadBrand Light (BBL) is a gentle, non-invasive laser therapy that may be a good option. This powerful, invigorating treatment stimulates cell turnover within your skin to reduce imperfections such as acne, freckles, redness, wrinkles, and other signs of aging.
A single BBL treatment may last for a few months, and most patients achieve their desired results after at least three. BBL treatment results are long-lasting as long as you return multiple times a year for touch-ups.
Halo treatments work well for treating pigmentation and skin texture issues, allowing your skin to glow youthfully. This process uses a Hybrid Fractional Laser, which combines ablative and non-ablative wavelengths to treat your skin. Halo treatments are useful in treating enlarged pores, scarring, sun-damaged skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmented lesions.
Halo treatments provide you with fast results that require little recovery time. Many patients begin to see results after just one or two sessions, which can last you for months. Halo treatments are commonly applied to your face, but you can also have it done on your chest, arms, and neck.
If your body has started to slow down with collagen production, you can undergo a MicroLaser Peel treatment to reduce the appearance of acne scars, hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and wrinkles. This dynamic treatment uses laser energy that penetrates your dermis and stimulates the growth of new cells so your body can produce higher levels of collagen.
Each session can take between 15 to 30 minutes, and many patients experience improvements within three to four days. To enjoy long-lasting beauty, you can undergo multiple treatments every six to eight weeks.
If you are worried about damaging the healthy skin around any damaged skin, a ProFractional treatment may be right for you. This type of ablative laser therapy targets skin laxity and photodamage on precise areas of your skin without affecting healthy skin.
After receiving a ProFractional treatment, you can expect to start seeing results within four to six months. Many patients are happy after just one treatment, which generally takes a half-hour or less. We can help you create a personalized plan to continue skin maintenance using this therapy if you are satisfied with the results and would like to enjoy them in the long-term.
Excel V+ treatments use non-ablative lasers capable of emitting multiple wavelengths of light to treat a range of skin issues. A few of the conditions you can address with Excel V+ include redness, stains, acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines, sun spots, age spots, bruising, hyperpigmentation, and small red veins.
A single Excel V+ treatment takes just 10 to 15 minutes to perform, usually over three appointments that are spaced a month apart. Results typically last for one to three years and can be occasionally touched up for a long-lasting effect.
Because collagen production naturally begins to slow in your mid-twenties, many people choose Laser Genesis as a non-ablative option to maintain a youthful complexion. This treatment gently heats the dermis to stimulate ongoing collagen production, helping you achieve a smoother texture and a more even skin tone. Like Excel V+, Laser Genesis can also address concerns such as redness, fine lines, scars, and uneven skin quality.
Most patients require four to eight treatments spaced one month apart before they see optimal results. You can enjoy long-lasting results by returning every three to four months for touch-up maintenance.
Laser Skin Rejuvenation FAQ
What Is the Best Laser for Skin Resurfacing?
There is not necessarily one best laser for skin resurfacing. Since our office provides several different laser therapies, we will help you determine the most appropriate one based on your medical history and your current skin condition. Factors that will go into this determination include your skin type and the areas in need of treatment.
How Long Does Each Appointment Take?
An average appointment will last for approximately one hour. While the laser treatment process only takes about 20 to 45 minutes (depending on the size of your treatment area), you should also factor in time for checking in, reviewing the process with your doctor, and icing the treated area before you leave. Full-face treatment may last up to two hours.
Are Results Permanent?
Laser skin treatments do not create permanent results, but a single treatment can last you almost half a decade with good skincare habits. You can continue to receive laser skin treatments as many times as you need to see the results you want.
How Often Should You Get Laser Skin Resurfacing Done?
How many sessions you’ll need depends mostly on your skin condition and what you’re hoping to achieve. Since it can take up to a month for your skin to heal, patients who require multiple sessions typically limit their treatments to once every four weeks. If you have taken good care of your skin for most of your life, you may only need a single treatment to remove all blemishes.
Can I Combine Laser Skin Treatments With Other Cosmetic Treatments?
Yes! Depending on your individual cosmetic goals, there are a few treatments that you can use in conjunction with laser rejuvenation. For example, you can combine laser therapy with dermal filler treatments such as Botox to further address any volume loss in your facial area.
You may also apply a topical retinoid to your skin to help preserve the results from laser therapy. During your initial consultation, we will help you design a skincare plan that safely matches your needs and desires.
What Can I Expect During Treatment?
Laser skin treatments are an outpatient process that is done right in our office. One of our certified specialists will use a local anesthetic to numb the targeted skin before performing the treatment. If you have your entire face done, you may opt for general anesthesia to ease your anxiety or sensitivity concerns.
What Can I Expect After Treatment?
Following laser treatment, you will have to clean the treated area five times a day before applying an ointment to prevent scabbing.
Start Your Skin Renewal Journey
Whether you’re looking for a powerful BBL laser treatment or wondering exactly how long laser skin resurfacing lasts, our experienced team is here to help you achieve healthy, radiant skin. With convenient offices in Annapolis, MD, and Easton, MD, we make it easy to start your skin transformation close to home.
If you are ready to find a laser skin rejuvenation treatment that works best for you, call O’Donnell Vein & Laser in Annapolis, MD, to schedule a consultation todayand discover the right treatment for your goals.
