What should I think about if I have laser resurfacing?

Laser resurfacing first injures or wounds the skin and then destroys the top layers. You need to prepare yourself for how your skin will look immediately after treatment and throughout the healing process. It is also extremely important for you to follow your doctor's instructions on caring for your skin after the treatment, so you can avoid infection and help your skin heal.

Be sure that your doctor understands what you hope to achieve and that you understand what results you can realistically expect. Even with realistic expectations, you may not see results for several weeks or months after laser resurfacing. You may need more than one treatment to achieve the results you want.

After laser resurfacing, you will need to wear sunscreen every day and avoid sun exposure as much as possible. New skin is more susceptible to damage and discoloration from sunlight.

Laser resurfacing, chemical peel and dermabrasion are the most commonly used techniques for improving the texture and appearance of the skin. Although these techniques use different methods, they have basically the same effect on the skin: they destroy and remove the upper layers of skin to allow for skin regrowth.

No one technique is necessarily better than the others. When performed by an experienced surgeon, laser resurfacing may be slightly more precise than chemical peels or dermabrasion. But the choice of technique is based on the site you want to treat, your skin type and condition, the doctor's experience, your preferences and other factors. Some people may get the best results by using a combination of techniques.