Fair and spotless skin is a fantasy
cherished by all women around the world since time immemorial. Years ago, our
ancestors resorted to a number of homemade unique ingredients to get glowing,soft, and fair skin. A lot has been said about the seductive beauty of
Cleopatra who also used various natural products as part of her beauty regimen.
Nowadays in the middle of hustle-bustle, females all over the world are facing
issues when it comes to keeping up their beauty regimen. They neither have the
time nor the patience to put together the exotic organic masks and wait around
for days before obtaining the desired results.
That is when the scientific world walked in
to make life simpler for women and voila! A fairness wonder occurred in the
form of laser treatment!
What is
laser skin whitening?
Laser skin lightening (or resurfacing) is a
medical procedure wherein focused beams of short pulsed light are put upon the
focused areas of skin to take out unwanted, uneven, and damaged skin. The
method encourages the new growth of fresh skin cells which eventually results
in lighter skin tones. The process requires anywhere between half an hour and 2
hours.
This technique is commonly used to treat
skin problems such as facial lines, acne marks, and hyperpigmentation problems
like uneven skin tones (because of overproduction of melanin), melasma,
chloasma, liver spots and age spots as well as the discoloration issues.
The
advantages of laser skin whitening:
•
Faster results
There are many whitening solutions available
in the market. Although most skin lightening solutions take many weeks to show
effective outcomes, the laser resurfacing provides quicker results and changes
to the skin are evident immediately. Right after laser treatments, your skin
looks radiant, softer, and brighter and also improves gradually since it will
take over 3 to 6 months to heal. This stands true in terms of ablative laser
treatments where you require just one to two sittings to eliminate the damaged
skin as well as improve the appearance of your skin. For non-ablative laser
treatments, the period taken could be a bit longer considering that it takes
one to six sessions for desired results
•
Most beneficial method
Among all the skin whitening items that can
be found in the market, laser resurfacing technology happens to be proven to be
the most effective method to obtain glowing and younger looking skin.
Additionally, laser treatments work well on some skin concerns such as fine
lines, wrinkles, eliminating acne scars, repairing damage from the sun, and
lessens the appearance of signs of aging and dark spots.
•
Professional treatment method
Furthermore, laser treatments are under a
lot of professional monitoring. Individuals are managed by professionals during
as well as after skin treatment. The impacts are constantly monitored and, in
case of any kind of complications, skilled doctors are called in to help out
with the issues.
The
disadvantages of laser skin whitening:
Although modern laser technology has shown
to give good results in terms of improving skin appearance by assisting in the
reduction of skin blemishes and dark spots, there are potential side effects. The
most common laser skin brightening negative effects are:
• Prolonged inflammation and redness of the
handled area
• Skin scarring
• Skin blistering
• Cold sore reactivation
• Skin scabbing
• Changes in skin pigmentation
• Tightness as well as the discomfort of
the handled area
• Turning of the eyelid after intense
treatment
• Photosensitivity
• Acne growth because of skin breakouts
• Other types of infections
The laser treatments function by disrupting
the cell structure under the skin's surface. This indicates there exists a
probability that the treatment may damage the cells that generate melanin.
Damage to the cells generating melanin could either result in increased melanin
production that darkens the skin (hyperpigmentation) or, reduced melanin
production that lightens the skin (hypopigmentation) in a handful of rare
cases.
How much
will laser skin lightening cost?
The laser skin resurfacing costs required
for treatment can vary based on the area of skin where the treatment is to be
focused and the kind of laser used. However, it is certainly one of the
costliest skin whitening treatments. In some cases, numerous sessions may be
required for the best results. Cost is packaged according to the size of the
area of treatment; arms and legs, underarms, facial and whole body.
To have a better knowledge of the amount of
money you might pay for the treatment let’s take a look at the cost in
different regions.
Laser
Resurfacing cost in the US:
According to the Society of Plastic
Surgeons Society of America Statistics (ASPS 2017), $ 2, 124 is the approximate
expenditure of laser resurfacing of skin for an ablative treatment.
Alternatively, $ 1, 114 is the approximate cost for the non-ablative
procedures. Typically, treatments do range between $600 and $3500.
A single small procedure will cost you
around $200 however the costs rise because 3 - 5 or more revisits are generally
required. Evaluating from information on various laser facility websites,
getting a laser treatment by a surgeon might be slightly expensive than
consulting a dermatologist.
Laser Skin
Resurfacing Expense in India:
Traditionally, the majority of
practitioners of these treatments did not actually, disclose their fees until
one went for a consultation. In spite of this with increased internet promotion
and online presence, it’s possible for you to get a summary of the costs
related to the procedures.
A consultation will cost you between $15 and
$30. In general, treatment costs $15 and $575 based on the kind of laser used
and the circumference of the treatment region. Mumbai ranks the highest with
the procedure costing from $170 to beyond $1000. The survey took into
consideration various clinics and hospitals in ten cities. In New Delhi expect
to shell out $580 for the treatment and as much as $360 in Bangalore and
Chennai.
Preparing
for the treatment:
To make sure that your skin is prepared for
treatment, the surgeon or dermatologist will start you off on a pre-treatment
regimen. It is generally done six weeks beforehand. Typically, you will be
expected to use a selection of skin care products that are meant to nourish
your skin. They are products custom-made to fit your skin type, hence minimize
possible complications and obtain the best out of your laser whitening.
Topical creams will be prescribed by
doctors to help in unclogging pores and boost collagen production in the skin.
Additionally, they speed up the rate of cell turnover for a better epidermal
and dermal layer. These kinds of creams, when used as per guidance will result
in skin improvement within 4 weeks.
Smoking must be stopped a minimum of 2
weeks before the treatment. The reason being it dries out the skin that may
cause less than ideal treatment outcomes. A dry skin heals slower which raises
the chance of post-treatment infection. Having said that, it’s also wise to not
smoke for at least 2 weeks after the treatment.
Blood-thinning medication needs to be
stopped six weeks before the treatment. These medicines prevent blood from
clotting which could delay the healing process. Such consist of anticoagulants
like heparin, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. Others such as aspirin and tirofiban
are antiplatelet agents; which inhibit platelets aggregation. A few of the
drugs may additionally interact negatively with post-treatment medication.
You will probably be advised to reduce or
stop consuming alcohol six weeks before the treatment. Sun exposure must be,
minimum to lessen the skin’s photosensitivity to the lasers. Prophylactic
antivirals and antibiotics will also be suggested in case you have a record of
cold sores or herpes.
Pro
Tip: Preoperative measures are just as important as
the process itself, therefore, you must go to a well-known laser clinic. A lot
of treatments that go wrong are due to rushed procedures on un-ready skin.
Recovery
after laser skin whitening:
After laser treatment, the skin may respond
in several ways. The majority get a slight tingling sensation, like sunburns,
after the treatment. The skin might also display signs of redness and swelling
after the process. Itchiness or stinging is also common for the first few days.
In the case of blondes and redheads, the redness has a tendency to last longer.
If you happen to be going for a laser
treatment, then you need to be prepared to experience a long recovery time and
speak with your surgeon with regard to the same. The amount of time will differ
depending on the kind of treatment. Simple treatments only need a day or two to
settle down. However, if you decide to go for a full facial treatment, it
requires having a dressing put on on the targeted skin area which has to be kept
for 7-21 days.
Additionally, aggressive treatments will
lead the skin to become raw. Blisters may appear, and at times you might notice
a yellow liquid oozing out from the focused areas and developing a crust. Never
attempt to pick at the crusts since you may end up with deep scarring. Give it
enough time (5 days to a week), and you will notice the crust peeling off and
fresh rejuvenating skin developing in the treated areas. The skin will
additionally lighten over a period. You may experience a little extra
sensitivity to light immediately after the treatment. It is strongly
recommended that you apply sunscreen daily and minimize sun exposure.
Alternatives
to laser resurfacing:
Laser skin resurfacing could possibly be
scary or is probably not everyone's cup of tea. It can also be prohibitive
because of the high cost and unavailability of qualified professionals. Good
news is that there are alternative procedures that will remove the outermost
skin surface and accelerate the growth of newer and healthier skin. These
procedures include:
Dermabrasion: A skin exfoliation process that makes use of a rotating surgical
device.
Microdermabrasion: The method involves the utilization of tiny abrasive elements or
diamond tipped devices to exfoliate skin.
Chemical
peels: Use of acid-based materials to ‘peel’ or get
rid of the outermost skin layer for a lighter skin tone.
Conclusion:
Indeed, laser skin whitening treatment is
an extremely effective and quicker way to obtain the radiant, fair, and young
skin that you dream of. However, it is essential that you understand the risks
before you decide to get down to the surgery. We suggest that you talk with
your surgeon, have an understanding of the risks, and take all necessary
precautions before jumping straight into it.