The Versatility of Laser Treatments

You may not have thought about the versatility of laser treatments before reading this. Still, after reading this information, we hope you'll appreciate their scope of medical aesthetics in Menlo Park. Used to correct a wide range of aesthetic concerns, laser treatments have come a long way in recent years. Not only are they a painless procedure, but they are efficient and require little (if any) downtime afterward.

Three Common Uses for Laser Treatment in Menlo Park, CA 

Although laser treatments can be used across a broad spectrum of aesthetic enhancements, they are most commonly used for laser hair removal near you, skin tightening, and skin resurfacing. The chances are that if you have a skin concern that you'd like to see corrected, Dr. Joelle Osias at Foreviva Medical Clinique can provide the solution you're looking for with laser treatments near you.

A Broader Scope of Use for Laser Therapy 

Included in the three broad categories mentioned above are more defined approaches such as:

• The reduction of fine lines and wrinkles

• The depreciation in the appearance of birthmarks, brown spots, and other skin decolorizations

• The stimulation of collagen within the skin for a healthier and more radiant glow

• The reduction of acne scarring

• The depreciation of blood vessels

• The elimination of unwanted hair

• The treatment of sensitive skin areas

The last item mentioned includes laser vaginal therapy, which helps patients concerned about dryness, pain during intercourse, or the loss of elasticity and collagen, which impair their vaginal functioning. We know this can be a sensitive area for many women to discuss, so knowing that you have a partner who understands your concerns makes the discussion and treatment easier.

A Deeper Dive into Laser Hair Removal 

If you're tired of shaving, then laser hair removal (LHR) is an ideal solution. Not only is it one of the more popular laser therapies, but it can be used across multiple areas of your body. Some patients utilize LHR so they won't have to shave their legs are under their arms every day to enjoy a smooth appearance. Other uses of LHR are to reduce unwanted hair in other parts of their body like their chin, lower abdomen, bikini area, or around their nipples.

Each area will require its own number of treatments, depending on the size and type of hair removed, but the general guideline is 6-8 treatments scheduled several weeks apart. When you visit your skin professional for your LHR consultation, you'll learn more about the timing of your treatments.

During this consultation, you'll also learn about some pre-procedure requirements that need to be adhered to before therapy can begin. The most noteworthy is to eliminate the use of all hair removal practices (plucking, waxing, and chemical depilatories for at least a month before your hair removal appointment. Some other considerations that will be discussed during your consultation include:

• Don’t use bleaching agents for at least a week before your treatment.

• Use sunscreen during any sun exposure for up to two weeks before your treatment.

• Shave the area to be treated the day before your treatment (important: do not shave the area the day your treatment is scheduled).

Our goal is to provide you with the best treatment outcome possible, so we'll make sure to provide you with a pre-procedure and post-procedure treatment plan during your initial consultation. Some things to keep in mind when scheduling your treatment include these post-procedure guidelines:

• Avoid sweating for several days afterward, including staying out of the sun for one week

• Wear an SPF 30+ sunscreen on the treated areas when you are outside

• Do not expose the treated area to excessively hot temperatures such as a sauna or a hot tub

Types of Lasers Used in Dermatology

Another consideration is the type of laser used, either ablative or non-ablative. As the naming convention implies, ablative lasers are used to remove the top area of a patient's skin while non-ablative lasers heat the underlying skin tissue. Depending on the area that you want to be treated, one of the following types of lasers might be used:

• Intense Pulsed Light

• Fractional

• Pulsed-Dye

• CO2

• Laser 360TM

• Nd: YAG

• Erbium

• AnteAge MD Laser Vaginal Therapy

Your doctor will discuss which laser will be used in your treatment. That way, you'll have information about its ablative and non-ablative properties before treatment begins.  

The Takeaway 

The chances are that if you have a skin or hair concern that you'd like to see corrected, there's a type of laser therapy to treat it! Rather than continuing to wonder what can be done to remove hair or improve the appearance or texture of your skin, why not make an appointment today? You may even discover that when you combine treatment areas, you'll save money and time in the long run!