Laser Facial Treatments

Laser Cosmetic Treatments for Your Face

Understanding How Types of Cosmetic Laser Treatments Work

Most of us love the outdoors and warm sunny vacations, but the sun can cause premature aging by breaking down collagen in the skin, leading to redness, inflammation, wrinkles, and sunspots. Even brief exposure to the sun, such as going for walks, driving, and spending time outdoors can cause skin discoloration. VIVAA is proud to offer the most effective and advanced laser treatments to rejuvenate sun-damaged skin for ALL Fitzpatrick skin types.

VIVAA's expert aestheticians, who specialize in laser resurfacing treatments resulting in skin rejuvenation, will improve your appearance to reveal a more youthful and enhanced version of your skin. Our cosmetic laser resurfacing procedures use state-of-the-art laser technology. Lasers are highly effective and popular devices that resolve and treat various discolorations and other benign skin growths. They are now the gold standard for cosmetic skin resurfacing work. Laser treatments are minimally or non-invasive, have little to no downtime, and leave no scars or incisions like invasive cosmetic plastic surgeries. A cosmetic laser skin resurfacing treatment can treat improve the following skin concerns:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Age spots and sun damage
• Uneven skin tone
• Uneven skin texture
• Acne scars
• Redness or vascularity
• Birthmarks
• Enlarged pores
• Broken capillaries
• Stimulates collagen production

At VIVAA, our goal is to ensure you feel more confident and comfortable in your skin by utilizing our industry-leading laser technology to reveal more youthful skin. Dr. Sidhu and his caring staff will ensure your visits are as comfortable as possible. It starts with a complimentary consultation with one of our talented aesthetic nurses to evaluate your concerns, and goals, and create your customized treatment plan.

Our Laser Treatment Technologies

We use three different laser technologies to help mitigate the effects of environmental stress and aging. While they all have similar features, each has different effects to target specific types of skin conditions/concerns. Using a process known as selective photothermolysis, our advanced lasers can target specific skin layers in the treatment area with incredible accuracy and break down pigmented skin cells.

Non-Ablative Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing

Non-Ablative fractional lasers are non-invasive treatments ideal for strengthening and remodeling collagen and improving the appearance of irregular skin to achieve an overall more even skin tone and skin texture. This treatment is beneficial for:

• Scarring (acne or surgical)
• Wrinkles or fine lines
• Age spots and other blemishes
• Stretch marks
• Collagen stimulation
• Enlarged pores

Non-ablative laser treatments break up pigment cells by sending micro columns of energy into the epidermis and other pigmented lesions deep in the dermis to reveal a brighter and more even skin tone. These columns of laser energy also stimulate collagen production and remodel disorganized collagen (scar formations) to reduce scarring and fine lines and wrinkles. A series of laser treatments is usually required to achieve optimal results. Non-ablative lasers work deep in the skin without removing or damaging the top layers or surrounding tissue. Patients have little or no downtime after non-ablative treatments.

Intense Pulsed Light Photofacials

IPLphotofacials use intense pulsed light to reach various depths of skin to reduce sun damage and vascularity (redness). They are ideal for treating red and brown pigments. The short pulsed light energy from this treatment results in the constriction of blood vessels to reduce redness and destroys the melanin that forms sunspots. IPL is an ideal laser treatment for Fitzpatrick skin types I- III, who have discoloration such as rosacea, age spots, and hyperpigmentation. Intense pulsed light photofacial benefits appear slowly in the days to weeks immediately following the treatment and can be used throughout the entire body.

You may benefit from IPL laser treatments if you have one of the following conditions:

• Sun damage or discoloration
• Freckles
• Rosacea
• Spider veins

Laser Treatment for Vascularity

To treat redness, the short pulsed light energy penetrates the skin and transforms into heat as hemoglobin from damaged blood vessels absorbs it. This head coagulates the vessels and leads to their elimination. Laser treatments are appropriate for:

• Cherry angioma
• Venous lakes
• Vascular lesions
• Spider veins (anywhere on the body)

PicoSure Laser

The PicoSure laser is a powerful and effective treatment for all skin types but is especially safe and effective for darker skin tones. This technology delivers ultra-short bursts (a trillionth of a second) of energy to targeted areas to address acne scars, boost collagen production, and reduce enlarged pores, melasma and hyperpigmentation throughout the entire body. Using pressure instead of heat, this laser is safe for all skin types and has minimal side effects and no downtime. PicoSure laser skin resurfacing creates an overall rejuvenation that makes your skin glow and improve the sun damage/ pigmentation as well as fine lines and wrinkles.

Skin concerns addressed by the PicoSure laser:

• Hyperpigmentation
• Birthmarks
• Sun damage
• Enlarged pores
• Melasma

• Scarring

• Uneven skin tone

• Uneven skin texture
• Collagen stimulation

What to Expect

Depending on the severity of the skin condition and your individual goals, you'll need multiple treatments, usually three to six, scheduled about one month apart. At VIVAA, our friendly and calming atmosphere makes treatments comfortable, and our patients have amazing results.

Am I a Candidate for Cosmetic Laser Resurfacing?

To ensure you are a candidate for a specific treatment, we encourage you to come in for a complimentary consultation outlining a treatment plan developed for your needs. Before starting laser treatments, our providers will ensure your skincare regimen is supplemented with professional medical-grade products to ensure you sustain results after completing your skin treatments.

Before undergoing any laser treatments, make sure to follow the following protocols:

• Avoid fake tanners/sunless tanners two weeks prior to treatment
• Avoid retinoids/retinoids at least seven days prior to treatment
• Avoid active sun exposure/tanning at least two weeks prior to treatment
• Avoid photosensitizing antibiotics/drugs a week prior to treatment
• Avoid sun exposure and retinoids for a week after treatments
• Avoid saunas, extraneous workouts, or soaking the treated area for 48-72 hours post-treatment

Possible Laser Procedure Side Effects

As with other cosmetic treatments, laser skin resurfacing has possible side effects. Most are mild, especially when undergoing nonblative treatments. Generally ablative lasers cause more pain, but they also offer longer lasting results. The follow are some typical side effects you may encounter from non-ablative and ablative lasers:

• Redness, itching, pain and swelling. Intense redness can last for several months.
• Acne. Avoid applying thick creams and bandages after treatment as those can worsen acne or cause temporary develop tiny white bumps on the treatment area.
• Infection. Laser treatment ca lead to various types of infections. The most common is a flar-up of herpes, the virus that causes cold sores.
• Changes in skin tones. Laser skin resurfacing can cause darker skin in the treatment area. Permanent changes in skin tone are more common in people with darker brown or black skin. Discuss with your plastic surgeons about which lasers reduce this risk.
• Scarring. Ablative lasers pose a slight scarring risk.

Contraindications for Laser Treatment Sessions

Laser skin resurfacing work provides myriad benefits for treated skin. However, these procedures are not for everyone. We may caution you against a laser treatment if you have the following:

• Have taken the acne medication Amnesteem during the past 12 months
• Have a connective tissue or autoimmune disease or a weak immune system
• History of keloid scars
• Radiation therapy on the face
• Prone to cold sores or had a recent outbreak of the herpes virus
• You have very dark skin
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have a history of an outward-turning eyelid

Which Laser Treatment is Best for Me?

Cosmetic lasers provide an ideal way to rejuvenate and create new skin plus restore your looks and confidence. To learn more about the types of cosmetic laser treatments we offer, including laser hair removal and tattoo removal, contact Vein Vascular, Primary Care & Aesthetic Associates today! We serve patients in Everett, Issaquah, Kirkland, Newcastle, Seattle and Sammamish.