Are laser Skin Treatments Permanent?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions and before we give its solution, there are important preliminary pieces of information you are required to know. Laser skin treatments are mostly meant for skin rejuvenation and resurfacing. Naturally, out of the fact that skin acts as a cover to our body; it’s subjected to many risks.

Some of the skin conditions that can be treated by a laser are:

• Acne Scar Treatment
• Discolorations
• Psoriasis
• Rosacea
• Melasma
• Wrinkling
• Inflammatory conditions

From the list above, it’s evident that laser skin treatments can be either medical or aesthetic in nature. For medical conditions, once the causal factor is dealt with, the condition disappears completely. As such, laser treatment can be termed as permanent from that perspective. However, because our main focus is on aesthetics the permanency stand cannot be implicitly imposed.

Aesthetic treatments are meant to improve the physical appearance of a person by mostly removing scars, discoloration, unwanted hair, spots, moles, and even excess fats. One of the major contributors to aesthetic degradation is aging. As the body ages, it loses its elasticity, the collagen levels fall, immunity falls which leads to a stream of bacterial and fungal infection on the skin.

These aesthetic conditions can be treated by a laser but the degrading element still remains. As a result, even after the treatment, new wrinkles form with passage of time, new scars forms, collagen level falls and this is mostly attributed to the fact that aging is a natural process. Conclusively, we can say that just like a majority of other cosmetic treatments, lasers do not offer a permanent solution.

However, this should not be a ground to dismiss cosmetic laser treatment from the list of potential solutions. In fact, a laser is among the most effective ways of fighting the effects of aging or for skin resurfacing and rejuvenation. Among the factors that make cosmetic laser treatment good options for many are:

• The process is painless or only a mild pain is experienced during the treatment especially when compared to other options like dermabrasion
• There are no chemical substances used in the treatment apart from moisturizing or anesthetic creams
• The risks of having an allergic reaction after the treatment are minimal
• It’s cost-effective compared to other options like facial surgeries
• It’s effective in smoothening the skin as well as restoring its tone

How to increase the longevity of laser treatment:

Since we have realized that cosmetic laser treatments are not permanent, the only solution is trying to increase the lifespan of the treatment. There are many ways to do this but the most common and effective ones are:

• Getting your cosmetic laser treatments from a qualified as well as an experienced dermatologist. This will ensure that the right laser is used in the right way
• Attending and taking all the recommended treatment sessions. Not completing the sessions increases the chances of getting unsatisfactory results
• After completing all the recommended treatment sessions, it’s advisable to be getting a touch-up treatment after every six months or once in a year
• In some skin conditions, laser treatments are most effective when combined with other cosmetic treatments. For example, an acne condition can be addressed by the use of prescription medication together with lasers

Wrap up:

The permanency of a laser skin treatment is mostly determined by whether the condition to be addressed is cosmetic or medical. Cosmetic skin conditions laser treatment are not permanent because the efficiency of the body reduces with age. As such, even when a laser is used to boost the performance, the natural processes take over the process slowly until the conditions start to reappear again. Getting the treatments from the best dermatologists is recommended if you want to get value for what you pay.