Laser Skin Resurfacing

The skin is composed of many layers of tissue. The outside layer is called the epidermis and the layer beneath the epidermis is called the dermis. Skin relies on water and a fiber called elastin to maintain its resiliency. Natural aging, hormonal changes, and exposure to UV radiation can cause dehydration of the skin. Dehydration reduces the amount of elastin in the dermis and causes skin to lose its flexibility. The result is unwanted wrinkles and saggy skin. A laser is a special light beam that can be precisely focused. Laser skin resurfacing removes damaged tissue with beams of light that vaporize the top layer of the skin cells to reveal younger, tighter skin beneath. The damaged tissue is destroyed and removed, exposing healthy underlying epidermal tissue. There are several potential complications associated with this procedure that should be discussed with a doctor prior to the procedure.