Erbium Contour TRL™ (Tunable Resurfacing Laser) - Full Field Ablative Resurfacing
The Contour TRL is an erbium (2940nm) laser that is used for full field laser resurfacing. It removes the entire superficial surface of the skin to a depth that is customizable by Dr. Kelling to reach a depth to meet your skin goals and recovery timeline. This procedure is similar to what you would get with a chemical peel, dermabrasion, or CO2 laser resurfacing. What sets this apart is that the person handling the laser can fine tune the depth of the treatment, which is not as precisely done with dermabrasion or chemical peels. What sets this technology apart from the CO2 laser is that Erbium does not cause thermal damage to the surrounding skin like CO2, thus, the patient ends up having a more precise treatment and quicker recovery. This factor also decreases the risk of having issues with skin hyper or hypopigmentation following the procedure.
WHAT SKIN CONDITIONS DOES THE CONTOUR TRL TREAT?
- Deep-set and fine wrinkles
- Rough and dry appearing skin
- Acne and injury scars
- Superficial pigmented lesions
- Uneven skin tone
CONTOUR TRL RECOVERY EXPECTATIONS
As with most skin resurfacing treatments, you can expect some swelling, a sunburn-like sensation, and redness. Your face may feel tight, warm, and discomfort is expected. The timeline for recovery will vary widely depending on the type of treatment that you are seeking. If the focus of the treatment is to just brighten the dull appearance to your skin and treat very superficial pigmentation, then a NanoLaser Peel can be performed to give you a fresh, luminous appearance to your skin and the ability to be treated on a Friday and back to work on Monday without the appearance of having anything done. If the goal of your treatment is all of the above with the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles then a MicroLaser Peel is another in-office option that treats to a deeper depth in the skin. A MicroLaserPeel will eliminate most fine lines and superficial pigmentation and also stimulate new collagen formation by treating to a deeper depth in the skin. This type of peel will result in 1-2 weeks of redness and healing time, but the results are spectacular and it can be easily performed with a topical anesthetic. For treatment of deep wrinkles, then deep laser resurfacing is what you might be seeking. This is a procedure that is more commonly performed in the operating room, but it can also be performed in the office using local anesthesia and nerve blocks. Deep resurfacing almost completely eliminates the superficial component of the skin and relies on new skin to regenerate from the appendages in the skin’s dermal layer. The recovery from this type of procedure can take up to 3 weeks and your skin can have a pink hue for up to 3-6 months. For the right patient, the results are definitely worth the recovery period. The beauty of this laser is the customization that it offers to match your needs.
NanoLaserPeel™
The NanoLaserPeel is the ideal treatment for someone looking to refresh the appearance of their skin and minimize the downtime associated with the treatment. This treatment is very similar to a superficial chemical peel or a microdermabrasion, but with a higher level of precision (4-10 micron depth). Through removal of a very thin portion of the top layer of the skin, the laser will reveal a more radiant and refreshed complexion. The procedure can be done very quickly and it is an excellent adjunct to any injectable procedures you may be interested in having done at the same time. Immediately following this treatment, you will notice a “frosty” appearance to your skin, which is the ablated superficial part of the skin. Your face will feel warm and tight and you will have some redness resembling a sunburn and mild swelling. This superficial layer of skin will then flake off over the next 2-7 days to reveal an improvement in tone, texture and color of the skin.
MicroLaserPeel™
The MicroLaserPeel is a great tool to remove mild to moderate depth wrinkles as well as superficial pigmented lesions. This treatment reaches the depth of the middle to deep epidermis and occasionally into the superficial dermis (reaching a depth of 50 microns). This results in a more intense level of resurfacing and skin tightening. The procedure can also be done with topical anesthesia alone and it can be combined with the BBL (to better treat pigment) or the Profractional (for more improvement in skin texture and tone). Much like the NanoLaserPeel, you will have a “frosty” appearance to your skin as the superficial part of your skin will have been ablated. It is also possible for you to have areas where there is pinpoint bleeding, which is completely normal. Your face will feel warm and tight, and you will have moderate redness and swelling of the face. Over the ensuing 1-2 weeks, a new superficial layer of the skin will be laid down. Expect global facial redness for the first 5-7 days, but due to the wide range of skin thicknesses on the face, there may be a few areas of the face that take longer to heal than other areas. The most important part of the healing process is keeping your skin well-moisturized and clean to create the best environment for skin rejuvenation.
Deep Laser Resurfacing
Deep resurfacing is a tremendously effective treatment for the treatment of deep wrinkles, pigmented lesions, and improvement in the overall skin tone. This procedure is typically reserved for the operating room, but it can also be performed under local anesthesia in the right patient. Unlike the NanoLaserPeel and the MicroLaserPeel, deep resurfacing is not limited by a particular quantitative depth, rather Dr. Kelling will treat the skin until the wrinkle or skin lesion is eliminated or the mid-to-superficial dermis is reached. This is the most effective treatment for the resurfacing of sun-damaged and wrinkled skin, but it also comes with considerable care to be done by the patient after the treatment has been performed. Immediately following this treatment your skin will appear extremely raw and weeping of the skin is not uncommon. In the first several days following this procedure, you will be cleaning your skin several times per day to prevent any scabs from forming on your skin and applying an effective moisturizer to prevent the skin from drying out. It typically takes 7-10 days for the skin to heal to the point that it is no longer weeping, and then it is usually fully healed at around 3 weeks time. The skin may continue to have a pink hue for up to 3-6 months. The results from this laser are second to none and you will see an unbelievable improvement in your skin that will last a very long time. This is typically done as a single treatment, but may need to be repeated 5-10 years later as the natural aging process of the skin will continue.