Facial Laser: What It Is & How It Can Benefit You

First Things First, Can You Explain What Facial Laser Is?

Lasers are light-based devices that use concentrated filtered light to trigger – or cause – several reactions within the skin. Our skin is photosensitive, which means light triggers reactions, in the same way the sun’s light stimulates vitamin D synthesis. While we generally think of lasers as being for the face, they are in fact suitable to use on skin all over the body, it’s just that facial treatments are by far the most popular.

There Are Several Types Of Laser – Can You Break Them Down?

There are several subtypes, and it’s worth knowing what each one means. For starters, ‘non-ablative lasers’ mean they don’t break or physically remove your skin. There are lots of different lasers in this group and, depending on the subtype, we would be targeting pigmentation, veins, rosacea, open pores and fine lines. The process triggers reactions to boost collagen, reduce sensitivity and promote overall skin health. Non-ablative lasers are the most popular as they need barely any recovery time and have very low risk attached to them. Next up, ‘ablative lasers’ – these do physically blast layers of skin away. They can either be gentle or incredibly aggressive. More popular in recent years, they work by burning little pinpricks of skin rather than entire layers. However, this gentler option does mean results take more time to accumulate. This type of laser is used to improve skin quality and texture. Finally, IPL (intense pulsed light) is the third type of laser which has interchangeable filters to target a variety of issues. The only downside is that it’s a bit more unpredictable, so it does need a very experienced practitioner. It is also unsuitable for darker skin tones, except in very rare cases. 

Why Is It So Recommended For Mature Skin?

The great thing about a bespoke laser treatment is that, within just one session, we can stimulate collagen production, while also zapping issues like spider veins, unwanted hair and pigmentation. In short, that’s practically everything that bothers us as we go into our 50s and beyond. Aside from quick wins, why I rate laser for mature skin is for the long-term benefits it offers. There’s no doubt it improves skin health and, I mean it when I say, my clients who have laser definitely age slower than their friends, while still looking natural.

You Briefly Mentioned Recovery Time – Typically, How Long Is This Post-Laser?

To understand potential downtime, it pays to know how lasers work. Each type of laser allows a specific wavelength of light to hit targeted areas of the skin. One of three reactions is triggered: a thermal reaction, a mechanical reaction or a chemical reaction. The most common is a thermal one; this is when a selected part of the skin is targeted, the light is then absorbed within this area, turning it to heat which either destroys or cauterises the specific cells. Likewise, the heat can be used to trigger the regeneration within the skin, resulting in more efficient skin renewal – think more collagen and new, healthier skin cells. With all this in mind, there is some recovery time but it varies a lot between types of treatment and the areas we are targeting. With the bulk of treatments, skin returns to normal – but better, of course – between 12 and 72 hours; whereas with some treatments, you may have to wait five to 10 days for skin to settle fully.

So, That’s Downtime Covered, What About Pain Levels During Treatment?

Modern treatments are much more precise than older machines. This means less collateral damage, which means less discomfort for clients, less recovery time and better results. That said, don’t expect a spa treatment. There will be certain points where you’ll experience some uncomfortable zapping sensations. For the majority of laser treatments, this ‘hot elastic band flick’ sensation is over as quickly as it started.