From acne scars to sunspots, many of us deal with skin imperfections that would rather not have. Fortunately, there is a simple, non-invasive way to target and treat your specific skin problems for healthier and even younger-looking skin. It's called laser treatment, and here at our Santa Monica, CA, office, our dermatologists offer a few different varieties to help your skin look great. Here are some of the most popular laser procedures that we offer:

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

Also referred to as photofacial therapy, this treatment is great for reducing or removing varicose veins, broken blood vessels, and brown spots, as well as freckles, birthmarks, and redness due to rosacea. When the IPL is directed over the skin it penetrates into the dermis, where the pigmented cells absorb the light’s heat and break apart.

IPL treatment usually takes 20-30 minutes depending on what area or areas you wish to treat. This laser treatment may cause a slight stinging sensation. Most patients will require more than one treatment session in order to get results (most will undergo anywhere from 3-6 treatment sessions).

Laser Hair Removal

If you are tired of shaving, waxing, and plucking away unwanted hair, you may be looking for a permanent solution to reduce and even get rid of hair for good. Laser hair removal helps get rid of unwanted hair just about anywhere on the body or face. Patients most often treat their back, chest, upper lip, chin, and underarms with this laser treatment.

Laser hair removal can take anywhere from 20 minutes to more than one hour, depending on the area you wish to treat. Since hair grows in phases, our dermatologists will need to perform multiple sessions in order to remove all of the unwanted hair.

Non-Ablative Fractional Resurfacing

If you are dealing with scars, stretch marks, fine lines, wrinkles, or uneven skin tone, then non-ablative fractional resurfacing may be right for you. As the laser is directed over the skin, it removes old cells and stimulates the production of collagen to help tighten and firm up the skin while also smoothing away minor lines and wrinkles.

The procedure takes about 20 to 25 minutes and is completely non-invasive. As we mentioned above, it is normal to feel a slight pricking or stinging sensation during treatment. While you will see results right away, you will continue to see results over the next few months as new collagen is produced to help improve skin’s elasticity and tone.

Interested? Give Us a Call

If you want to talk to one of our Santa Monica, CA, cosmetic dermatologists about getting laser treatment to improve your appearance, the next step is to schedule a consultation to find out how we can best help you. Call Santa Monica Dermatology Group today at (310) 829-4484.