Wrinkles and Why We Have Them
Do you ever wonder why skin becomes wrinkled as people get older? A variety of factors can contribute to wrinkles, from the amount of sun exposure a person has throughout his or her life to the amount a person smokes or doesn’t smoke. Even seemingly innocent factors, such as making facial expressions, can contribute to wrinkles.
But some of the major causes of wrinkles are a loss of collagen, a loss of moisture and a loss of fat in the skin, which typically occurs as you get older. The loss of moisture and fat makes skin looser and more saggy, while the loss of collagen makes it less elastic and less firm.
Fraxel Laser Treatment and Wrinkles
How does Fraxel help with minimize wrinkles? While it doesn’t fill in wrinkles or replace lost fat and moisture, it does help stimulate the production of collagen in the dermis. Fraxel works in a way that is slightly different from older laser skin resurfacing methods.
While many older laser treatments were ablative, meaning they destroyed the top layer of skin to stimulate new collagen and to create a younger, more refreshed appearance, Fraxel works by penetrating to a deeper layer of the skin, leaving the outer layer unharmed. The body still produces new collagen, creating smoother, firmer skin, but since the outer layer of skin is left intact, the recovery process is much shorter.
Fraxel Laser Treatment and Spots
Wrinkles might be the stars of the aging show, but they aren’t the only signs of aging that people are concerned about. In fact, some people might be more concerned with spots and hyperpigmentation than wrinkles.
Just as a variety of factors can lead to wrinkles, a number of factors can cause discoloration of the skin. If you’ve ever had a tan or gotten freckles after spending some time in the sun, you’re probably well aware of the way that the sun’s UV rays can darken the skin. While the sun is often the culprit, it’s not the only thing that causes the skin to change color.
Melasma is another common type of hyperpigmentation. It usually appears as dark, splotchy areas on the face. Typically, melasma is triggered by changes in your hormone levels. Women who are pregnant are more likely to develop it, for example. It’s also fairly common in women who are taking birth control pills. Although hormones are behind melasma, sun exposure can make it worse.
Picking at the skin can also cause some discoloration. If you have pimples or acne and regularly pick at them, you might notice that the area around the pimple is darkened for some time afterwards.
Dark spots and hyperpigmentation are often considered a sign of aging because they become worse over time. While some freckles are cute when you’re a teen, as you get older they tend to get larger and more visible.
Fraxel treatment works on hyperpigmentation because it causes the skin to exfoliate over time, producing new skin cells. The new cells won’t have the same pigmentation issues as the old ones, so you’ll look more youthful.
Fraxel Laser Treatment and Scars
Scarring isn’t typically a sign of aging, but the more scars you have, the older you likely are. If you’ve had a scar on your face, whether from acne or a prior surgery, and it’s caused you some stress, Fraxel laser treatment can help fade it.
Whether Fraxel is the right option depends on the type of scar you are dealing with. Larger, thicker or more complicated scars often respond better to more in-depth, ablative treatment options. But, if your scars are smaller or lighter, Fraxel can be effective. The treatment removes scars by causing the skin around them to flake off, leaving new, scar-free tissue in its place.
Is Fraxel for You?
Before you decide that Fraxel is the best option for you, there are several things to know about the treatment. One is that, although it does reverse some signs of aging and does have a shorter recovery time than other options, some recovery is still needed. Your skin will likely be swollen and red after treatment and you might want to take about a week off from work.
Another thing to know is that you might need multiple Fraxel treatments to get the results you want. Since the treatment isn’t ablative or intense, results aren’t nearly as dramatic as with other types of laser skin resurfacing. Some people need between three and six treatments before they get the results they had hoped for.
Interested in learning more about Fraxel? Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique is hosting a Girl’s Night Out on August 25. During it, we’ll have mini consultations, info sessions, and special pricing on Fraxel and other treatments. Call 281-810-9083 for more details, or to schedule a consultation for a different day if you can’t make Girl’s Night Out.