Any exfoliative procedure can treat sun damage

Otto Joseph Placik, MD answers: Laser resurfacing as a preventative cosmetic procedure?

Does laser (CO2) resurfacing have any benefit in the removal of sun damage that is not yet apparent? It obviously has great potential in improving evident pigmentation problems, but what about deeper spots that have not yet manifested themselves on the skin's surface?


Otto Joseph Placik, MD
4 months ago
By Otto Joseph Placik, MD - Chicago Plastic Surgeon

LAser resurfacing is one method of exfoliation that removes top layers of the skin that have been damaged.

Actinic damage however can affect all layers of the skin and even penetrate into the dermis.

If any resurfacing procedure treats to deeply, scarring can result. To some degree, this has generated greater enthusiasm for fractionated therapy where the energy is delivered as a column and removing tissue in a vertical pattern rather than a horizontal pattern with resurfacing techniques. This preserves islands of intact skin that allows more rapid recove 

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