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Surgery and a Laser Resurfacing, Which to Do First?

asked 2 years ago by newtoski in Here
Latest answer by Armando Soto, MD
Question viewed 311 times
Tags: combination

If you're going to do a brow lift, blepharoplasty, or rhinoplasty, should you do that first, or the laser resurfacing? If you should do one first, how long should you wait in between? Can you do both at the same time?

12 answers to Surgery and a Laser Resurfacing, Which to Do First?

+1

Laser Resurfacing at the time of facial surgery

Hi there- Depending on the details of the planned operation, as well as the type of laser preferred by your surgeon, laser resurfacing might be safely combined with your procedure. Ask your surgeon what he/she recommends.
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon
+1

Surgery and Resurfacing

It was believed in the past that doing a surgery and resurfacing on top was not possible. Today we are finding that the new laser technologies for resurfacing are allowing to safely resurface and lift the face at the same time. You must select a physician that is experienced in doing both surgeries at the same time with experience. I hope all goes well.
Gustavo A. Diaz, MD

Charlotte Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Facial surgery

Yes, you could combine all these procedures. That way you would have only one recovery as well as one surgery. I prefer to use the fractionated CO2 laser for resurfacing. The results may not be as dramatic as a full blast CO2 laser but the healing time is much less and the results usually pleasing to the patient.
Edward J. Domanskis, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Laser before, during or after browlift and blepharoplasty

There are pros and cons to dong laser before or after the surgery. If laser is done before, it may tighten the skin of the lower eyelids significantly and then the surgeon would remove less skin during the blepharoplasty, whereas if the laser were done after the blephaoplasty, there is a chance the skin tightening could over tighten the skin and pull the eyelid down subjecting the eye to chronic irritation. But, if the surgery is done first, then there is less that the laser has to do and... more
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

Surgery and laser

If you are doing a brow lift, eyes, and nose, you can possibly have a laser resurfacing of the areas that were not undermined on the face at the same time.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Combination laser and surgery

Most plastic surgery procedures involve some degree of undermining of the skin which temporarily decreases the blood supply to the skin which remains after surgery. For this reason, it is best to be conservative when combining laser and surgery because of potential problems with wound healing. This problem is more significant with fully ablative lasers than with fractionated or nonablative lasers. I like to combine lasers with surgery because I believe that lifting the face is only part... more
John Burns, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Combined surgery and laser resurfacing may be appropriate

Combined facial surgery and laser resurfacing will work in many situations. It depends upon pathology. In fact I am presenting a poster this weekend at the American society of laser medicine and surgery meeting on combined laser resurfacing and facelifting. It is important to go to an experienced surgeon for this combination.
Jason Pozner, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

Aesthetic facial procedures and laser resurfacing

I would recommend doing the surgical lifting procedures first for several reasons. Often when performing a browlif, the horizontal wrinkles are softened and the depth of laser penetration and downtime can often be lessened. Also, if the scars do not heal as well as you like, the laser for resurfacing can be used to soften those scars as well. However, if you are time limited, you can combine a laser resurfacing with the surgical procedures; however, for obvious reasons you cannot resurface... more
Scott Trimas, MD

Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Staged or combined facial surgery and laser resurfacing

I would generally prefer to perform a face lift, rhytidectomy, melopasty, etc as my first procedure of choice followed by a resurfacing procedure. When it comes to a brow lift and rhinoplasty these can usually be combined. There is some controversy about eyelid lifts (blepharoplasty) and resurfacing procedures performed at the same setting.
Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Timing of laser resurfacing and facial surgery

In general it is better to not injure the skin from below with surgery and directly above with a laser at the same time for obvious reasons-there is a greater risk that patch of skin will not survive. Therefore it is not advisable to use an ablative laser over the nose or forehead at the same time as a rhinoplasty or brow lift. That has historically been correct but times have changed. With minimal or less invasive surgery you can laser at the same time. Also with the appearance of... more
Aaron Stone, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Laser Resurfacing can be Performed at the Same time as Eyelid and Eyebrow Surgery

Performance of eyelid surgery ( blepharoplasty ) and eyebrow surgery with laser skin resurfacing is an everyday occurrence at my Sterling Height's Michigan practice. I have combined laser eyelid surgery with resurfacing for over the past 15 years. I utilize the CO2- carbon dioxide laser, Mixto, to contour the fatty tissue of the eyelids. This same laser can then be used to resurface or smooth the surrounding skin. Where caution needs to take place is at the time of a face lift. During... more
Mark Berkowitz, MD

Sterling Heights Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Surgery or Laser First

It is unusual for patients to need both a brow lift and a blepharoplasty but if it is needed I would recommend the laser, bleph and brow lift at the same time and then the rhinoplasty. If it is a fully ablative resurfacing laser procedure then wait 3-4 weeks before the rhinoplasty. A splint is needed with the rhinoplasty and it is not recommended to place a splint on raw, newly lasered skin.
Lee Robinson, MD

Portland Facial Plastic Surgeon

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