Can Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing Cause New Wrinkles?

Question

i see new wrinkles under my eye. i'm on day 4. from sunday i saw new vertical/diagonal wrinkles under my eyes that i didn't have. i had almost no wrinkles around the eyes, only on forehead and above lips. now eyes look worse. i called the doctor, but she says it's the dry skin that gives that effect. i'm doubtful. it looks like it's staying. of course she's going to say that it's not a problem to try to convince me that all is normal. is it normal for laser treatments and laser resurfacing to cause new wrinkles?

Johnny Mao, MD, FACS · Answer

It is very unlikely that fractional lasers will cause new wrinkles especially so early in your healing phase.  Usually you are swollen the first week and it actually "masks" existing wrinkles. The key now is to promote healing by topical moisturization/lubrication.  Usually 2-4 weeks after the laser, the face appears shiny because it's more even and it reflects the light better like a mirror, provided that the redness has faded almost completely.

Matthew Richardson, MD · Answer

In some patients, wrinkles do actually look worse initially after treatment due to edema (swelling) of the skin as a result of the laser treatment. This swelling can cause the "mountains" of the wrinkles to look worse than they did before the laser. Over time, this edema should resolve and the skin will tighten as new collagen is formed.Patience is key.All the best,

Rebecca Fitzgerald, MD · Answer

You can relax. Fractional laser won't give you new wrinkles. We all see more wrinkles with dry skin and any laser treatment uses high heat which tends to dry out the skin for a short time. Your  body will equalize the cell hydration shortly.

	In the meantime, using a simple moisture cream will help - either one provided by your physician or approved -  something without fragrance or any irritating ingredients. Many physicians suggest aquaphor - but get your own doctor's advice.

	Fractional CO2 laser takes longer to heal than the non CO2 lasers. But within a week with the erbium fractional lasers most everyone feels their skin is normally hydrated.

	(Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine to help restore that hydration you're missing!)

Boris M. Ackerman, MD · Answer

Laser resurfacing can not cause new wrinkles.  After only 4 days you are seeing temporary skin wrinkling that will disappear with proper skin care.

Sanusi Umar, MD · Answer

No, fractionated laser resurfacing does not cause new wrinkles. In response to your question, it has only been four days since your procedure and it is too early to judge. What you see may be slight skin irritation but you will not see and appreciate your results until a couple of weeks later.

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

The short answer to your question is no; fractionated laser resurfacing will not cause new skin wrinkles. Adding to the preponderance of thought on this post, 4 days is far too early to judge your results. The concept of skin resurfacing is that some form of injury must be created within the skin in order to allow for collagen remodeling and wrinkle reduction. In the past, this was done with fully ablative techniques. What we have discovered is that treating a fraction of the skin at one time (hence fractionated laser resurfacing) can be as efficacious. However, since there is no procedure that produces significant results without some downtime (exception: Botox), expect to have some redness and irritation for a period of time. Likewise, expect your full result to evolve of 6 months to a year.

William Ting, MD · Answer

Do not expect to fully appreciate the clinical outcome of Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing until a couple weeks afterwards when the swelling, peeling, and redness have subsided. Stimulation of collagen can last up to 6 months so for most people, the clinical results typically continue to improve in subsequent months.

Michael Kulick, MD, DDS · Answer

WOW - I have never observed this.  If your evaluating your results on day 4, this is not good.
Let us know how you feel in six months

Renita (Lourdhurajan) Rajan, MD, DNB · Answer

Fractional LASERS are safe and effective. It is highly unlikely that they produced new wrinkles. Please do wait for the downtime to pass before you start worrying.Good Luck!

Michael H. Gold, MD · Answer

This is a very common question, and we do hear this from time to time. Fractional lasers will improve the skin and they will reverse the clock in terms of skin for many people. But they are not permanent fixes, and we are learning that in many, we have seen really nice results at 2 and 3 years following the procedures. A recent report from China has shown that some patients are maintaining their results 5 years after the procedure which is very impressive. After the procedure, good skin care and sun protection is required and this needs to continue forever. And eventually, another fractional laser treatment may be needed, and this will be determined by you and your provider.

Can Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing Cause New Wrinkles?

Answers (20)