If you’ve heard of laser resurfacing in St. Petersburg, you probably know this advanced treatment can offer powerful anti-aging benefits for your skin.
But you might still have a few questions about how laser resurfacing works, what kinds of concerns it can treat, and what to expect during (and after) your appointment.
Our team at Hermann Aesthetics & Wellness has put together this guide to help you understand all the ins and outs of laser resurfacing.
Inside, you’ll find:
- How Laser Resurfacing Works
- Why We Choose the SmartXide Tetra CO2 Laser for Advanced Rejuvenation
- Skin Concerns We Can Treat
- What to Expect During (and After) Treatment
- Before & After Images
Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about this aesthetic treatment before you book and understand why it’s one of our favorites.
How Laser Resurfacing Works
Since its introduction into aesthetics in the 1990s, laser resurfacing has become a popular anti-aging treatment.
Traditional CO2 lasers emit infrared light that gets absorbed by the water in skin cells, vaporizing the outer layer of skin, or the epidermis. This controlled micro-injury triggers the body’s natural healing response, stimulating collagen and elastin production.
Collagen, an important structural protein, gives your skin its firmness and structure. Meanwhile, elastin gives your skin its elasticity and flexibility. As the body heals, the extra collagen and elastin rejuvenate the skin for smoother texture and fewer fine lines and wrinkles.
But these older lasers, while offering dramatic results, had significant recovery times. Modern advancements, like fractional laser resurfacing in St. Petersburg, offer reduced downtime for more manageable treatments.
Rather than removing a whole layer of skin, fractional lasers create tiny columns of injury while leaving surrounding tissue untouched. This makes fractional lasers ideal for mild-to-moderate concerns and patients looking for a quicker recovery.
Why We Choose the SmartXide Tetra CO2 Laser for Advanced Rejuvenation
At Hermann Aesthetics & Wellness, our state-of-the-art SmartXide Tetra CO2 Laser is famous for its short downtime, cooling technology, and customization settings.
Short Downtime
A precise, fractional CO2 laser, the SmartXide Tetra offers advanced resurfacing while keeping downtime to a minimum. Depending on the settings chosen, clients can experience as little as 48 hours of redness, usually appearing “windburned.” However, after treatment, most individuals can return to their normal activities.
Cooling Technology
The H-pulse technology cools the skin as the laser passes over the treatment area, providing advanced comfort and enabling quick healing. Known as the “CoolPeel” technology, this reduces thermal damage, so you can enjoy the benefits of CO2 resurfacing without as much discomfort.
Customization Settings
The first—and most famous—setting of the SmartXide Tetra CO2 by Cartessa is the CoolPeel setting, often called the “CoolPeel laser.” CoolPeel laser resurfacing in St. Petersburg improves texture, fine lines, sun damage, and pores through short power pulses. Patients can wear makeup and return to normal activities within a day or two.
Another setting, the DEKA setting, offers stronger, more powerful treatment for deeper lines and scars. Like the CoolPeel, the DEKA setting cools as it lasers. This newer technology has a typical downtime of around 4 to 5 days due to the higher intensity.
Skin Concerns We Can Treat
Now that you understand how laser resurfacing in St. Petersburg works, let’s take a look at exactly what skin concerns we can treat with this technology.
Related Read: Which Laser Skin Treatment Works Best for My Face Concerns?
Wrinkles & Fine Lines
As we age, our bodies naturally stop producing as much collagen and elastin, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. Laser resurfacing initiates the collagen remodeling process to rejuvenate the skin for long-lasting improvements to smoothness.
Sun Damage & Age Spots
Hyperpigmentation, like sun damage or age spots, fades with laser resurfacing. The laser technology deeply exfoliates the unwanted pigment to lighten or remove it. Then, the collagen and elastin remodeling renews the skin for a more even-toned appearance.
Acne Scars & Enlarged Pores
With laser resurfacing in St. Petersburg, we can smooth out raised and pitted acne scars for smoother, softer skin. The collagen and elastin also help tighten pores, making it an ideal solution for restoring a complexion after acne concerns.
Loose & Crepey Skin
The stimulation of collagen and elastin deep in the skin improves firmness and tightens the surface, reducing loose or crepey skin.
What to Expect During (and After) Treatment
If laser resurfacing in St. Petersburg still sounds slightly daunting, you’re not alone. Many people shy away from the term laser. However, it’s actually a simple and relatively mild treatment.
Here, we share exactly what to expect during your appointment and explain how your skin naturally restores itself after treatment.
Step 1: Consultation
We begin any laser resurfacing program with a personal consultation, where you speak one-on-one with one of our expert providers. Through this conversation, we learn more about your skin goals, assess your treatment area, and develop a plan that suits your needs.
During your consultation, we also determine whether the CoolPeel or DEKA setting fits you better. Then, we give you any important post-care instructions and schedule your appointment.
Step 2: Treatment
At your appointment for laser resurfacing, your provider first cleans your skin. Next, they apply a topical numbing solution to maximize comfort. You also receive protective eyewear to put on during the treatment.
Finally, the provider passes the laser device over your treatment area. This can feel like a warm, prickly, or slightly burning sensation, but most clients tolerate it well.
Step 3: Recovery
After treatment, you may experience some redness, like a windburn, for a few days. This transitions to flaking and dryness as damaged skin peels off to reveal fresh, smoother skin underneath.
Full healing and optimal results take several weeks as your body naturally produces more collagen and elastin.
Downtime varies depending on the treatment area and the laser settings chosen.
Make sure to follow post-care instructions to promote healing:
- Don’t wear makeup for 24 hours after treatment.
- Wash the treatment area with gentle cleansers only.
- Avoid harsh skincare products or other intense treatments.
- Sleep with a clean pillowcase.
- Avoid sun exposure.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and keep the area moisturized with lotion.
Step 4: Results
Some patients may notice early results immediately following their appointment, but expect to see the full effect of their treatment develop over the 1 to 3 month window after the final session. As the collagen remodeling takes effect, skin becomes firmer, tighter, and more youthful.
See For Yourself: Before & After Images
If you’re curious about what kind of results you can expect from treatment, check out some of these before and after images below. Our clients notice smoother, brighter skin after just 1 to 3 treatments.
Above, our client’s undereyes became much firmer and less wrinkled after treatment with the Deka setting.
Here, we treated a client’s lower face with the Deka setting, creating a more even skin texture.
Laser resurfacing also pairs well with Morpheus8 RF microneedling to give extra tightening and structure to the skin. Here, we see a client’s jawline become more defined after treatment with CoolPeel and Morpheus8.
This before and after also showcases the enhancements around a patient’s eyes after DEKA treatment.
Still Have Questions About Laser Resurfacing?
In St. Petersburg, our team at Hermann Aesthetics & Wellness wants to give our clients as much information and education as possible. This helps you make informed decisions about your health and appearance.
Below, we’ve answered some of our most asked questions about laser resurfacing, so you can book your appointment with confidence.
How many laser resurfacing treatments will I need?
One of the best parts about the SmartXide Tetra CO2 laser is that you can enjoy results after just a single treatment session. Even clients with more advanced sun damage and tissue aging can experience more even, tighter skin.
With a series of 2 to 3 treatments, however, we can provide more advanced rejuvenation.
Who is not a good candidate for laser resurfacing?
While laser resurfacing works extremely well for most individuals with wrinkles, sun damage, enlarged pores, and other signs of aging, this treatment is not for everybody.
We may recommend an alternative to laser resurfacing if you:
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Currently have cold sores, infections, or acne
- Have a weak immune system
- Have uncontrolled diabetes
- Have used Accutane recently
- Have dark skin tones (Fitzpatrick IV to VI)
During your personal consultation with one of our expert providers, we review your health history and assess your treatment area to determine if you are a candidate for treatment.
What other lasers do you offer?
Other laser facials we offer include:
- IPL/BBL for dark spots, redness and skin texture.
- The Vascular laser for redness and facial veins.
- The Nd:YAG laser also treats redness and texture, and we can use it safely for patients with darker skin, whereas IPL/BBL works more effectively for lighter skin.
- The Hydrafacial and DiamondGlow facials, while not lasers, do offer advanced exfoliation and infuse your skin with serums for hydration, texture, and hyperpigmentation correction.
Begin Your Journey to Smoother, More Even-Toned Skin
Now that you better understand the ins and outs of laser resurfacing, book your consultation with Hermann Aesthetics & Wellness to find out if you’re a candidate.
We can develop a personalized treatment plan that suits your unique skin concerns, lifestyle, and goals.
Or try out our treatment planner to see what treatments might fit your needs.
