No matter how much you pamper your skin, years of sun, activity, and other lifestyle factors can eventually take their toll, leaving behind some reminders of your past. Scars, spots, and stretch marks are among the most common types of visible skin damage, and depending on where they’re located, they can leave you feeling less attractive and more self-conscious. At Hamptons Medical Associates, we help reduce and even erase these visible signs of damage using custom laser treatments to promote normal healing and leave skin looking smooth, youthful, and rejuvenated. Here’s how a laser skin treatment can help restore and refresh your skin.
What causes scars, spots, and stretch marks?
Your skin is an organ — your largest organ, as a matter of fact — and it does an amazing job of keeping germs and other harmful organisms out of your body. Of course, as a barrier for the rest of your body, your skin is subjected to lots of stresses and injuries. And over time, that wear and tear can start to take its toll, usually affecting the way your skin looks or feels. Often, the visible reminders left behind have to do with the way your skin reacts and heals.
Scars
Even though scars may be unattractive, they’re actually part of your body’s normal healing process. When your skin is injured — whether it’s from an external source like a cut or scrape, or from something internal, like an acne infection — your skin attempts to repair the damage and prevent future injuries in that area. It does this by laying down a tough layer of collagen. All skin contains some amount of collagen; it’s what helps your skin stay elastic and resilient. But during scarring, your skin forms an especially thick layer of collagen to serve as a kind of natural bandage, protecting the area from damage in the future. Depending on how the new tissue forms, a scar may appear depressed or raised, shiny or dull, darker or lighter than the surrounding skin. It might feel different, too, either smoother or rougher than the area around it.
Spots
Spots are areas of hyperpigmentation — that is, areas where your skin has an extra amount of color or pigment. Skin contains pigment in the form of melanocytes, special cells that give skin its unique color. Sometimes, those melanocytes clump together to form dark spots or patches. Most spots form as a result of sun exposure or from the aging process. But some spots can be caused by skin conditions or other causes. Spots that occur from sun exposure often can be prevented with ample use of sunscreen. Unfortunately, most of us don’t wear sunscreen as often as we should, or we don’t wear enough.
Stretch marks
Stretch marks appear as elongated bands or streaks on your skin. They may be lighter or darker than your surrounding skin, and they typically have a different texture. Stretch marks form when your skin grows very rapidly, prompting the release of a hormone called cortisone. They’re very common among adolescents and teens when the body experiences a period of rapid growth, and they’re also common during pregnancy. Certain medical conditions and long-term use of corticosteroids can make you more prone to developing stretch marks, as well. Sometimes, the marks disappear as your skin adjusts to its new “dimensions.” But other times, the lines can remain visible for years.
Banish imperfections with lasers
Although all three of these skin imperfections have different underlying causes, the good news is, they can all be successfully treated with lasers. Lasers work by ramping up collagen production deep inside your skin. During a laser treatment, laser energy is emitted by a special device and absorbed by your skin. Adjusting the amount of laser energy that’s emitted can allow the doctor to reach different layers of skin tissue, customizing your treatment for the type and depth of damage that’s present. Once the heat is absorbed, it triggers new collagen production and stimulates other natural healing responses. Over time, the old, damaged tissue is replaced by new, healthy tissue, helping your skin look fresh, healthy, and undamaged. What’s more, since laser treatment is completely adjustable, you can have a series of treatments as necessary to make sure you get the best possible results. And it can all be done in the office, with no prolonged downtime afterward.
At Hamptons Medical Associates, we use the most advanced laser treatment systems to achieve optimal results for every patient. Our state-of-the-art lasers are fully customizable and adjustable, so your treatment can be tailored to your needs and your goals. To find out more about the laser treatments we offer and how they can help you feel more confident about your skin, book an appointment online today.
