KATY YOUNG: LASER-FOCUSED RESURFACING
FEW PEOPLE WILL ATTEST TO THE POWER OF SKINCARE MORE than I do, but there are moments in our skin’s life cycle – post-summer, -stress, -scarring or -pregnancy – when lotions and serums just don’t cut the mustard. Not like a laser does, the gentlest of which are said to have triple the power of a chemical peel, with no recovery downtime.
In the right hands, on the right face, a laser is unbeatable for resurfacing skin, and able to reach depths (aka the dermis) that acids just can’t touch. But those hands really do matter, as you’ll need one to hold if you’re venturing into the world of lasers: thousands of brands are vying for your business.
What’s useful to arm yourself with is the knowledge that all laser treatments are powered by light. The different treatments apply different colour filters, so that the concentrated beam penetrates down to a specific depth to provide its own unique effect, whether that be hair removal, fading scars or resurfacing. There are about 10 main treatments to wrap our heads around, with names that are head-spinning: Nd:Yag, Er:Yag, Alexandrite and Q-Switched, anyone? And that’s before we get onto brand monikers.
I cheat the process (and win) by seeing Debbie Thomas, who I trust entirely with my peel-good factor, and not just because she has every laser available at her fingertips.
Most clinics will convince you that its one and only machine is best for everyone all the time, which simply can’t be true.
Find someone who cherry-picks your laser treatment on every visit, just like Debbie. She says we’re using her Fotona4D machine (which uses Nd:Yag tech and fracelated erbium peeling) next time to fade melasma, shrink pores and stimulate plumping collagen ‘for extra tightening which has a smoothing effect’. A cut above a cream, right?