Erbium Laser Resurfacing for Wrinkle Removal and Face Rejuvenation

Key Points

• Outpatient procedure (no general anaesthetic)
• One treatment only
• One to two weeks downtime
• Ultimate precision resurfacing
• Skin tightening with wrinkle removal
• Brand new skin!
• Unsurpassed facial rejuvenation
• Improves wrinkles, texture, tone, tightening, pigmentation, sun damage all in one

ERBIUM LASER RESURFACING:"WOW" factor wrinkle removal and facial rejuvenation; long lasting, brand new skin...available only at our Auckland clinic.

Now consulting in Christchurch and Nelson for this procedure.
 

Before: Dull lifeless skin, fine wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage.        

Dr Beulink’s Personal Comments – Erbium Laser Resurfacing

Erbium lasers have been incredible pieces of technology that have served me well since 1998. In the very early days, I quickly realised that these lasers  needed their clinical boundaries pushed somewhat to truly unlock their therapeutic potential. In doing so, I was able to establish that this laser could rival and then even surpass all other existing technologies for producing safe and truly amazing facial rejuvenation results.
In more recent years, I have keenly pursued an interest in stem cells (initially arising from my involvement in cellular fat transfer - see under Fat Transfer) and as a result of this, over the last 4-5 years I have developed a unique technique involving stem cell boosted laser resurfacing. This is really exciting stuff!!!!!
By using and boosting the patient's own stem cells at the time of the erbium laser procedure, I have managed to shorten the healing times and further enhance the rejuvenation effect.
You will very soon start to hear and read more about Adult Stem Cells and their ever increasing role in regenerative and even cosmetic medicine. And incredibly, I see the Erbium laser still active at the forefront of this next revolution in rejuvenation, in what I like to term Cellular Enhanced Laser Resurfacing.

A good skin preparation is paramount to the outcome and results of laser. We use a 6 week, multiple cream skin preparation. We have, however, had patients who decided to postpone their laser treatment because these creams worked so well!

Skin care treatment after the laser is also extremely important to the final outcome, especially within the first six weeks. I have a rigorous post laser protocol in which I keep a very close eye on the new healing skin and have numerous tips and methods to achieve the optimal result from your erbium laser treatment.

As this can sometimes be an uncomfortable procedure, we tailor the anaesthetic and pain relief to accommodate each patient, ensuring every patient is comfortable during and after the procedure.

There is a possibility of having only partial areas of the face lasered, but this has to be thoroughly assessed and carefully treated for the best results. For optimal results I prefer to laser the whole face.
 

If I had the choice between an erbium laser and a chemical peel, the laser wins hands down every time. Its accuracy and precision leaves very little room for error, and, along with my pre and post laser skin programme, produces fantastic results.
 

This is a “big procedure, big results” treatment. However, I believe the lasering itself, is only part of the final result (albeit a very important part!). I closely monitor the patient’s preparation and progress for six weeks prior to, and for three months after the laser. Strict protocols involving creams, nutrition, and sun exposure must be adhered to. Skin preparation and how you look after your skin post procedure is critical to the final result (I strongly believe that many problems that occur following the various rejuvenation procedures out there, are caused by a failure of the medical operator and/or the patient to appreciate this philosophy).

The media did a very good job of painting “resurfacing lasers” as the machines that give pigmentation problems. What the media, and in fact many doctors have failed to realise, is the difference between the Erbium laser and the more problematic CO2 laser, and the vital importance the before and after care regimes play in minimising any potential problem. The Erbium laser was, in fact, additionally designed to treat and remove certain forms of pigmentation.(see Pigmentation). I also use it to help minimise the look of any tissue scarring from old injuries or acne.

How does the Erbium Laser compare to other technologies?   Since its introduction in the mid 90's, the Erbium laser is still setting the benchmark for resurfacing and for facial skin rejuvenation. In the right hands, the results achievable with the Erbium laser remain unspeakable by the numerous other technologies that have since appeared.
  I recall in 2001 a world renowned laser expert hailing the Erbium laser as the near perfect resurfacing laser device, above all others it was the pinnacle of development in it's class. Since then, no new laser light wavelengths have emerged to challenge this. Instead, what we have seen has been numerous other non-laser technologies developed over the last decade such as IL, Radiofrequency, Plasma, coloured light therapy and Ultrasonic and other non-ablative technologies. All have challenged with often fantastical unproven claims, offering the bonus "Holy Grail" incentive of minimal downtime, but then ultimately delivering cosmetic results very short of their promises.
 The current buzz word now in skin rejuvenation is "fractionated, fractional, fraxel" or derivatives thereof. Fractionating essentially takes a CO2 laser beam and breaks it up into lots of little beams that are used to drill lots of tiny holes into the skin and leaving normal skin between. This supposedly creates rejuvenated changes and with rapid healing. However, in a very short time we have already seen the demise of the early versions of these machines due to their lack of cosmetic result. Sure there is minimal downtime, but what's the point if there is minimal improvement?? The updated or "NEW" versions of these are now claiming better results because they are "Deep" or "Active" fractionated fraxel. What they really mean, is that to get some sort of result, they are having to "crank up the volume" (often by relatively inexperienced laser doctors or nurses), drilling many more and much deeper holes....."Fractionated" has now become far more aggressive and invasive with all the potential and consequent problems of earlier lasers (see below).The problems and downtime have definitely crept up, but more often than not, these fraxel procedures are still being sold as easy with minimal downtime. And what about the cosmetic improvements? Well the wrinkle removal and skin tightening effects of the new fractionated lasers are still falling well short of the traditional resurfacing lasers and as for long term improvements, well the jury will obviously still be out on that for a few years yet! So here we are, over a decade later, we have come full circle back to lasers, with fractionating being a just a spin on an old wheel. And people are finally realising that there is no magic wand treatment. To get the big result, there still needs to be a big procedure, and there will be downtime associated with this. No Give, No Take. 
 So where does the Erbium Laser sit in today's cosmetic world?.....Right at the top where it has always been for the last decade or more, a benchmark gold standard with unsurpassable skin rejuvenation results, with over a decade of before and after photos to prove its long lasting effects.

How long do the results last? I have been using the Erbium resurfacing system for over a decade now. I have seen back people who have had facial laser resurfacing over 7 years previously, and still looking better now than they did 7 years ago. As one lady told me, “The last 7 years of enjoyment and satisfaction I’ve had, makes the 7 days after the lasering quite insignificant”. That’s the “wow” in true perspective!