Over ten years ago the erbium laser replaced the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser as the resurfacing mode of choice for deep, course wrinkles. Gone were the the unpredictable and artificially polished appearance often seen with dermabrasion. Improved were the prolonged redness, discomfort, and pigment blanching often seen with the CO2 laser.
Our Sciton Erbium Laser utilizes the Contour TRL platform, or Tunable Resurfacing Laser technology. That means that the surgeon can select specific parameters of ablation, treatment size, and coagulation and therefore dial in the exact tissue effect needed for each patient’s pathology, desired outcome, and tolerance for downtime. For patients with fine lines and sensitive skin, the TRL platform allows settings that direct a more gentle superficial ablation without tissue coagulation. The result is clear, reproducible and permanent improvements in surface texture and color irregularities with very little down time. For those patients, however with deep course wrinkles, acne scarring, surgical scarring, or thick sebaceous skin, more aggressive settings are required. TRL technology allows multiple modalities that increase the depth of treatment required to treat these more difficult skin conditions.
Erbium laser resurfacing allows our practitioners to safely and efficiently remove layers of skin to a predetermined depth. The ablated tissue contains layers of irregular, sun-damaged collagen and elastin bundles, thinned epidermal and dermal elements, and irregular nests of pigmented cells. As the skin naturally heals from this point, additional collagen and elastin is deposited in the regenerated layers. The result is smoother, tighter skin with dramatically less age spots and pore appearance. That's why erbium laser technology is applied to problems like mild to deep wrinkles, persistent peri-oral and peri-orbital rhytids, acne scars, post traumatic scars, actinic keratoses, pigmented lesions, and lax skin.