Skin Tightening

Laser skin resurfacing treatments help reduce acne scars, wrinkles and the effects of sun damage on almost any skin type. They are a popular treatment choice in skin rejuvenation and the SmartXide Dot Therapy is a more advanced technique of skin rejuvenation that treats one area of skin at a time. SmartXide Dot Therapy is a fractional resurfacing treatment that will cause fewer side effects and presents fewer risks than traditional CO2 laser treatments. The SmartXide DOT Therapy system utilizes a ‘dot’ pattern to create thousands of microscopic perforations in the skin and leaves the areas around each ‘dot’ intact. The procedure is versatile, as it may reduce wrinkling, age spots, scars or acne; at the same time, the CO2 laser beams will tighten the skin by stimulating the formation of collagen. A single treatment of SmartXide Dot Therapy can visibly rejuvenate the skin. The recovery time after SmartXide Dot Therapy depends on how deep/strong the treatment settings were. In general recovery time takes anywhere between 2 to 5 days, which is minimal compared to the 6 months recovery time required by the traditional CO2 treatments.

Obesity in both men and women can cause multiple illnesses including heart disease and cancer. Few people, however, think of skin problems when it comes to obesity. Obesity results in extra folds of skin that may be difficult to disinfect and keep clean. That in turn can make the skin an ideal host for bacteria and fungi. Resistances to insulin as well as vein problems are two other issues that result from obesity which can affect the skin negatively.

Obese people tend to develop a skin condition called Acanthosis Nigricans, a skin disorder that results in brown and black spots. This is mainly due to the increased insulin levels. The discoloration normally appears under the arms, on the neck and sometimes in the groin area.

Another skin condition related to obesity is folliculitis. It is normally due to small whiteheads around one or more of the hair follicles on the skin. Obese people are at risk for folliculitis because the extra weight puts added pressure on the hair follicles, which can damage them and allow infection to occur.

Skin tags are yet another skin problem resulting from obesity. Skin can grow and stick out and may be connected with a narrow stock. Skin tags are benign and usually do not cause any pain. They are, however, more common in overweight people because the extra weight causes friction between the affected areas of skin.

One obvious and major issue of the skin related to being overweight is cellulite. Cellulitis is not only a cosmetic issue that causes undesirable stretch marks. It also causes infection of the skin that is caused by bacteria. Cellulitis can cause chronic pain and tenderness in the affected area, as well as excessive sweating and muscle aches.

Few people know that Obesity can be the cause of enlarged varicose veins. These veins will be raised above the skin’s surface. They are more common on the inside of the legs and backs of the calves. If the valves of a vein are weak due to obesity, blood leaks back into the vein and collects in a pool. The pooling of blood in the vein causes the vein to become enlarged. Not only varicose veins are aesthetically undesirable, they can also cause other vascular health problems.

In summary, if you are suffering from weight problems, you most likely have skin problems as well. While major health concerns such as cardio and heart problems should top your agenda, it is highly recommended that you also seek help from your local dermatologist or skin clinic to address any skin issues. A healthy lifestyle comprised of a balanced diet and exercise should lead to weight loss and in turn reverse some of the skin problems.

Katy Issa

Tightening loose, lax, or saggy skin can be done nowadays without the need for any surgical procedure but rather with the use of lasers. The procedure is called laser skin tightening. The technology was changed in the early 1990s from the ablative to the non-ablative technology. This is turn made for no recovery or down time for such procedure. Laser skin tightening technology has advanced with the change from the use of radiofrequency to the infrared frequency. This allowed for an increase in the penetration depth, allowing a greater degree of skin tightening.

The laser skin tightening procedure is quite short and the length of time it takes depends on the treated area. The laser is applied over the skin that is to be treated. It penetrates through the middle layer of the skin, known as the dermis, heating the collagen and the elastin fibers of the skin. This results in a contraction of the aged collagen fibers while also re-growing new collagen. The process is called collagen remodeling and results in much tighter and younger skin. Due to the progressive nature of the treatment, multiple sessions are needed to achieve the desired outcome.

Laser skin tightening treatment is quite simple with some preparation to be taken. Firstly, the patient is to avoid direct exposure to the sun for about 5 to 7 days. If exposure to sunlight is necessary then SPF35 or higher must be applied to the skin. The number 35 in SPF35 means that the sunscreen lotion is to be applied every 35 minutes on average while the skin is being exposed. The patient should also refrain from using any tanning beds a week before and after treatment and during treatments. Any patient who is pregnant or who has oral herpes cannot get the treatment.

Laser skin tightening technology is very common in the Seattle area and is extremely comfortable. Unlike many other aesthetic skin treatments, laser skin tightening does not require any anesthesia. This means that patients can get back to their daily routine right after the treatment. There are many laser skin tightening technologies out there like the Affirm by Cynosure, Refirme by Syneron, and Titan by Cutera. While all 3 of them have the same goal which is getting rid of mild and fine wrinkles and skin laxity, the Refirme technology, in our experience, is the one that does it best through the use of the ELOS technology. ELOS stands for electro-optical-synergy which is the process of combining bi-polar radio frequency with laser energy to increase the treatment’s safety and efficacy.

Katy Issa
Clinic Manager