Fine lines and brown spots are a part of aging, but there are ways that you can care for your skin over the years to minimize their impact. At Laser Aesthetics of Cape Cod, we know a lot about skin and what it needs to be healthy and strong. We have a range of skin rejuvenation treatments that can be used to refresh the skin and keep it looking its best, even through challenges like sun exposure and natural intrinsic aging.
What Does Skin Rejuvenation Mean?
Skin rejuvenation is a broad term we use for treatments that repair and refresh your skin without using surgical techniques. Through our selection of treatments, we aim to help our patients enjoy healthier skin that looks and feels smoother and more even. Skin rejuvenation is more involved than typical facials or at-home products you may use to refresh your skin, penetrating deeper and affecting your body’s underlying structures to help it behave as though it were younger. Most patients respond well to a series of treatments, and in some cases, a combination of different methods in one treatment plan.
What Happens to Skin as It Ages
Collagen and Elastin Start to Break Down
Your skin has two different proteins, known as collagen and elastin, that give your skin its structure and allow it to stretch and snap back. During youth, your body produces enough of these proteins to keep the skin smooth and elastic. However, starting at around your mid-20s, your body starts making less of both, which is why lines can start to appear, and the skin may begin to sag.
Cells Have a Slower Turnover
Young skin sheds old cells and grows new ones on a monthly basis. This cycle slows down as you age, causing dead skin cells to stay on the surface longer. A buildup of these skin cells can make the surface rough and dull.
Sun and Environment Cumulatively Damage the Skin
Ultraviolet light is one of the biggest factors in prematurely aging skin. Years of sun break down collagen and cause excess pigment on the surface of the skin, commonly called brown spots. Pollution and smoking can also cause these changes to happen faster. Sun-exposed areas like the face, hands and neck often start to show these signs of aging first.
What Are Our Goals With Skin Rejuvenation?
Breaking Down Excess Pigment
Brown spots and melasma come from clumps of extra pigment near the skin’s surface. Certain wavelengths of light heat and shatter this pigment so the body can clear it away. Other treatments help exfoliate the skin and encourage healthier skin at the surface. This is a common goal for patients who are dealing with sun damage.
Stimulating More Collagen Production
Several of our rejuvenation treatments cause the skin to create more collagen using heat or physical stimulation methods. Your body responds by making fresh collagen to repair what it sees as an injury, even though the skin is not damaged by the treatment. New collagen firms and thickens the skin from within to address many of the most common signs of aging.
Smoothing Uneven Texture
There are many things that could be causing the surface of the skin to look and feel less smooth, such as enlarged pores and old acne scars. Resurfacing treatments can remove or remodel the damaged top layers to help smoother, healthier skin take its place. Smooth skin tends to look more polished even without makeup.
Tightening Loose or Lax Skin
A loss of collagen often means a loss of contour in areas that are especially affected by gravity, such as the jaw and neck. These areas can begin to sag, causing jowls and loose skin. Our rejuvenation treatments can tighten the skin in this area, using heat to contract existing collagen and trigger new growth to firm mild to moderate sagging.
Calming Redness and Inflammation
Facial redness and broken capillaries can come from rosacea or sun damage. Light-based rejuvenation treatments can target the blood vessels that cause redness and shrink them to allow your complexion to look calm and even. These treatments can also make your skin less reactive and more resilient.
Your Options for Skin Rejuvenation
Laser Treatments
Lasers use focused light to heat the skin or remove damaged tissue. We use Cutera Laser Genesis for wrinkles, large pores and uneven texture, and our Clear + Brilliant laser to exfoliate the surface of the skin and address fine lines and dull skin, along with uneven skin tone. Both options have minimal downtime.
Intense Pulsed Light
Intense pulsed light, or IPL, sends broad-spectrum light into your skin to target brown spots and redness. It works well for patients with widespread sun damage across the face and chest. Our IPL treatments leave the surface intact, so you can return to normal activity right away.
Microneedling
Microneedling uses tiny needles to create thousands of small channels in your skin, prompting collagen repair. We can pair it with your own platelet-rich plasma, drawn from a small blood sample, to boost healing. This works well for acne scars and rough texture on most skin tones.
Chemical Peels
A chemical peel applies an acid solution that lifts away damaged surface cells. As the old skin sheds, brighter and smoother skin appears underneath. We offer different peel strengths, including VI Peels for stubborn brown spots, matching the peel to your skin and schedule.
Facials
Professional facials offer deeper cleansing and rejuvenation, with more customizable options for those dealing with signs of aging. Our HydraFacial® treatment clears pores and hydrates in one session and suits sensitive skin that reacts to peels or lasers. Special boosters can be added to target any special skin concerns you may have.
How Your Provider Will Match You to the Right Treatment
- Skin Type and Tone: Some treatments are not suitable for patients with sensitive skin or a darker tone. With more than 15 years of experience, we know how to select the right treatment for each patient.
- Primary Concern: Each treatment specializes in a different set of aging signs. We will identify your main concern first, whether wrinkles, pigment or texture, and then choose the technology that best addresses it.
- Downtime and Lifestyle: Some treatments let you return to work the same day, while others involve a few days of peeling or redness. Your provider factors in your schedule and upcoming events when planning your sessions.
Learn More About Skin Rejuvenation in Hyannis, MA
Skin rejuvenation gives you a way to address aging skin without surgery and without leaving Cape Cod. At Laser Aesthetics of Cape Cod, you work with experienced providers who match each treatment to your skin and goals. To see which options fit you, explore our skin rejuvenation services or call 508-778-6363 to schedule a consultation.