Contents:

• General Information
• Suitable areas
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Costs
• Possible complications
• Recovery time
• Frequently Asked Questions (loads another page)
• Photos
• To Home page. (loads another page)

General information about Laser Facelift:

Lasers are of many types and serve many purposes. The laser used by Plastic Surgeons for facelifts and skin resurfacing emits a powerful beam of a specific wavelength of light. The beam is strong enough to heat the surface of the skin, causing a superficial burn of the tissue. This removes the surface layer, including nearly all the dead cells, and some of the living cells, and also causes the underlying collagen to tighten up somewhat. When the skin surface regrows, the skin is smoother and tighter than it was.

Although commonly referred to as a Laser Facelift, a more accurate name would be Laser Skin Resurfacing. There are definitely situations in which an actual surgical facelift is required, rather than only the tightening that the laser can provide. The Laser Resurfacing has much in common with dermabrasion or chemical skin peel, but unlike those methods, has the additional action of tightening the underlying collagen framework of the skin.

Suitable areas for Laser Facelift:

The effectiveness depends on the area, and depends greatly on the depth of the skin creases:

• horizontal creases of forehead - very effective
• vertical furrows between eyebrows - somewhat effective
• upper eyelids - minimally effective
• lower eyelids - very effective
• crows-feet creases - moderately effective
• fine cheek wrinkles - very effective
• deep cheek creases - minimally effective
• fine creases around lips - very effective
• deep creases around lips - minimally effective
• neck creases - minimally effective

Advantages (See Frequently-Asked Questions for details)

• No cutting required
• Do not need general anesthesia for small areas
• Outpatient procedure
• Virtually no blood loss
• Normally no scars

The advantages of a Laser Facelift over dermabrasion or chemical peeling are:

• More controllable uniform depth
• Concurrent tightening of the underlying collagen matrix

Disadvantages (See Frequently-Asked Questions for details)

Costs

The costs, of course, depend upon the size of the area treated, and how many areas are to be treated. The fees for laser treatment by Dr Dowden include: pre-operative examination and testing, operating room, anesthesiologist, recovery room, medical supplies and dressings, surgeons fee, the laser, and checkups for twelve months. If the treatments are done in conjunction with other operations, there can be slight reductions in the costs.

One can find surgeons offering lower fees for this surgery, and although lower fees do not necessarily mean that the surgeon is not experienced, there are several questions to which prospective patients must learn the answers:

1. Is the surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery?
2. Does the surgeon have considerable experience with the surgery?
3. Is the surgical facility fully accredited for general anesthesia?
4. Will there be an M.D. Anesthesiologist present?
5. Will the surgeon be doing the surgery himself/herself?
6. Can you be sure the surgeon is not just supervising trainees?
7. Does the quoted fee include everything mentioned above?

Virtually all cosmetic surgery is prepaid, but various financing options are available. It is not appropriate for health insurance to cover cosmetic surgery, and Dr. Dowden will not participate in attempts to submit cosmetic surgery to insurance companies.
For the most current cost information, link to the cost page.

Possible complications

Recovery time

Before & After Thumbnail Photos:

Images Copyright © R.V.Dowden, MD, 1993.

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