What are the Pros and Cons of Laser Facial Surgery?

Laser facial surgeries can be used to fix a number of undesirable features on a person's face, including wrinkles, sun damage spots, and certain scars. Like any other type of medical procedure, laser facial surgery has its pros and cons. These procedures are quite effective, relatively painless, and require a very short recovery time. On the other hand, it is usually very expensive, especially if more than one session is necessary, and there is also a risk of side effects.

Laser facial surgery is usually effective in many cases. Wrinkles and pigmentation irregularities often respond well to these types of treatments. Small scars are also often eliminated after laser facial surgery. People most commonly want to eliminate acne and chicken pox scars with laser facial resurfacing.

This type of procedure is also considered to be almost painless. Many patients report only a small amount of discomfort during each session of laser skin surgery. Some individuals may feel a slight stinging or burning.

The duration of each laser facial surgery session and recovery time are also considered to be quite short. Each session typically does not take longer than 30 minutes. The skin is usually completely healed within a week or two after each session.

One major disadvantage of many types of laser facial surgery is that they usually require several sessions to completely rid an individual of a certain blemish. This can often get quite expensive. Surgery for large or multiple areas of the face can also be quite expensive.

Side effects of laser facial surgery are usually very mild, but they are often considered another disadvantage of these types of procedures. Redness, swelling, bruising, and dryness are some of the most common side effects of laser facial surgery. While these can be rather unsightly and uncomfortable, they will usually subside within a few days.

Infection is another possible side effect of laser facial surgeries, although this is usually rare. An infection after these procedures can slow healing time and possibly result in unsightly scarring. Doctors will usually prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection and scarring.

Depigmentation is also a possibility after laser facial surgery. Patches of skin that have been treated with a laser could possibly be much lighter than other areas of the face. If this happens, it is often much less noticeable in individuals with fair skin.