Pico Laser San Diego

SKIN RENEWAL THERAPY

Have you been hearing the “Pico Laser San Diego” talk around town? This popular procedure renews your skin appearance. Aesthetica Med Spa of San Diego offers pico laser treatment for both men and women.

Pico Laser

Pico lasers are the first aesthetic lasers that treat multiple cosmetic concerns with a single modality. This innovative technology can treat acne scarring, facial wrinkles, fine lines, freckles, melasma, stretch marks, brown spots, and tattoos. But how does the pico laser work? This cutting-edge laser treatment delivers extremely short pulses of energy at trillionths of a second. The laser energy gently removes pigments in the skin while also inducing your body’s natural immune responses. As a result, your skin cells respond by producing more collagen and elastin. In addition, pico laser will activate your body’s lymphatic system to remove small, broken-up pigment particles without causing any adverse health effects.

How does it work?

This new non-surgical and non-invasive laser skin treatment has several benefits over previously developed skin treatments. First, picolasers use time pulsations to deliver increasingly precise and thoroughly targeted lasers to pigmented skin. Second, pico laser delivers highly concentrated energy to each target particle. These low energy wavelengths are very effective at removing specific colors (Jakus and Kalius, 2017). Merging the high speed laser delivery and low wavelength energy make pico laser a much safer alternative to all other laser skin treatments on the market. Third, pico laser technology has been formulated to reduce off-target effects. Such effects include whitening of surrounding tissue, scarring, and post-treatment pigment alterations. Since the pico laser is so precise, non-pigmented skin (or surrounding skin) is protected, leading to better results.

Additionally, pico laser does not use heat and does not damage the outer layers of skin. These cautions combined with the power of elastin and collagen production leads to a complete and seamless result. A clinical study approved by the New England institutional review board reported that patients were highly satisfied with their results immediately after and up to three months after their last pico laser treatment. Overall, pico laser treatment met patients’ expectations by clearing at least 75% of pigmentation within only 4-5 treatment sessions.

Pico Laser for Acne Scars

A common result of chronic acne is tissue damage that causes the appearance of depressed or indented skin. Unfortunately, acne can cause several types of scars. The most common, atrophic scarring, is a result of skin healing that happens underneath the outermost layer of skin. This gives the appearance of imbalanced skin texture and indentations.

Although acne affects up to 80% of adolescents and may lead to permanent scarring in adulthood, the current treatments for acne scarring are quite harsh and not always effective. Acne scar treatments include chemical peels, skin microneedling, dermabrasion, punch excision, and subcutaneous incisionless surgery (subcision). However, these treatment options can lead to unwanted effects such as more scarring, skin irritation, or uneven skin discoloring.

An extensive, peer-reviewed literature review in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology reported that each of these acne treatments have limitations, varying sedation requirements, and side effects that may be unsatisfactory or painful to each patient. For example, chemical peeling is not always beneficial due to varying degrees of chemical penetration and sensitivity of the skin. If the patient’s skin is too sensitive, treatment may also lead to a higher level of necrosis that makes recovery and rejuvenation even more difficult. Other treatments such as dermabrasion and punch excision can be too gentle or too harsh. These can lead to unnoticeable results or uneven skin healing.

Pico laser treatment, on the other hand, has shown to be effective, safe, non-invasive, and pain-free for most patients.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Dermatology evaluated pain and patient satisfaction for overall appearance and texture after six treatments. Out of 20 patients, the mean pain score was approximately 3/10, indicating pico laser treatment is well-tolerated and relatively pain-free. Additionally, all patients were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with their end results and appearance. Further analysis showed that the treated tissue had increased collagen, mucin, and elastin fibers. All these proteins and fibers help maintain a youthful and healthy appearance. In other words, pico laser is an excellent treatment option for acne scarring of varying levels.

Pico Laser San Diego for Melasma

Pico laser therapy is also an excellent option for individuals with melasma. Melasma is a skin disorder characterized by an increase of freckle-like spots or pigmented patches on the skin. Sunlight, seasonal changes, and pregnancy can all cause melasma. Methods for alleviating melasma include combined therapies such as topical drugs, chemical peels, and laser therapy.

In contrast to previously used laser treatments, pico laser is the only laser option that prevents significant and long-lasting post-treatment inflammation. It also minimizes the chances of causing more pigmentation. Pigmentation with laser therapy is typically caused by excess heat. However, since pico laser uses low heat, this unwanted side effect rarely happens. For more information on the benefits of pico laser for melasma, please visit our article: Pico Laser Melasma.

Pico Laser San Diego Tattoo Removal

In addition to treating mild to chronic skin conditions, pico laser is the most advanced laser treatment for tattoo removal. With approximately 45 million Americans with at least one tattoo, laser tattoo removal therapies are becoming increasingly popular. Pico laser has become the most progressive treatment for tattoo removal because it activates the body’s natural processes to remove ink particles.

In some cases, laser therapy for tattoo removal can lead to skin burning, blistering, soreness, redness, minimal bleeding, or hypopigmentation. However, pico laser is by far the most advanced laser therapy that helps minimize these unwanted side effects. For more information on the benefits, please visit our article on Pico Laser Tattoo Removal.

Pico Laser Facial

Pico Laser is not limited to removing pigmentation or ink. In fact, almost anyone can benefit from pico laser therapy. Over the years, sun damage, aging, and the inevitable loss of collagen challenges our skin to maintain a perfect complexion. Unfortunately, both men and women will experience an increase of unwanted fine lines, dark spots, wrinkles, and lesions in facial skin. Pico laser facials can address all of these concerns and require little to no recovery time.

Pico laser facials rebuild collagen fibers and rejuvenate the skin’s appearance. This process is gentle, safe, non-invasive, and relatively pain-free. As described for other target conditions, pico laser will give your skin the boost it needs to rebuild collagen, elastin, and mucin. These proteins and fibers give the skin a bright, even, and younger-looking appearance within just a few sessions.

While pico laser therapy sheds away old skin cells, the body’s natural cell signaling system will activate the growth of newer cells. As old cells slowly shed away, these new skin cells will surface to create the appearance of smoother, younger, and radiant skin.

Pico Laser Prices

The cost of pico laser therapy can range between $300-$1000. There are three main factors that determine the price of treatment. First, the size of the target area. Larger areas of skin will require more time and possibly multiple treatments. The second factor to consider is the complexity of the target area. Darker ink for tattoo removal is more difficult to remove and deep tissue indentations from acne scars may require multiple sessions. Lastly, the third factor that determines the price of pico laser therapy is how each patient’s skin will respond to treatment. For a price consultation, contact us at Aesthetica Med Spa of San Diego.

Patient response can vary depending on whether the skin is properly prepared for treatment. For example, most clinicians will require patients to eliminate certain skincare routines weeks before treatment. Following physician guidelines is important because some skincare routines may contain peptides that are not compatible with pico laser therapy. Although each patient’s skin is unique, there are certainly precautions that patients can take to ensure each and every pico laser session is beneficial.

Pico Laser Downtime

The beauty of pico laser therapy is that it is safe, non-invasive, and requires little to no downtown to resume daily life activities. During treatment, patients may experience some mild discomfort or pain that may cause some redness or swelling. In some cases, patients may experience whitening of the skin that later darkens and peels off. However, the treatment itself does not warrant patients to take time off work or to interrupt their daily routine. Redness and swelling typically disappear within hours or one to two days.