If anyone knows me, they know I LOVE LASER SEASON! Yes, I love what a good resurfacing laser can do for wrinkles, brown spots, sun damage and overall skin texture. There is something incredibly satisfying about seeing the skin become smoother, brighter, and tighter over the weeks following treatment. BUT after 25 years in dermatology, the cosmetic part isn’t the only thing that excites me.
It’s what we’re doing for the health of your skin.
One of the things I wish more people knew is that years of sun exposure doesn’t just show up as wrinkles and brown spots. They can also create what dermatologists call field cancerization. An entire area of skin that has accumulated cellular damage and may develop actinic keratoses, those rough, precancerous spots that can sometimes progress to skin cancers.
This is where laser resurfacing gets really interesting to me.
Research has shown that resurfacing can significantly reduce precancers and may reduce or delay the development of new skin cancers in sun-damaged skin. In one prospective study, laser resurfacing reduced actinic keratoses by about 92% three months after treatment, and the patients treated with resurfacing had substantially fewer subsequent skin cancers than untreated controls during long-term follow-up.
Another study comparing laser resurfacing with topical 5-fluorouracil (the topical precancer chemo cream commonly used) found fewer recurrent actinic keratoses (precancers) in the laser-treated group in the first year.
That is why I look at laser season differently.
We’re not just trying to make your skin look younger.
We’re treating some of the damage that years of sun exposure have created.
Of course, always continue your regular skin checks, sunscreen, and watching for changing or suspicious spots. I really love when I can help someone turn back a few years and improve their skin’s appearance while addressing cumulative sun damage at the same time. So yes, bring me your wrinkles and brown spots but let’s take care of the health of your skin too.
Your Partner In Skin Health,
Misty Banknell, PA-C
Misty Med Spa & Skin Rx
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