The perfect time for laser

Article medically reviewed by Dr. Gavin Chan

Templestowe Lower, Berwick and Beaumaris Clinics

Dr. Gavin Chan, MBBS, General Registration (MED0001175745), founder of the Victorian Cosmetic Institute, began offering cosmetic medical treatments in 2004. Formerly a trainer for cosmetic pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Chan currently concentrates on offering ongoing training to cosmetic doctors at the Victorian Cosmetic Institute. He ensures that all doctors stay updated with the latest procedures and methods in the cosmetic industry. Read More

Skin laser treatments are great options for many concerns ranging from pigmentation, sun spots and broken capillaries to acne scarring and resurfacing. Due to the nature in which they treat the skin it is imperative that care is taken to protect the skin from UV rays after treatment. Along with this protection there is often an amount of downtime associated with skin laser treatments which many patients during this time prefer to spend less time in public. For these two reasons winter the perfect time to have skin laser treatments.

Let’s talk downtime. While the expected outcomes of downtime varies with each laser and then again with the different wavelengths used and once again depending on the concern treated there are some expectations you can ready yourself for. These include darkening of pigmentation, dryness, flaking, redness and or swelling. You won’t be looking like Freddy Krueger however some puffiness and redness can make you want to park yourself on the couch for a weekend.

Why do we use skin laser treatments? Simply put, they are effective. Prior to laser, often surgical or other more invasive methods were used to treat the skin, leading to long recovery periods or significant risks to the skin. Although laser is simply a specific and focused single wavelength of light, it is able to induce powerful changes and improvements in the skin with relatively low risk and minimal downtime in combination with highly qualified laser operators makes these procedures effective.

It can be used for the treatment of most skin related concerns, including pigmentation problems, tattoo removal,  scar reduction, vascular conditions, excessive or unwanted hair growth, skin tightening, improving skin texture and wrinkles.

Some lasers are classified as non-ablative as these lasers are able to accurately and specifically target a particular problem in the skin. It is this specificity for a particular target that allows laser to successfully treat problems such as a sunspot, capillary, or hair without affecting the surrounding normal skin.

Other lasers are able to ablate (vapourise) a layer of skin and heat the skin to induce new collagen production and collagen reorganisation to reduce wrinkles, tighten skin, and improve skin texture. These lasers are classified as ablative lasers.

Because we have a large number of lasers available, we are able to tailor a treatment plan that is more specific to your skin type and skin concerns. Our doctors and nurses have been highly trained in laser use, including laser safety.

The first step is simply contacting us for your initial laser skin rejuvenation consultation, where we will discuss with you what is a realistic and achievable outcome, and what to expect from our laser treatment.

You can call us on 1300 863 824 or request us to call you by emailing customercare@vci.com.au