Embrace Swimsuit Season with Confidence
By Kimberly Naugle Long
When getting ready for travelling to a sunny location, I always dread the swimsuit shopping. Those pesky stretch marks always seem to be more bright under the dressing room lights. As of this last year, however, we have a new laser treatment at Georgia Center for Sight to resurface the skin, and that has changed my perspective. I am actually looking forward to finding a flattering swimsuit!
Traditional ablative lasers, which literally means vaporization at a very high temperature, are often very effective at destroying unwanted tissue, but may have significant side effects and require a lengthy healing period. With the Lux 1540 handpiece, the first FDA approved treatment for stretch mark reduction, the skin smooths out and tightens, remarkably minimizing those stretch marks. The non-ablative lasers actually treat the structure of the skin, making improvements in visual appearance that correlate well with tissue biopsy examinations. It shows a tremendous rearrangement and increase in collagen, as well as increase in elastic fibers. From the belly to the thighs, the results are quite remarkable. The laser works by emitting pulses into the skin across the treatment area, stimulating collagen production and new skin. The surrounding skin is able to heal quickly and resulting in minimal down-time. The skin after a session will be more pink and should be slightly puffy to indicate successful treatment. Wearing loose fitting clothing for a few days is ideal, but then you can return to normal clothes afterwards. Since these treatments are fractionated and less invasive, generally three to five sessions are recommended for full results. These are performed every two to six weeks
The sessions are quick and can be done on a lunch break. There is no surgery, no major weeks of downtime, and no need to take time off from work. Lux 1540 treatments are very safe and effective. Avoid sun exposure and self tanning products two weeks before and after procedure to prevent any side effects especially scarring. Bleaching creams and products with active ingredients (such as benzoyl peroxide, retinol, salicylic acid) should be stopped two weeks prior treatment.
Are you more concerned about scars when dreading swimsuit season? This laser resurfaces scars also, even acne scars. Again, with a few brief treatment sessions, you, too, can look forward to the summer travel season and shopping for clothes. Come stop by our Lake Oconee office or the Athens office for a free consultation and see what we can do for you!
After moving to Athens to attend UGA for Anthropology and Spanish, Kimberly fell in love with the area and found a job in the medical field with Georgia Center for Sight. She loves working with patients and helping to educate and counsel them on how to best meet their needs. Being able to speak Spanish has been a huge help for many of her patients. Kimberly has been working as a Laser Technician in Aesthetics since 2009 and Certified Ophthalmic Assistant since 2005.
