How Laser Resurfacing Is Performed

[mybodyparts]

Laser Resurfacing can last from 30 minutes to more than an hour.

First, you will have monitoring "pads" attached to you so that the surgical team can properly monitor your vital statistics before, during and after your operation. When you are brought to the operating room, electrodes will be "plugged" into these pads which are connected to the monitoring equipment.

Once you are on the operating room table, you will then be given your choice or your surgeon's preference in anesthesia as discussed prior to your surgery date. If you had been given an oral sedative or valium prior you will have less anxiety. They will more than likely insert an IV for a saline drip to keep you hydrated and have a vascular "doorway" for anesthesia, antibiotics, and other medications. If you haven't been given a sedative, it is more stressful for some patients. If you feel that you may experience anxiety inquire beforehand regarding an oral sedative. Having an IV inserted feels sort of like blood being drawn, but for a shorter period of time. It's the initial placement of the IV that may sting a bit. Some people get heir IV placed in the crook of the elbow, some the hand - it all depends upon your veins though. So if your veins are not very prominent this can be a problem. You are then brought to the O.R. if you aren't on the table yet. After the needle is injected into the vein it is pulled out and a little plastic tube is left in your vein. This is called a "catheter". The catheter is taped to your skin so it is not accidentally knocked or pulled out and is ready to be used as a sort of entryway for anything the surgical team deems necessary for your body. This is usually done before you get into the actual O.R. - by a nurse - and you have a saline bag hooked up to you. The medications will usually be given with a drip system with this saline. As said before, the saline will keep you hydrated both during and post-operatively.

If you have chosen an IV Liquid Sedative, they will insert a hypodermic into your tube that you are attached to or they attach the bag of it with a drip system to add a few drops every few seconds and when they spring open the stopper and it starts heading towards your body. The the effects of the anesthesia are felt soon after injection or opening the stopper - a few seconds in fact. It may feel similar to a sensation of "heat" entering your arm or hand at the catheter site. It then feels as though it is creeping up your arm - then it "jumps" from your shoulder to a metallic-like taste under your tongue and then you are blissfully anesthetized. The anesthesiologist or surgeon will then determine if you are sedated properly, your stats are stable and if you are ready for the surgery to begin.

Your face is then scrubbed with betadine to remove bacteria such as Staph. The surgeon then passes the laser over the area to be treated. This could take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour and a half for very deep facial or body resurfacing. Some patients need 1 or 2 very either light or very deep passes. Some surgeons adhere to utilizing several light passes only. Although, with some lasers the skin cannot be passed over the treatment area again. Several light passes result in a blended area where the laser did not pass rather than leaving a demarcation. This way there is no tell-tale obvious line. The laser literally evaporates the targeted areas of skin. It is almost magical as the targeted, damaged skin disappears leaving only a faint trace of "smoke and steam" and revealing undamaged, pink skin as a result.

If you have specific complaints such as lines and wrinkles of the forehead or crow's feet and lip lines. The surgeon will concentrate on these areas a little more for deeper penetration. Some surgeons may limit the laser's penetration to the epidermis (the uppermost areas of your skin) for the very lightest and medium of peels. Although when the damage is anchored deeper the laser can be set to penetrate the upper layers of the reticular dermis. The reticular dermis is [: the deeper layer of the dermis formed of interlacing fasciculi of white fibrous tissue]

After the skin resurfacing is complete, your surgeon will cover your face with either a thin film of Bacitracin or antibiotic burn cream like, Silvadine or even BurnJel by Water-Jel Technologies. Although BurnJel can only be used for light peels. Some surgeons use a second synthetic breathable skin to protect the newly surfaced tissue during its healing process. There are several experimental coverings that are undergoing testing. Some will even provide you with or suggest that you get a hydrogel-type masks or sheeting such as HydroGOLD™ by BioDermis.com

EXTRA! A relatively new and exciting burn bandage is made from cotton and purified chitin, called chitosan, (a polysaccharide), which is extracted from the exoskeletons of crustaceans (crab, shrimp and lobster shells). Incidentally, Chitosan is also an ingredient in controversial "fat magnet" pills and supplements. Below is from Youngdeok Chitosan:

"Chitosan is a natural product derived from Chitin, a polysaccharide found in exoskeleton of crustacean like crabs and shrimps, in the crusts of the insects like beetles, gold bugs, and grasshoppers, and in the cell wall of bacteria and fungi like molds and mushrooms.

Crab's shell consists of Chitin substance, Protein, Calcium carbonate which are all boned together very strongly to become a hard and stable crust.

Therefore, pure Chitin (acetylamino-polysaccharide) is extracted by removing protein and calcium carbonate from crab's shell. Through the process of deacetylization called purification, Chitosan (amino-polysaccharide) is obtained from Chitin by getting rid of acetyl radicals.

Chitosan-Oligosaccharide is obtained by an enzymatic hydrolysis of chitosan using chitosanase. Compared with Chitin and Chitosan that has poor solubility and absorbability into our body, Chitosan Oligosaccharide is absorbed perfectly. " http://www.youngchito.co.kr/eng/default.asp

Some bandages consists of several layers, the main layers consisting of the purified "crab shells" (chitosan) as well as a synthetic barrier that whisks away moisture and fluids from a weeping, healing wound. An outer layer of cotton gauze absorbs the fluids. The gauze pads can be changed but the synthetic skin and chitosan covering stays to protect the wound. The chitosan are actually absorbed harmlessly into the body and excreted. Miraculously, the crab shells have a superior antibacterial property unheard of in any relative substance. Reportedly, no known fungus or germ can adhere to it's surface. When the bandage is removed - perfect, "flawless" skin appears.

You are then gently awakened and brought into the recovery room where the recovery nurse will monitor your vital stats until you are ready to be released. This is dependent upon the individual but may take up to two hours. Your face may feel tight and quite tender as the anesthesia wears off. You may even feel emotional or upset - this will depend upon your body's reaction to anesthesia. You may also experience "rigors" or shivering. This may feel uncontrollable and is usually from the medications - more than likely if epinephrine is used (a vasoconstrictor). The recovery nurse usually has wrapped you in a warm blanket but if not, request one. It certainly makes things more tolerable.

Some patients feel nothing different although if you have had General you may feel a little sick - hopefully your surgeon gave you something to lessen this. Your prescribed medication should alleviate this pain and discomfort. However, if you believe your pain to be out of the ordinary once you get home, call your surgeon or the on call staff immediately. You will be driven home by your spouse, significant other or friend as you will not be able to see, much less drive yourself home.

[dani1]

Thanks for this walkthrough. I think I am going to bookmark it, or maybe print it out. I'm going to read through it many times before the procedure so I know what's coming.