After one month of rest, I came back to try my second round of laser treatment – this time with the Erbium laser. According to Dr Elliott, this laser has exfoliating properties which is good for acne and it also has skin tightening benefits. 

As the Erbium laser is stronger than the Q-Switch laser, my skin will have more “blushing” but results will be more obvious. Cool! I can’t wait to try it as I have already noticed an improvement in my skin from the first treatment. Friends have commented that I looked more radiant and my skin felt smoother. 

Treatment process: 

After cleansing my face, Dr Elliott performed two rounds of laser. It was less painful this time and the whole process was over in 10 minutes! Great for a lunch-time touch up. 

As per all their laser treatments, a cold mask and shoulder massage is done after the laser treatment. However, if you are pressed for time, you can also just apply moisturizer and you’re good to go.

Results: 

My skin was definitely redder than my previous treatment and it was stinging slightly, like a sunburn. The next day, my face felt really smooth and was very radiant. The Erbium laser has done what my facialist has been trying to do for months – it removed all my clogged pores - in 10 minutes to boot! The results were so obvious that I received at least five compliments from people about my glowing complexion. Wow, I am a laser convert!  

Before treatment

This combination laser treatment is used to treat fine lines and pigmentation. It allows the aesthetic doctor to precisely vary the depth and effect of the laser treatment to match your skin condition and desired result. A thin layer of your skin’s surface is removed to allow younger skin to grow. After the laser treatment, your wrinkles will soften and become less noticeable, some will disappear; pigmentation will greatly improve. It can be used to treat the face, neck, chest and hands.

As this is a laser peel, it will take a few days for your skin to replace the outer layer skin. Redness is common and healing time takes about a week, depending on your treatment depth.

Laser treatment process: 

After cleansing the face to remove all make-up and debris, a numbing cream is applied and left for 10 minutes to allow the cream to work. Dr Vanessa Phua started with the Spectra VRM II to target pigmentation. After one round of laser treatment, she moved on to the laser peel which involved a heavy-duty looking laser machine and a smoke extractor to absorb smoke and dead skin cells.

Dr Vanessa Phua gently tests the laser peel on the patient’s hand first, warning about the loud sound and snapping sensation. After the initial round of laser treatment, she focuses on the rough skin and fine lines on the face and goes over them again using a deeper laser peel. Throughout the laser treatment, she reassures the patient and informs her about what she is doing.

An iced compress is placed on the face after the laser treatment to cool the skin down. This is followed by antiseptic creams and sunblock. The patient’s face looks pink and feels tight. It also stings slightly when the antiseptic creams are applied. Laser treatment creams will also be dispensed to the patient to minimize infection and ensure the shortest healing time.

Results:

According to the patient, her skin turned slightly darker, like she had a suntan, and felt taut. After two days, her skin started flaking to reveal the new skin underneath. Patient's face now looks fairer and her skin tone is more even. The wrinkles under her eyes have also lessened considerably. For optimum results, the patient is advised to do two more peels.