Laser resurfacing

Laser resurfacing is a technique used during laser surgery wherein molecular bonds of a material are dissolved by a laser. It is often used in a medical context, especially in dermatology, for the treatment of acne vulgaris, scars (see acne scar treatment), and spider telangiectasias or "spider veins" &mdash; a symptom of ataxia telangiectasia.

It can be combined with liposuction when this is done to remove excess fat from the chin and jaw area. The skin may be wrinkled after fat is removed and laser resurfacing can help tighten and smooth it over the new contours.

Skin resurfacing can also be performed with a plasma based device instead of a laser. At least one manufacturer of such a plasma device claims "It’s the only treatment proven to generate new skin – at the fundamental levels - for as long as a year after treatment". However these claims have not yet been verified by independently funded studies, and superiority to laser based devices remains an open question.

A new modality known as "fractional photothermolysis" provides similar results to carbon dioxide laser resurfacing without risk of scarring or significant downtime. There are currently several fractional laser devices on the market including the Fraxel Laser, Pixel, Lux1540, and Affirm.