Bruce K. Barach, MD

Like Goldilocks visiting the three bears, if you are looking for an effective laser skin treatment, you'll want to find the one that is "just right." There are two basic types of lasers used in cosmetic procedures.

1. Ablative
2. Non-ablative

Ablative lasers are more powerful and really knock out the unwanted tissue by vaporizing it. Ablative laser treatment is more powerful and may require longer healing time. That may be more downtime after the procedure than you would like. The non-ablative process is less powerful and may require multiple visits to the cosmetic surgeon before you notice any significant improvements. What you want is the solution that is "just right."

Recently, the FDA approved Fraxel Laser Treatment, which covers the middle ground in laser technology. It is considered a non-ablative laser, but it shows results much more quickly. Fraxel Treatment penetrates through the outer layers of the skin and creates microscopic abrasions that trigger the body's natural healing processes. New skin and collagen are created as a result of this minor trauma to your skin cells. Fraxel Laser treats many skin conditions including:

• Acne scars
• Age spots
• Melasma
• Crows feet
• Stretch marks
• Hypo and Hyperpigmentation
• Large pores
• Wrinkles

If you want to reduce acne scars or age spots with minimal downtime, look for a cosmetic surgeon who is trained on the Fraxel Laser system. If you are in Albany, Schenectady, Troy, or Saratoga Springs, New York area, please contact Dr. Barach for an initial consultation to see if Fraxel Laser Treatment will work for you.

Injectable fillers are used to smooth away wrinkles in your face, around your nose, between your brows, and around your eyes. In the old days (5 years ago), the only viable option was using collagen injections. Now however, there are other products such as Restylane and Juvederm that are available. These products last up to six months and don't require allergy skin testing.

Both Restylane and Juvederm are transparent gels that are injected under the skin to tighten areas where wrinkles appear. They contain hyaluronic acid, an important ingredient in human connective tissue. Once injected, these fillers can absorbs up to 1000 times their volume of water. They can also maintain this extra volume for up to six months, which is much longer than traditional collagen injections can last.

According to a study by the University of Michigan, these hyaluronic acid fillers not only maintain volume, they actually stimulate the production of your body's own collagen. The expansion of the gel stretches skin cells called fibroblasts, as these cells stretch more collagen is produced giving you even younger, more natural looking wrinkle prevention.

If you are looking to eliminate wrinkles, and you live in Albany, Schenectady, Troy, or Saratoga Springs, New York, please contact Dr. Barach for an initial consultation to see if Restylane and Juvederm are right for you.