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If you have a tattoo, you're not alone. An estimated 20 million Americans do. Laser technology has made great strides in eliminating tattoos. Everything from small, single color tattoos to large, multicolored ones, can now be significantly faded, if not completely erased. The laser works by producing short pulses of a wide range of colors to absorb the full spectrum of tattoo ink. This treatment involves no incisions and most patients do not even require anesthesia. Topical or local anesthesia is provided for those who feel they do. The appearance of the treated area varies from person to person. After effects may include redness, swelling, crusting, or tenderness, all which will disappear within a few days.
Pigmented Lesions: Birthmarks, Age spots & Broken Blood Vessels
Whether it's from sun exposure, hormonal changes, or just a birthmark, pigmented lesions are cosmetically troublesome. In the past, the only remedy for pigmented lesions was to cover them with make-up. More recently, dermabrasion, cryosurgery, and other techniques have been tried, but they can leave a scar or a visible white, unpigmented area. However, by laser, light energy is absorbed by the targeted lesion and the appropriate pigmented cells are eliminated. Removing age spots or hormonal spots may take only one or two 30-minute laser treatments. Sessions are spaced 6-8 weeks apart and are performed in the doctor's office. Most patients do not require anesthesia during the procedure. Topical or local anesthesia is provided for those who do. The appearance of the treated area varies from patient to patient. Aftereffects, if any, are minor. They may include redness, light crusting, or tenderness, all which disappear in a short time.
GentleLASE® Hair Removal for permanent hair reduction
The GentleLASE® System, a revolutionary long-pulse high energy Alexandrite laser emits a gentle beam of light that passes through the skin to the hair follicle where it is absorbed. The laser energy is transformed into heat, which destroys the hair follicle leaving the surrounding skin unaffected. The laser possesses a dynamic cooling device which makes the GentleLASE® more comfortable than other hair lasers. Patients are encouraged to be treated every 6 to 8 weeks until desired results are achieved.
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Feather Touch Laser Skin Resurfacing
Dr. Rich was the first surgeon in the Midlands of South Carolina to provide laser skin resurfacing in 1995. Since then, he has cared for hundreds of patients and tutored many other physicians in this new revolutionary plastic surgery technique.
The feather touch laser offers a new and safer method of removing fine lines and wrinkles. By utilizing a much faster laser, less heat is transmitted to the skin, translating to fewer complications and more rapid healing. This has allowed people previously not considered candidates, such as those with darker complexions or finer lines, to now enjoy this new technology with healing times of under ten days. Redness, normally lasting months, starts to fade in weeks. This new technology is particularly invaluable in achieving greater laser accuracy in treating the entire face.
Feather Touch Laser Skin Resurfacing
Skin resurfacing deals with the top layers of epidermis, often harboring pigment from pregnancy, birth control, sun, or thinning dermas form dried, oil-depleted skin. Resurfacing varies from a cosmetic skin care program utilizing glycolic acid and Renova, to light or medium peels to improve pigmentation irregularities in the upper layers of the skin, to light or standard skin resurfacing with lasers to thicken the thinning skin alleviating fine lines and wrinkles.
After being introduced in the United States in the early 1990s, skin resurfacing was brought to Columbia in 1995 by Dr. Rich, utilizing both the ultrapulse and silk touch lasers. Recent advances in the feather touch laser system allow a broader selection of patients with even the finer lines to enjoy the benefits of this tool for wrinkle removal with faster healing and fewer complications.
Although possible under local anesthetics, most patients are given some sedation, so it is a painless technique, taking less than an hour. No bandages are utilized and a protective cream is applied to the unprotected skin. Without this cream, clear weeping would ensue and rigorous face cleansing and application of the cream is necessary during the first week. As the skin quickly heals itself, this "high maintenance" period is over and fresh, smoother, pink skin is the result. This can easily accept makeup and allows the patient to return to their routine in eight to twelve days, depending on the depth of resurfacing. Redness fades over weeks to months and is rarely complicated by a lightening or darkening of the skin. Any areas of darkening normally fade over the coming months, but areas of lightened skin or hypopigmentation may be permanent. For this reason, patients with more fair skin tones make better candidates.
Your own skin tone, degree of wrinkling, amount of oil, and prior facial surgery will determine if you are a candidate for this new and dramatically successful technique.
Our philosophy is to carefully select and care for our patients, avoiding complications at all costs.
Laser surgery is also used to assist in cosmetic surgery, such as facelifts, eyelid lifts, and endoscopic procedures. Although more effective on normal skin experiencing natural wrinkling, this resurfacing technique has been shown to improve dramatic scars from surgery, accidents, and acne.
