Lasers have revolutionized the medical field, and in particularly the world of plastic surgery. Today, surgical lasers are used for a wide variety of procedures, from the removal of unwanted hair to the smoothing of acne scars and other facial blemishes. Surgical lasers also enable doctors to perform intricate surgical procedures such as facial plastic surgery more precisely.
Within the realm of plastic surgery, applications for lasers include eyelid surgery, facelifts, and liposuction, among others. Procedures involving lasers tend to be those intended to tighten skin or result in an overall rejuvenated appearance. Lasers are often combined with traditional surgical techniques in order to enhance the results of the procedure. For example, lasers may be used during a facelift procedure to further tighten sagging skin.
Lasers may also be used to improve the results of liposuction. Liposculpting is a popular procedure to remove excess fat located underneath the skin. By breaking apart the fat with a laser first, the surgeon can suction out precise areas of excess fat without damaging surrounding tissues. This cosmetic procedure may be performed on any area of the body where excess fat has been stored.
While laser plastic surgery is most closely identified with procedures intended to tighten or smooth the skin, it may also be used for procedures such as eyelid surgery, which use the laser not to tighten skin that will remain after surgery but to trim away excess skin. One of the benefits of using lasers during surgery is that as the laser cuts through tissue, it also seals the blood vessels. This results in reduced bleeding and post-operative bruising and a shorter recovery time because it avoids unnecessarily damaging the tissues.
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