Sun damage can add years onto your skin, and it can be more than just brown spots. Sun damage increases your chances of developing freckles, fine lines and wrinkles, areas of discoloration, and other signs of aging. Of course, it also risks the health of your skin. If your sun damage makes you feel self-conscious or look older than you feel, consider treatments with laser resurfacing in NYC at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery.
Our practice performs both surgical and minimally invasive non-surgical cosmetic procedures, with world-class training, experience, and knowledge of the unique intricacies of aesthetic treatments. Our team of cosmetic surgeons and aesthetic specialists design your care for you, with an emphasis on delivering the highest quality, most natural results possible. We strive to empower beauty, however you define it.
Below, we discuss details on sun damage along with our laser professional resurfacing treatments.
How Sun Damage Forms
Sun damage is hyperpigmentation (dark spots), wrinkles and thickening of the texture of your skin caused by excess sun exposure. When you’re in the sun without sunscreen or another form of protection, your skin will make extra pigment called melanin as it works to protect your skin. This can cause your skin to burn, tan, or freckle, and the excess pigment can stick around, resulting in sun damage spots on your skin.
Certain conditions can greatly affect the appearance of sunspots/ age spots on your skin, including:
- Your skin tone; lighter skin tones called Fitzpatrick types I, II, and III are more susceptible to burns and long-term sun damage, though any skin color can get sun damage
- Inadequate sun protection
- Tanning beds and/or excess sun exposure
- Living in a sunny climate
- Having an outdoor job
- Experiencing multiple sunburns
- Family history of sun damage
- Hormonal changes causing melasma
What’s often surprising and frustrating is that sunspots may not appear right after prolonged sun exposure, or might seem as if they appear out of nowhere. It can form below the surface layer and eventually appear.
Areas with the most sun exposure typically develop sun damage:
- Face
- Neck
- Chest
- Forearms
- Hands
- Tops of shoulders
We offer VISIA skin analysis at our clinic to get a comprehensive look at the prevalence and extent of sun damage. This in-depth skin analysis gives us data to make the best recommendations for sun damage treatments.
So is it possible to reverse sun damage? With our professional laser resurfacing treatments, yes!
Sun Damage Treatments
Since sun damage is made up of damaged skin cells, it’s important to increase skin cell turnover to renew your skin and reduce the appearance of sunspots and other signs of aging. The power of laser resurfacing is perfect for inducing new skin cell growth and repairing deeper layers beneath the surface of your skin.
We have 4 fantastic treatment options for laser resurfacing in NYC at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery:
- BBL HERO / Forever Young BBL
- Halo Laser
- MOXI Laser
- CO2 Fractionated Laser
- TRL Ablative Laser (our most aggressive treatment)
Below, we cover these treatments in order, from lightest to deepest resurfacing.
BBL HERO®
BBL HERO is the most powerful IPL device available. In fact, it isn’t considered a laser at all, as it uses a different kind of technology to resurface your skin: IPL.
IPL refers to Intense Pulsed Light, and BroadBand Light (BBL)™ is an advanced form of IPL. Stanford University published a study where they found that BBL actually changes the gene expression of skin cells at a molecular level to that of younger skin, making candidates’ skin appear significantly more youthful.
All of this is to say, BBL HERO is an amazing advancement in skin resurfacing technology with the power to improve the appearance of sun damage and revamp your skin with virtually no recovery period.
Treatable Conditions
- Hyperpigmentation
- Sun damage
- Brown & red spots
- Uneven skin tone
- Broken capillaries
- Rosacea
- Acne
We can treat any area, including the arms and legs, but the most common treatment areas are:
- Face
- Hands
- Chest
How It Works
BBL HERO has multiple settings that we use to heat layers of skin selectively, kickstarting your body’s natural healing process and new collagen production. This helps your skin cells renew to improve hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and other skin concerns.
Its adjustable wavelengths allow us to fully customize the procedure to your skin tone, type, and desired results. It also features precision cooling to keep your skin safe and cool throughout the fast and easy treatment process!
Halo™ Laser
Halo is another one of our treatment options for laser resurfacing in NYC at our Manhattan practice. It is the world’s first and only hybrid fractional laser, meaning it uses both ablative and non-ablative wavelengths for maximum results with a minimal recovery period.
Treatable Conditions
- Discoloration & pigmentation
- Brown & red spots
- Sun damage
- Visible signs of aging
- Uneven skin tone
- Enlarged pores
- Poor texture
- Fine Lines
- Acne & other scarring
- Fine to deep wrinkles
We can treat any area, including the arms and legs, but the most common treatment areas are:
- Face
- Chest
- Neck
- Hands
- Back
How It Works
Halo delivers deep dermal rejuvenation by focusing on the collagen layer of the skin to stimulate rejuvenation through laser energy. Your provider will use a topical anesthetic on your skin prior to treatment to keep you comfortable as they use the Halo laser handpiece over your treatment area(s).
MOXI
Often used for “prejuvenation,” the MOXI® laser offers versatile, low-downtime treatment for reversing and preventing skin damage. Uniquely effective for patients in their early 20s and late 50s alike, MOXI gently polishes away superficial damage while stimulating collagen production.
This gentle approach to laser resurfacing in NYC not only smooths and brightens your complexion within a few days—it supports your long-term radiance.
Treatable Conditions
- Discoloration & pigmentation
- Sun damage
- Visible signs of aging
- Uneven skin tone
- Enlarged pores
- Poor texture
Our experts can treat the face and body with the MOXI laser, including areas such as the:
- Chest
- Neck
- Hands
- Arms
- Legs
How It Works
Powered by non-ablative wavelengths, the MOXI laser creates controlled thermal micro-injuries on the skin’s surface to trigger a healing response. To heal these injuries, your skin produces more collagen proteins, which act as building blocks for its internal structure. This process also stimulates cellular turnover, helping your skin shed the damaged surface-level cells clouding your complexion to reveal healthier cells beneath.
Fractionated CO2 Lasers
If you’re looking for very dramatic, deep laser resurfacing in NYC, CO2 laser at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery may be the ultimate solution for you. We have multiple types of procedures with our CO2 laser, so you can have a customized treatment that works best for your skin and goals.
Treatable Conditions
- Fine to deep facial and neck wrinkles
- Facial scars, acne scars
- Enlarged pores
- Overall facial skin tone
- Age/sun spots
- Discoloration
- Blotchiness
Treatment areas:
- Face
- Neck
- Eyelids
- Hands
- Décolleté
How It Works
Fractionated lasers work by using thousands of tiny laser treatment spots with normal skin in between. The normal skin bridges helps make healing faster, yet only reduces the efficiency over a fully ablative, full field, laser treatment. Treatments can be further fine tuned by altering the distance and heating properties of the treatment laser dots.
Unlocking the True Power of Laser Resurfacing
In NYC, there are thousands of medical spas—but they aren’t all equal. Who you trust to perform your laser skin resurfacing treatments determines your experience and results.
While the technologies we use are incredible, they’re only effective in the right hands and expertly chosen just for you. Going beyond what you can achieve through at-home exfoliation, we use advanced lasers to accelerate your skin’s cellular turnover rate: how quickly it sheds and replaces damaged cells.
Why Patients Choose Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery
Led by Dr. Steven Pearlman, Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery has gained a prominent reputation in New York and beyond by offering truly personalized care rooted in clinical excellence. More than anatomical expertise, our experienced professionals offer guidance based on your unique situation.
Such attention and skill are crucial when performing a procedure as customizable as laser resurfacing, as your provider must direct the laser to target the precise layer of skin responsible for your concerns. We empower beauty®, and our patients’ reviews speak for themselves.
“I received a Halo laser treatment and was very nervous about the procedure because I’m getting married in a month. They made me feel very comfortable with the procedure and what to expect. I felt like they weren’t trying to sell me on having it, and that they would have told me if it wasn’t the right thing for me to do. I am so pleased with the results. I would highly recommend!”
– Meghan F.
“I wish I could give 6 stars! I just completed my second laser treatment, and I am beyond impressed with the progress I have seen so far. I am very particular about what I put on my skin and what treatments I do, as I have always struggled with acne, scarring, and texture. However, not only do I look forward to my appointments here, I also know that I am in great hands and trust this place implicitly. The front desk staff is also always welcoming and truly demonstrates their care for patients from the moment you walk in. I can’t wait to see how my skin continues to transform and will definitely continue coming here.”
– Katie
“Absolutely incredible experience. I saw Lisa, who is Dr. Pearlman’s Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner. I got the YAG laser and CO2 laser for a couple scars on my face that are red and raised. She said the YAG is for the redness, and the CO2 is to resurface the bump to make it flat. She made sure to put on numbing cream before the treatment. I’m a wimp when it comes to pain, and it was way better than I expected! I’d trust her to do anything to my face.”
– Lindsay
Other Concerns We Treat With Laser Resurfacing
At Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, laser surfacing is more than a solution for sun-damaged skin. Our versatile collection of state-of-the-art lasers empowers you to overcome multiple concerns you may have about your complexion simultaneously.
Beyond fading sun spots, we harness the power of laser energy to reveal brighter, clearer, healthier-looking skin, bringing your natural beauty to the forefront.
Acne & Surgical Scars
Almost 90% of people struggle with acne between the ages of 12 and 24, but as the most common skin condition, acne affects people of all ages. Overcoming acne is a monumental accomplishment, but the scars acne leaves behind can disrupt your smooth complexion.
When your skin attempts to heal from acne, an injury, or a surgery, it can rebuild unevenly and create areas that appear raised, indented, or discolored. Through precise laser resurfacing in NYC, we gently remove the damaged skin cells that make up scar tissue to reveal smoother skin from within.
Fine Lines & Wrinkles
We understand that even subtle wrinkles can affect how you feel in your skin, creating a disconnect between your reflection and who you truly are. Using our lasers to stimulate a healing response and raise your skin’s internal temperature, we address wrinkles both at the surface and deeper within your skin.
This dualistic approach to laser resurfacing in NYC gradually fades fine lines while supporting your skin’s long-term resilience. By encouraging stronger, healthier cells to rise to the surface, we revitalize your complexion so your skin looks and feels more youthful.
Uneven Skin Texture
While repeated UV exposure can leave your skin with a rough, uneven texture, so can acne, aging, and several other factors. We understand the frustration that comes with texture irregularities, which, unlike pigmentation, are difficult to conceal with makeup.
Using precise beams of laser energy, we smooth your skin’s surface to help your skin shed the damaged cells responsible for rough patches. Depending on the kind of laser used, many patients experience noticeably smoother skin within days of their treatment. But, unlike surface-level treatments, laser skin resurfacing also stimulates skin repair, minimizing the appearance of large pores and helping your skin stay smooth.
Skin Resurfacing vs Skin Remodeling
Laser skin rejuvenation serves two distinct purposes: resurfacing and remodeling. While resurfacing lasers work within your skin’s outer layers to enhance the surface, remodeling lasers work deeper to rebuild your skin.
Neither kind of laser is universally more effective than the other, but rather more suitable for treating specific concerns. For example, resurfacing may be ideal for a patient struggling with newly developed melasma, while remodeling may be more effective for someone seeking firmer skin.
At Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, we offer both laser remodeling and laser resurfacing in NYC. Some of our devices, such as HALO and our fractional CO2 lasers, combine these approaches, working in multiple layers of your skin at once.
Understanding the differences between laser resurfacing and remodeling is key to achieving your skin goals. When you come to Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery, our specialists will help you make an informed decision, providing expert recommendations and guidance based on the concerns you share with us.
Ablative vs Non-Ablative Lasers
Ablative lasers, including our fractional CO2 and TRL Erbium lasers, remove your skin’s outermost layers. Non-ablative lasers, such as MOXI and BBL HERO, do not manually remove skin. Instead, they stimulate collagen and elastin production and trigger your body to shed its damaged cells and replace them with stronger ones. Some lasers, such as Halo, combine ablative and non-ablative wavelengths.
While ablative laser resurfacing typically requires more downtime than non-ablative laser remodeling or laser resurfacing in NYC, it’s often more effective for treating deeper-rooted concerns. Selecting the right laser for your needs depends on your skin type and concerns, as well as how much downtime you’re willing to take. As Dr. Pearlman says, the more extensive the healing process is, the more impactful the results.
Laser Resurfacing vs Chemical Peels
When applied by a skilled professional, chemical peels can address many of the same concerns as laser resurfacing. In NYC, Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery offers customized chemical peels that work at different depths to address different conditions, including:
- Acne
- Enlarged pores
- Hyperpigmentation
- Skin aging
- Sun damage
- Uneven texture
- Wrinkles & fine lines
Chemical peels take a similar approach to that of laser resurfacing, but they operate differently. Rather than relying on a beam of laser energy, chemical peels use acids to remove your skin’s outermost layers. When tailored to the appropriate depth and using the correct peel agent, chemical peels can effectively resurface the skin.
Like with lasers, the downtime required for a chemical peel varies depending on the intensity. During your consultation, our providers will help you decide which approach to skin resurfacing aligns with your unique needs, including your budget and timeline.
What to Expect From Laser Resurfacing
In NYC, we empower beauty®—not by changing the features that make you unique, but by removing obstacles so you realize your true beauty. To achieve our mission, our highly skilled and compassionate providers take the time to understand you and your skin before anything else.
Your Consultation
First, we meet for a private consultation. After openly discussing your concerns and goals for your skin, your skincare routine, and your medical history, we perform an in-depth skin analysis. Using VISIA technology, we identify the root cause of your skin concerns.
This eliminates guesswork, allowing us to craft your personalized treatment plan for laser resurfacing in NYC with intention. Beyond your skin analysis results, we also consider your lifestyle, guiding you toward treatments that align with your schedule, lifestyle, timeline, and budget. While our approach is rooted in science, it’s also rooted in compassion.
Your Treatment Plan
While lasers are a powerful, versatile tool, they aren’t the only effective form of skin rejuvenation. Depending on your situation, we may recommend combining laser resurfacing in NYC with other treatments.
For example, we may suggest including microneedling or other non-surgical skin tightening treatments in your treatment plan to take the collagen-boosting effects of laser treatments further. Often, wrinkles and volume loss occur simultaneously, in which case we may use lasers to rebuild your skin from within and injectables—like Botox or dermal fillers—to address the surface. This dualistic approach offers immediate and ongoing results, setting your skin up for long-term success.
By taking a comprehensive approach to skin rejuvenation, we empower you to achieve all of your skin goals.
Your Laser Treatments
When you arrive for your first laser resurfacing treatment, our Patient Care Coordinator or aesthetic skincare expert will explain the treatment process in detail pertaining to your unique treatment plan. Only after answering your questions and ensuring you feel confident about your plan do we begin treatment.
During treatment, you’ll relax as we glide the laser handpiece over your skin. Typically, treatment takes between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on the technology used and the area treated. The exact sensation may vary, but patients often describe feeling warm, tingling sensations. To minimize any discomfort, we offer a range of medical-grade topical anesthetics and ProNox. ProNox is nitrous oxide, akin to the laughing gas often used by dentists, but you control how much you receive.
While you may notice improvements after your skin heals from your first treatment, we may recommend additional treatments to achieve optimal outcomes. With each session, your results continue to build.
Why It’s Ideal to Get Laser Resurfacing in the Fall or Winter
When you get a laser resurfacing treatment, it’s very important to protect your skin as it heals. You know what doesn’t help? Excess sun exposure.
In the spring and summer, we all get a lot more sun as we meet friends for patio happy hours, go on walks, and other warm-weather activities. It becomes a part of our routine. After a laser treatment, it’s hard to avoid excess sun exposure for multiple days without changing your routine significantly.
Our patients find they prefer to have laser resurfacing done in the fall and winter, when the sun is less powerful. North America (and the Earth’s axis) is tilted away from the sun during the fall and winter months, which is why it gets cooler too! It’s also easier to wear clothes to cover sensitive skin, stay indoors, and have a more low-key routine during this time of year as your skin heals.
The Healing Process
Your skin is just as unique as you are, and the healing process looks different for everyone. If your plan consists of gentler, non-ablative laser treatments, you may only see mild redness and swelling that resolves within a few days. Deeper, ablative lasers typically require more downtime, and you may experience more peeling or flaking as your skin regenerates.
These are normal effects and a sign that your skin is responding to treatment.
How to Care for Your Skin After Laser Resurfacing
In NYC, Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery offers ongoing support after each of your treatments—our commitment to you doesn’t end with your session. We provide the attentive guidance you deserve, ensuring your healing process is as seamless as possible. Following your provider’s aftercare instructions not only streamlines healing, but also supports your skin’s long-term health and radiance.
As your skin heals, do not pick at or exfoliate your skin. Instead, allow damaged cells to shed naturally, making way for fresh, healthy skin to come to the surface. Your provider will give specific aftercare instructions based on your treatment plan, but typically, you should stick to gentle, nourishing skincare products.
To protect your skin as it renews, you should also avoid direct sun exposure and apply SPF 30 or above daily. We always recommend continuing to wear sunscreen after your skin has healed to keep your skin protected from damage and premature aging, prolonging your results.
Damage-Reversing Skincare Products
Along with laser resurfacing, we recommend a good skincare regimen to help reverse years of sun damage. Some of our favorite brands include:
We carry many products at our office and can help you create a personalized skincare regimen. Learn more about what types of products we recommend for sun damage below.
Exfoliating Products
With sun spots/age spots, it’s important to encourage new skin cell turnover to work on getting rid of the hyperpigmentation. Exfoliating products are essential for this process! Whether you prefer chemical exfoliation or physical, find high-quality exfoliating products that work well for your skin.
Note: It’s important to not over-exfoliate, as this can leave your skin overly sensitive! A limit 2 or 3 times per week is optimal.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are an amazing ingredient because they can help protect your body—and your skin—from free radical damage. Antioxidant-rich products can support your skin’s health and better protect it from harsh environmental pollutants.
SPF For Prevention
This is a given, but we’ll say it anyway: You have to wear sunscreen if you care about your skin! UV rays are the #1 cause of skin damage and they can lead to real health dangers like skin cancer. Make sunscreen an essential part of your skincare routine.
Our tip? Find a great sunscreen formula you love. Sunscreens are no longer limited to that strongly scented, thick white formula that’s difficult to rub in. There have been large advancements in sunscreen formulas to meet increased demand. You can choose one with extra hydration, a tint for some coverage, or even a formula for oily or acne-prone skin. Find an SPF you love and stick with it!
COME TO OUR PARK AVENUE OFFICE FOR THE BEST LASER RESURFACING IN NEW YORK CITY
Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery is a luxury cosmetic surgery and non-surgical aesthetics practice located in Manhattan. With years of experience serving New York City with premier treatments and unmatched service, we love providing individualized care for the best results possible.
