Erbium YAG Laser Skin Resurfacing
Erbium Laser Resurfacing
Erbium:YAG is an ablative resurfacing laser that uses a 2,940 nm wavelength, absorbed very strongly by the water in skin. It removes superficial and moderately deep lines and wrinkles on the face, hands, neck and chest, and it is used for photodamage, uneven texture and selected scars. The energy is taken up almost entirely at the surface, so tissue is removed in a thin, controlled layer with minimal burning of the surrounding skin. The heat that remains behind causes immediate collagen shrinkage and stimulates the formation of new collagen, which tightens the skin further as it heals. Treatment depth and energy are adjustable, so both the recovery and the result are planned for the individual patient. At Dermatology and Laser Centre, Dr. Gallacher performs every Erbium treatment herself.
The Erbium laser removes the damaged surface of the skin. It uses a colour of light that water soaks up very strongly, and skin is mostly water, so the energy is absorbed right at the surface and takes off a thin, precisely controlled layer with very little burning of the skin around it. It treats superficial and moderately deep lines and wrinkles on the face, hands, neck and chest, along with sun damage, uneven texture and certain scars. The heat left behind tightens the collagen straight away and prompts your skin to build new collagen, so the skin tightens further as it heals. How deep it goes, and how much energy is used, can be dialled up or down, so the recovery and the result are planned around you. Dr. Gallacher performs every Erbium treatment herself.
Erbium Laser Resurfacing: the essentials
The short version
Ablative Er:YAG resurfacing laser, 2,940 nm
A resurfacing laser that removes the surface of the skin.
Water in the epidermis and superficial dermis
The water in your skin, in the top layer and just below it.
Photoaging, superficial to moderately deep wrinkles, uneven texture, selected pigmentation, scars, and the skin tightening that follows collagen shrinkage and collagen remodeling.
Sun damage, superficial to moderately deep wrinkles, uneven texture, some brown colour, scars, and the tightening that comes as the collagen shrinks and rebuilds.
Face, neck, chest and hands, with settings adjusted for each area.
Face, neck, chest and hands, with the settings changed for each area.
Surface healing is usually measured in days. In most cases patients are back to normal activities within about a week, depending on the area treated and the energy used. Visible redness settles more gradually.
The surface heals over in days. Most people are back to normal activities in about a week, depending on the area treated and the energy used. The redness fades more slowly.
Depth, energy, fractionation, number of passes and number of sessions are individualized.
How deep it goes, how much energy is used, whether it treats in dots or across the whole surface, how many passes and how many sessions, all worked out for you.
Dr. Gallacher, personally, at every session.
Dr. Gallacher, herself, every time.
What is an Erbium:YAG laser?
What is an Erbium laser?
Erbium:YAG is an ablative laser designed for precise skin resurfacing with less residual thermal injury than traditional full-field CO2 resurfacing.
It is a laser that removes a layer of skin very precisely, leaving less heat behind in the surrounding tissue than the old style of CO2 resurfacing does.
The laser emits light at 2,940 nm, near the absorption peak of water. Because skin contains abundant water, the energy is absorbed very superficially and vaporizes controlled amounts of tissue.
The particular colour of light it uses is almost exactly what water soaks up best. Your skin is full of water, so the energy is absorbed right at the surface and vaporises a controlled amount of tissue.
That is the point of this wavelength. Water soaks it up roughly ten times more strongly than it soaks up CO2 laser light, so each pass takes off a thin, predictable layer and leaves only a narrow rim of heated tissue beneath. That is what is meant by minimal burning of the skin around it, and it is why the surface tends to heal faster after Erbium than after the equivalent old style CO2 treatment.
That is the practical advantage of the wavelength. Water absorbs 2,940 nm roughly an order of magnitude more strongly than it absorbs the 10,600 nm of a CO2 laser, so each pass removes a thin, predictable layer and leaves only a narrow rim of heated tissue at the base. This is what is meant by minimal burning of the surrounding tissue, and it is the reason the surface tends to heal faster after Erbium than after equivalent traditional CO2 resurfacing.
How does Erbium laser resurfacing work?
How does it work?
It removes damaged epidermal tissue and creates controlled dermal injury that triggers healing and collagen remodeling.
It takes off the damaged top layer, and makes a controlled injury just below it, which sets off healing and rebuilds the supporting fibres.
The amount of ablation and heat can be adjusted by device settings, pulse duration, treatment density, and whether the treatment is full-field or fractional. These choices affect both the result and the recovery period.
How much is removed, and how much heat is left behind, can be changed by the settings, by how long each pulse lasts, by how many dots are placed, and by whether the whole surface or only dots are treated. Those choices affect both the result and how long you take to heal.
The Erbium laser gives off light that water soaks up the instant it reaches the skin. Any tissue holding water is vaporised, and that takes off the damaged top layer.
The heat it generates does more than that. It makes the collagen underneath shrink straight away, and it prompts your skin to make new collagen over the following weeks. That second part is what tightens the skin further, once the surface has healed.
How much tissue comes off, and how much heat is left behind, are both set by the machine: the energy, how long each pulse lasts, how many dots are placed, how many passes are made, and whether the whole surface or only dots are treated. Longer pulses leave more heat behind on purpose, when more tightening is the aim. Shorter pulses remove tissue more cleanly, when precision matters most. Those choices decide both your result and your recovery, which is why they are chosen for you rather than set to one standard setting for everybody.
The Erbium laser emits light that is absorbed by water the moment it reaches the skin. Tissue that contains water is vaporized, which removes the damaged surface layer.
The heat generated in the treated area does not stop there. It causes the collagen in the dermis to shrink immediately, and it stimulates the fibroblasts to lay down new collagen over the weeks that follow. That second effect is what tightens the skin further, after the surface itself has healed.
The amount of ablation and the amount of heat left behind are both controlled by device settings: energy, pulse duration, treatment density, number of passes, and whether the treatment is full-field or fractional. Longer or modulated pulses deliberately leave more heat in the tissue when more tightening is wanted. Shorter pulses remove tissue more cleanly when precision matters most. These choices determine both the result and the recovery, which is why they are decided per patient rather than set to a house default.
Diagram showing Erbium YAG 2940 nm laser energy absorbed by water in skin
A diagram showing the Erbium laser energy being soaked up by the water in the skin.
Does Erbium resurfacing tighten the skin?
Does it tighten the skin?
Yes, to a degree, and by two separate mechanisms.
The first is immediate. Heat delivered into the dermis causes existing collagen fibres to contract, so a tightening effect can be visible early, before any rebuilding has happened.
The second is gradual. The controlled injury signals the skin to produce new collagen, and that process continues for months after the treatment. This is the more durable of the two.
Erbium is a resurfacing laser first. It is excellent at surface quality: lines, texture, sun damage and scars. The tightening is a genuine additional benefit rather than the main event, and it is not a substitute for a dedicated tightening device where significant laxity is the primary problem. Where laxity is the main concern, Dr. Gallacher will say so and recommend the appropriate technology instead of stretching one device beyond what it does well.
Yes, to a degree, and it happens in two ways.
The first is immediate. The heat makes the collagen already in your skin contract, so some tightening can show up early, before anything new has been built.
The second is gradual. The controlled injury tells your skin to make new collagen, and that carries on for months afterwards. That is the longer lasting of the two.
Erbium is a resurfacing laser first. What it is really good at is the quality of the surface: lines, texture, sun damage and scars. The tightening is a real bonus rather than the main point, and it does not replace a proper tightening device if loose skin is your main problem. If that is your main problem, Dr. Gallacher will tell you, and recommend the right technology for it rather than pushing one machine to do a job it was not built for.
What can Erbium laser treat?
What can it treat?
Erbium resurfacing is used mainly for photoaging and textural problems, where removing a controlled amount of the surface is the appropriate approach.
Erbium resurfacing is mostly for sun damage and texture problems, where taking off a controlled amount of the surface is the right approach.
- Superficial and moderately deep lines and wrinkles, including etched lines.
- Rough or uneven texture from sun damage.
- Selected pigmentation and dyschromia, treated as part of resurfacing.
- Selected acne, surgical and traumatic scars.
- Mild skin laxity, through collagen shrinkage and subsequent collagen remodeling.
- The face, neck, chest and hands. The skin on the neck, chest, hands and eyelids is thinner and heals more slowly than facial skin, so the settings are lowered and the technique adjusted for those areas rather than the area being avoided.
- Superficial and moderately deep lines and wrinkles, including lines carved into the surface.
- Rough or uneven texture from sun damage.
- Some brown colour and patchiness, treated as part of the resurfacing.
- Certain acne scars, surgical scars and scars from injuries.
- Mild looseness, through the collagen shrinking and then rebuilding.
- The face, neck, chest and hands. The skin on your neck, chest, hands and eyelids is thinner and heals more slowly than the skin on your face, so the settings come down and the technique changes for those areas. It does not mean they cannot be treated.
Can Erbium treat the neck, chest and hands?
Can it treat the neck, chest and hands?
Yes. These are among the areas patients most often want treated, because sun damage on the neck, chest and backs of the hands is frequently more obvious than on the face and is often what gives an age away.
They do require more care. Skin in these areas is thinner, contains fewer of the structures the skin uses to regenerate its surface, and therefore heals more slowly than facial skin. The margin for error is smaller. The response is to reduce the energy and depth, adjust the density, sometimes to stage the treatment over more than one session, and to be more conservative at the borders. It is not a reason to refuse the area.
This is precisely the kind of judgement that does not transfer to a protocol. Dr. Gallacher treats these areas herself, at settings she selects at the time, rather than running a preset.
Yes. These are some of the areas people most want treated, because sun damage on the neck, chest and backs of the hands is often more obvious than on the face, and it is often what gives your age away.
They do need more care. The skin there is thinner, it has fewer of the structures your skin uses to grow a new surface, and it heals more slowly than the skin on your face. There is less room for error. So the energy and the depth come down, the pattern changes, sometimes the treatment is split over more than one session, and the edges are treated more cautiously. None of that is a reason to leave the area alone.
This is exactly the sort of judgement you cannot write into a protocol. Dr. Gallacher treats these areas herself, at settings she chooses on the day, not from a preset.
How is Erbium different from CO2 laser resurfacing?
How is it different from CO2?
Both are ablative resurfacing lasers, and Dr. Gallacher uses both. They are not competitors. They are two tools with different profiles, and the right one depends on what is being treated, on the skin it is being treated in, and on the recovery the patient can accept.
Both lasers remove a layer of skin, and Dr. Gallacher uses both. They are not rivals. They are two tools with different characters, and which one you need depends on what is being treated, the skin it is being treated in, and how much recovery you can accept.
Erbium is absorbed by water far more strongly, so it removes tissue more precisely and leaves less residual heat with each pass. In published comparisons with traditional full-field CO2 resurfacing, that translates into faster re-epithelialization, redness that settles sooner, and a lower rate of delayed loss of pigment. In that specific sense Erbium causes fewer side effects than CO2. There is a trade-off in the other direction: because Erbium coagulates less, there is more pinpoint bleeding during treatment.
CO2 leaves more heat behind, and that heat is not a flaw. It is what produces the stronger deep remodeling effect and the greater change per treatment. It also asks for more recovery, and it carries a higher risk of prolonged redness and of pigment change.
Erbium light is soaked up by water far more strongly, so it removes tissue more precisely and leaves less heat behind with every pass. Compared with the old style of CO2 resurfacing, published work shows the surface heals over sooner, the redness settles sooner, and there is less risk of the skin losing colour later on. In that specific sense, Erbium causes fewer side effects than CO2. There is a trade off the other way: because Erbium seals the tiny vessels less, there is more pinpoint bleeding during the treatment itself.
CO2 leaves more heat behind, and that heat is not a defect. It is what gives the stronger rebuilding effect deeper down, and more change per treatment. It also asks more of you in recovery, and carries a higher risk of redness that drags on and of the skin changing colour.
| Feature | Erbium:YAG against CO2 |
|---|---|
| Wavelength | 2,940 nm against 10,600 nm. |
| Water absorption | Erbium roughly an order of magnitude higher. |
| Residual heat | Erbium leaves a narrow zone at classic settings. CO2 leaves a substantially wider zone of coagulation. |
| Bleeding during treatment | More pinpoint bleeding with Erbium, because it coagulates less. Less with CO2. |
| Strength of the deep remodeling effect | Greater with CO2. |
| Typical downtime | Shorter with Erbium at comparable depth. |
| Prolonged redness and delayed pigment loss | Reported less often after Erbium than after traditional full-field CO2. |
| Feature | Erbium against CO2 |
|---|---|
| The colour of light | 2,940 for Erbium, 10,600 for CO2. |
| How strongly water absorbs it | Erbium, about ten times more. |
| Heat left behind | Erbium, a narrow band. CO2, a much wider one. |
| Bleeding during treatment | More with Erbium, because it seals less. Less with CO2. |
| Strength of the deep rebuilding | Stronger with CO2. |
| Time off | Usually shorter with Erbium, for the same depth. |
| Long lasting redness, and loss of colour later | Reported less often after Erbium than after old style CO2. |
The honest summary is this. Erbium is the more precise instrument and the quicker recovery. CO2 is the stronger result. Neither is safer as a category, because safety in resurfacing comes down to what is being treated, the settings, your skin tone, the area, the aftercare, and most of all who is holding the handpiece. Dr. Gallacher chooses between them for each patient, and performs both herself.
The honest summary is this. Erbium is the more precise instrument and the faster recovery. CO2 is the stronger result. Neither is safer as a category, because safety in resurfacing is determined by the indication, the settings, the skin tone, the area, the aftercare, and above all by who is holding the handpiece. Dr. Gallacher selects between them for each patient, and performs both herself.
Who may be a good candidate for Erbium resurfacing?
Who is it suitable for?
Candidates have a resurfacing concern that can be treated safely with the planned depth and can comply with wound care and sun protection.
Someone whose problem can be treated safely at the depth being planned, and who will follow the wound care and the sun protection.
- Wrinkles, photodamage, texture irregularity, or selected scars are the main concern.
- Your skin tone and medical history are appropriate for the proposed settings.
- You can accommodate the expected recovery period.
- Wrinkles, sun damage, uneven texture, or certain scars, are the main thing bothering you.
- Your skin tone and your medical history suit the settings being proposed.
- You can actually take the time off that the recovery needs.
Who may need to avoid or postpone Erbium laser treatment?
Who should avoid it or wait?
Active infection, impaired healing, a strong tendency to problematic scarring, recent significant tanning, or a high risk of pigment complications may make ablative resurfacing inappropriate or require a modified approach.
An infection, poor healing, a strong tendency to bad scarring, a recent tan, or a high risk of the skin healing a different colour, may make this the wrong treatment, or mean doing it differently.
More conservative fractional approaches or a different device may be preferable for some darker skin tones because post-inflammatory pigment change is an important risk after ablative resurfacing.
For some darker skin tones, a gentler approach that treats in dots, or a different machine altogether, is often better, because the skin darkening afterwards is a real risk with this kind of resurfacing.
What are the benefits and risks?
What are the benefits and risks?
| Topic | Key points |
|---|---|
| Potential benefits | Smoother texture, softer wrinkles, improvement in selected photodamage and scars, and collagen remodeling over time. |
| Expected short-term effects | Redness, swelling, oozing or crusting with deeper treatment, tenderness, and peeling during re-epithelialization. |
| Risks | Infection, prolonged redness, acne/milia flares, herpes reactivation, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation, scarring, and delayed healing. |
| Alternatives | CO2 resurfacing, non-ablative fractional laser, RF microneedling, chemical peels, or other treatments depending on the concern and desired downtime. |
What you can gain Smoother texture, softer wrinkles, improvement in sun damage and certain scars, and rebuilding that carries on over time.
What to expect afterwards Redness, swelling, weeping or crusting with the deeper treatments, tenderness, and peeling as the new surface grows.
The risks Infection, redness that drags on, spots or tiny white bumps appearing, a cold sore flaring up, skin ending up darker or lighter, scarring, and slow healing.
Other options CO2 resurfacing, a gentler fractional laser, RF microneedling, chemical peels, or something else, depending on the problem and how much recovery you want.
Illustration comparing Erbium YAG and CO2 laser resurfacing thermal effects
An illustration comparing how much heat Erbium and CO2 leave behind.
What is Erbium laser recovery like?
What is the recovery like?
Surface healing after ablative Er:YAG resurfacing is usually measured in days. In most cases patients in Dr. Gallacher's practice are fully recovered and back to normal activities within about a week, depending on the area treated and the energy used. Deeper treatment, higher energy, and larger areas all extend that.
The surface usually grows back over a matter of days. Most of Dr. Gallacher's patients are fully recovered and back to normal activities in about a week, depending on the area treated and the energy used. Going deeper, using more energy, or treating a bigger area all stretch that out.
Redness, swelling, warmth and tenderness are at their most noticeable, and wound care matters most.
Redness, swelling, warmth and tenderness are at their worst, and the wound care matters most.
Re-epithelialization progresses and peeling or crusting improves. For most treatments this is the point at which patients return to normal activities. Higher energy or greater depth can extend this period.
The new surface grows over, and the peeling and crusting settle. For most treatments this is when people get back to normal activities. More energy or more depth stretches this out.
Residual pinkness fades, and collagen remodeling continues underneath.
The pinkness fades and the rebuilding underneath carries on.
Two things drive the whole timeline: the area treated, and the energy used. Both are decided at your consultation, so if your recovery has to fit around a fixed date, tell us before the treatment is planned, not after.
Two variables drive the whole timeline: the area treated, and the energy used. Both are chosen at the consultation, so if your recovery has to fit a fixed date, say so before the treatment is planned rather than after.
When will I see results?
When will I see the result?
Texture and tone begin to look better as soon as the initial healing is complete. The improvement that comes from collagen remodeling arrives more slowly and continues for weeks to months.
Texture and colour start looking better as soon as the first healing is finished. The improvement that comes from rebuilding arrives more slowly, and carries on for weeks to months.
Published studies of Erbium resurfacing report consistent improvement in lines, wrinkles, photodamage and scars for up to six months after a treatment. That timeline is consistent with the way collagen is laid down and reorganized, which does not happen quickly. How much improvement any individual sees depends on what is being treated, on the depth and energy used, and on the person.
Sun protection is not optional during this period. Newly resurfaced skin is more susceptible to pigment change, and unprotected sun exposure is the most common way a good result is undone.
Published studies of Erbium resurfacing report steady improvement in lines, wrinkles, sun damage and scars for up to six months after treatment. That fits with how collagen is laid down and reorganised, which is not a quick process. How much you personally get depends on what was treated, how deep it went, how much energy was used, and on you.
Sun protection is not optional in this period. Freshly resurfaced skin changes colour easily, and sun exposure is the most common way a good result gets undone.
Who performs your treatment
Who does the treatment
Dr. Gallacher performs every laser treatment at Dermatology and Laser Centre herself. Resurfacing is not delegated to a nurse, a technician or an assistant.
This matters more with ablative resurfacing than with almost any other procedure in aesthetics. The result and the risk are both decided in real time: how much energy, how many passes, where to stop, when the endpoint on the skin has been reached, when to treat an area more lightly than planned. Those judgements are made by the person holding the handpiece, and they depend on knowing what treated skin should look like at each stage.
Dr. Gallacher is a board certified dermatologist and fellowship trained, and has served on the faculty at Stanford University and UC Davis. She selects the specific technology for each indication rather than using one device for everything, and she does not shorten or dilute a treatment to fit a shorter appointment.
Dr. Gallacher performs every laser treatment at Dermatology and Laser Centre herself. Resurfacing is never handed over to a nurse, a technician or an assistant.
This matters more here than in almost anything else in aesthetics. Both the result and the risk are decided while it is happening: how much energy, how many passes, where to stop, when the skin has reached the point it needs to reach, when to go lighter than planned on an area. Those decisions belong to the person holding the handpiece, and they depend on knowing what treated skin should look like at every stage.
Dr. Gallacher is a board certified dermatologist, fellowship trained, and has taught on the faculty at Stanford University and UC Davis. She picks the specific machine for the specific problem rather than using one device for everything, and she does not cut a treatment short to fit a shorter appointment.
Illustrative result
What a result can look like
Before and after photographs for Erbium resurfacing are shown at consultation, where they can be matched to your skin type, the depth being proposed and the area being treated. A photograph of someone else's skin is only useful when it is comparable to yours. Any patient photographs we publish are published only with written consent, and individual results vary.
We show before and after photographs for Erbium resurfacing at your consultation, where we can match them to your skin type, the depth being proposed and the area being treated. A photo of someone else's skin only tells you something useful if that skin is comparable to yours. Any patient photographs we publish are published only with written permission, and results are different for everyone.
Getting in touch
Getting in touch
Every plan starts with an assessment of your skin, your anatomy and what you actually want to change. If you are interested in enhancing your appearance through personalized cosmetic dermatology and advanced laser services, contact the team at Dermatology and Laser Centre and Dr. Gallacher will discuss whether Erbium resurfacing is the right choice for your skin, or whether another technology would serve you better.
Our office is in Danville, California, and we welcome patients from San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Blackhawk, Pleasanton, Lafayette and nearby communities.
Every plan starts with a look at your skin, your anatomy, and what you actually want to change. If you are thinking about personalised cosmetic dermatology and advanced laser treatment, get in touch with Dermatology and Laser Centre. Dr. Gallacher will tell you whether Erbium resurfacing is right for your skin, or whether a different technology would suit you better.
Our office is in Danville, California, and we see patients from San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Blackhawk, Pleasanton, Lafayette and the surrounding communities.
Questions patients ask
How is Erbium laser resurfacing performed?
How is it done?
After preparation and appropriate anesthesia, the laser is passed over the treatment area using settings selected for the desired depth. Post-procedure wound care is an important part of healing after ablative treatment.
After preparation and appropriate numbing, the laser is passed over the area at the settings chosen for the depth we want. Looking after the wound afterwards is a genuinely important part of healing.
How much downtime should I expect?
How much time will I need off?
It depends on treatment depth and area. Superficial treatment can heal relatively quickly; deeper full-field resurfacing requires a more visible recovery period.
It depends how deep it goes and how big the area is. A shallow treatment heals fairly quickly. Deeper resurfacing across the whole surface needs a properly visible recovery period.
Is Erbium laser safer than CO2?
Is Erbium safer than CO2?
Compared with traditional full-field CO2 resurfacing, Erbium leaves less residual heat in the tissue with each pass, and it is associated with faster surface healing, redness that settles sooner, and a lower rate of delayed pigment loss. In that sense it causes fewer side effects. What it does not do is deliver the same depth of thermal remodeling, so it is not simply a better version of CO2. Beyond the device itself, safety in resurfacing depends on the indication, the settings, your skin tone, the treatment area, the aftercare and the experience of the person performing it. Dr. Gallacher uses both lasers and selects between them for each patient.
Compared with the old style of CO2 resurfacing, Erbium leaves less heat behind with each pass. The surface heals faster, the redness settles sooner, and there is less risk of losing skin colour later. In that sense it does cause fewer side effects. What it does not do is rebuild as deeply, so it is not just a better CO2. Beyond the machine itself, how safe resurfacing is depends on what is being treated, the settings, your skin tone, the area, the aftercare, and the experience of whoever is doing it. Dr. Gallacher uses both, and chooses between them for each patient.
How many treatments will I need?
How many treatments will I need?
Some resurfacing plans are designed as a single more intensive session, while lighter or fractional approaches may be staged. The number should be decided after examination.
Some plans are built around a single stronger session. Lighter or dotted approaches are spread over several. It should be decided after we have examined you.
Will I really be back to normal in a week?
Will I really be back to normal in a week?
In most cases, yes. In Dr. Gallacher's practice most patients are fully recovered and back to normal activities within about a week. The two variables that change this are the area treated and the energy used, so a deeper treatment, or a large area such as the full face and neck together, can take longer. Some pinkness may persist after you have returned to your normal routine, and it is usually manageable with makeup and sun protection. If you have a fixed date to work around, tell us at the consultation so the treatment can be planned to fit it.
Usually, yes. Most of Dr. Gallacher's patients are fully recovered and back to normal activities in about a week. The two things that change this are the area treated and the energy used, so a deeper treatment, or a large area like the whole face and neck at once, can take longer. Some pinkness may still be there after you are back to normal, and it is usually easy to cover with makeup and sunscreen. If you have a date you need to be ready for, tell us at the consultation so the treatment can be planned around it.
Who will actually perform my treatment?
Who actually does my treatment?
Dr. Gallacher will. Every laser treatment at Dermatology and Laser Centre is performed by her personally, and resurfacing is not delegated to a nurse, a technician or an assistant. She also plans the settings herself, at the time, based on how your skin responds during the treatment.
Dr. Gallacher will. Every laser treatment here is done by her personally, and resurfacing is never handed over to a nurse, a technician or an assistant. She also sets the machine herself, on the day, based on how your skin responds while she is treating it.
Does Erbium tighten the skin, or only resurface it?
Does it tighten the skin, or only smooth it?
It does both, to different degrees. The heat delivered into the dermis causes existing collagen to shrink immediately, and the controlled injury stimulates new collagen over the following months. Resurfacing is the primary effect and tightening is a secondary one. If laxity is your main concern rather than surface quality, a dedicated tightening technology is likely to be the better answer, and Dr. Gallacher will tell you that at the consultation.
Both, but to different degrees. The heat makes the collagen you already have shrink straight away, and the controlled injury prompts new collagen over the following months. Resurfacing is the main effect, tightening is the extra one. If loose skin is your main concern rather than the quality of the surface, a dedicated tightening device is probably the better answer, and Dr. Gallacher will say so at the consultation.
Talk it through with a physician first.
Every plan starts with an assessment of your skin, your anatomy and what you actually want to change.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether a treatment is right for you. Approved uses, risks and results differ from person to person, and product labelling changes. Ask us at Dermatology and Laser Centre about your own situation, or make an appointment, and seek urgent care for any serious symptom.
