Unless you’re an identical twin, your face is unique among the billions of faces in the world. But like many of those billions, if you’ve lived a life full of laughter, adventure, and fun in the sun, it probably shows on your face. If you’re looking for a way to revitalize your skin texture, banish fine lines, and give yourself an overall healthy, youthful glow, look no further than the various options available with laser resurfacing.

At Hudson Valley Beauty Lab and Medi Spa, we’re proud to offer two cutting edge treatments using one state-of-the-art Lumenis skin resurfacing machine: IPL Photo Rejuvenation and ResurFX.

What is IPL Photo Rejuvenation?

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light, and it focuses primarily on evening skin tone, eliminating hyperpigmentation (including freckle removal or blending), and overall redness. IPL Photo Rejuvenation also reduces age spots, sun damage, and dilated capillaries, and as a bonus, the treatment activates collagen production to reverse the signs of aging and give you glowing, healthier-looking skin.

With IPL Photo Rejuventation, dramatic improvements can generally be seen after a single treatment. Recovery time when using the suggested aftercare takes no longer than 2-3 days in most cases. In the event multiple treatments are needed, appointments will be scheduled 4-6 weeks apart.

What is ResurFX?

ResurFX is a milder laser resurfacing treatment that aims to improve skin texture, laxity, and tone by stimulating collagen growth, smoothing rough surface skin, tightening the underlying skin, and diminishing the appearance of scars, stretch marks, and fine wrinkles. Unlike other photo Rejuvenation treatments, ResurFX only requires one pass over the skin. Additionally, Cool Scan technology prevents skin from overheating.

To see significant results with ResurFX, you will likely need to schedule a number of separate treatments, but the recovery period is mild.

Ablative vs. Non-Ablative

Ablative lasers are considered more “invasive,” but they produce the best clinical results, lasting for 1 to 5 years. Non-ablative lasers such as those used in ResurFX treatments are milder, keeping your skin intact and requiring little to no downtime, and they are best for protecting darker skin tones. Non-ablative lasers also pose a lower risk for side effects.

Which Treatment is Best for Me?

IPL PhotoRejuvenation and ResurFX are both wonderfully effective skin treatments, but the one that’s right for you will depend on several factors. In general, ablative treatments such as IPL Photo Rejuvenation are best for patients who have significant facial aging or deep or pitted facial scars, and who want to see significant results fast. The ability to take time off work to recover is also helpful.

ResurFX and other non-ablative treatments may be best for relatively young patients (between 25 and 65 years of age) who have mild to moderate signs of aging and minimal skin sagging. Prospective patients should also be willing to undergo multiple treatments before seeing results.