"Fraxel" Laser Treatments Wiping Away Winkles, Sun Damage & Acne Scarring
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- From the medical field to the beauty industry, lasers are being used to treat all kinds of conditions.
They can get rid of hair, they can grow hair; they can make incisions and improve your vision. Some can even make you look younger.
KDKA's Kym Gable talked to a local doctor who was the first in Pittsburgh to use a special kind of laser called "Fraxel."
Lately, some of the most photographed Hollywood A-listers have been spilling their secret for healthy, glowing, younger-looking skin.
Stars like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston and Ellen Barkin use what's become the gold standard in cosmetic lasers.
"I wanted to look fresher, not necessarily younger, just fresher and brighter," says Nancy Urban.
So, Urban sought out plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Chiu.
"Back in the mid-2000s, I was the first to use this technology because I foresaw it was truly revolutionary," said Dr. Chiu.
It's used for lines and wrinkles, age spots, sun damage, even pre-cancerous lesions. Instead of removing layers of skin, it treats from underneath.
"Think of it as a picture or digital photo where you have pixels," said Dr. Chiu. "The laser puts down these micro-columns of energy and as a result you have surrounding skin that's not treated that enables the treated area to heal faster."
"I couldn't believe it was so easy, it didn't hurt at all," said Urban.
Dr. Chiu is methodical about documenting his patients' progress. He has before and after photos of some of them; women and men who saw a big difference after just a few treatments.
After her treatments, Urban says she's loving the reaction she gets; especially when she reveals that she's 58-years-old.
For some patients, the goal isn't necessarily to look younger. The "Fraxel" is also used for things like acne and scaring and the results have been life-changing.
Alaina Brozik lived for years with severe acne scars, trying to mask her self-consciousness with an outgoing personality and a lot of makeup.
"Well, you look in the mirror and you actually feel embarrassed," said Brozik before her treatments.
"And there is not enough coverage in the world to cover all that."
Five sessions is all it took to erase those years of damage - unveiling smoother, glowing skin.
"All you feel is a tingling sensation and it only lasts minutes and that's it," Brozik said of her treatment. "I had a little redness, but I covered it up and I was good to go; so, there was no down time for me whatsoever."
That's a big bonus for the women on the go in Pittsburgh, and for celebs on the red carpet.
"You know you treat the condition, fine lines, wrinkles, acne scaring, pigmentation issues, but it's also a maintenance kind of treatment, and I think a lot of these celebrities utilize it to stay youthful looking," Dr. Chiu added.
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