Plastic Surgery & DOT Laser Therapy

DOT (Dermal Optical Thermolysis) fractional laser therapy is an advanced form of laser skin rejuvenation offering excellent benefits and a dramatically reduced recovery period. Orlando Plastic Surgeon Dr. Brian Joseph provides this state-of-the-art treatment in his Winter Park, Florida, Park Avenue Plastic Surgery practice. Dr. Joseph received his bachelor's degree from Tulane University and his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine. He his widely regarded as one of the nation’s finest practitioners of the art and skill of cosmetic surgery.

Problems with Older Laser Methods

Lasers have been beneficial to addressing skin needs for many years. Until recently, wrinkling and sun damage were typically addressed through the CO2 laser; this laser effectively heat-vaporized the outermost layers of skin across a large surface area. After a lengthy recovery period, the treated area became fresh and supple. However, the benefits came only after 10-14 days of pain and the associated symptoms of second-degree burns. The skin continued to have a pink-red tinge for months after the procedure, and a risk of infection was present if after care instructions were not followed closely. A small number of patients developed negative effects such as permanent skin whitening or excessive skin pigment.

Laser Technology Breakthrough

Thankfully, an alternative has been developed. Two medical technologies have united: fractional laser technology and the CO2 laser. This has created a resurfacing and restorative treatment that penetrates more deeply into the skin than current fractional lasers, while offering a more rapid recovery than the CO2 laser.

Using the healing process that is natural to the human body, DOT fractional laser therapy uses this action to accomplish its objective. By placing rows of microscopic laser wounds across the skin with untreated areas between them, the lower layer of collagen begins to repair itself. The skin’s surface contains only these minute wounds, rather than the huge, oozing burns brought on by more traditional laser treatments.

After the passage of a few days, it is difficult to detect evidence that the treatment has even occurred, and since the treatment takes place in an area with a small number of pain receptors, pain is minimal. Skin begins to repair itself from the inside out, producing fresh, more resilient collagen. Over several months, the skin fills out more evenly, creating a tight, smooth and more even surface.

The DOT CO2's longer wavelength, brought together with fractional laser technology takes the treatment into deeper layers of the dermis than fractional laser treatments. Also, skin whitening or excessive skin pigmentation has not been reported.

Learn more about DOT fractional laser therapy on our frequently asked questions about DOT page.

If you are interested in exploring the unique possibilities of the new, DOT fractional laser therapy, please contact the Orlando, Florida, Park Avenue Plastic Surgery office of Dr. Brian Joseph.