Take for example the Today Show spotlight on three sisters, triplets, and the benefits of laser scar reduction. This treatment has changed the lives of three girls who have suffered scaring for nearly their whole lives. Chandra, Trae and Jordan Berns were victims of a fire that took their mother’s life when they were only 17 months old. The three girls suffered burns on a significant portion of their skin, including the face. Just recently, at age 22, state-of-the-art lasers were able to be used to significantly reduce their scars. As seen on the Today Show, the results are phenomenal and life-changing. The women can now overcome the disfiguring scars that once marred their beautiful baby skin.

Dr. Raval, a father of a newborn himself, says, “There is nothing like the miracle of baby skin. It’s fascinating to observe a child’s skin because it is so fresh, perfect and delicate.” Dr. Raval said it was a good decision for the three brave burn victims to opt to receive the treatment as young adults. “As we age, the skin over the scars can become thicker, darker and tougher. Now they are able to enjoy their youthful beauty. Medical science can be life changing,” adds Dr. Raval, MD, FACS.

Trae and Jordan are continuing their education, earning masters degrees in occupational therapy and Chandra hopes to one day begin a foundation for burn victims. The heroic triplets share their story to show that it is possible to triumph over tragedy. Things haven’t been easy for Trae, Jordan and Chandra, but they are on the road to recovery and so are their scars.

Dr. Raval is an expert in laser treatments. He consults with patients to design the best treatment plan based on severity of the scar and desired results so you a cost and timeline of when your skin will be saved can be accurately recommended.

There are variations of pro-fractional laser treatments and it is important to find the specific procedure that best fits your needs. The Blue-U Light and the Levulan PDT Therapy treat acne scars, the Sciton laser is more geared toward laser peels and preventative treatments and the Cynosure laser is for hair reduction and collagen rebuilding. Dr. Raval also uses the Visia® Complexion Analyser, a high-tech mirror imaging gadget that records the skin and its varied conditions, to generate what the skin will likely look like over time. Visit RockyMountainLaser.com for information or to schedule a consultation call 303-381-3223.

We all know what dry skin and sunburn look like. If you’ve experienced sunburn, there’s likely sun damage to your skin even if it doesn’t show up immediately.

Actinic keratosis, on the other hand, is a medical word not used in everyday conversation. This symptom of sun damage shows up as a small bump that feels like sandpaper or a persistent patch of scaly peeling skin that may have a jagged or even sharp surface and is pink, yellow, red or brownish in color. Sometimes actinic keratosis itches or is slightly tender.

Damage to the skin’s collagen causes fine lines, deeper wrinkles, a thickened skin texture and easy bruising on sun-exposed areas, especially the back of the hands and forearms.

The expert medical aestheticians at Rocky Mountain Laser Aesthetics can confirm if you’ve had sun damage by examining the area of concern. If you’re experiencing a patch of actinic keratosis, your doctor might recommend a biopsy to rule out skin cancer.

Rocky Mountain Laser Aesthetics can also measure the amount of sun damage to your skin with our Visia Digital Skin Analysis. Then we can customize a treatment for you to treat your sun damaged skin.

Q. What is Visia Digital Skin Analysis?

A. VISIA™ Digital Skin Analysis is a revolutionary innovation that uses a multi-spectral imaging to create a map of your face, thus identifing problem areas of your complexion and establishing a basis of your skin’s condition and/or damage compared to other women of your same age.

Not only does the Visia Digital Skin Analysis detect surface damage to your skin, but it also identifies and measures subsurface epidermal irregularities and pigment conditions including:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Hyperpigmentation (age/dark spots)
• Enlarged pores
• Skin tone evenness (color variation)
• Porphyrins (evidence of bacterial growth)
• Sun damage (UV spots)

Visia is a painless treatment, a sort of mapping or photograph of your face and it’s cellular irregularities.

Q. If I am diagnosed with sun damage, what do I do next?

A. Aside from prevention (read further down in this column), Rocky Mountain Laser Aesthetics has a number of treatments that can turn back time for your sun-damaged skin. Our highly trained paramedical aestheticians can advise you on which treatments will be most effective to correct the sun damage you’ve suffered. See our Services Section of our website, or link to any of these services offered at Rocky Mountain Laser Aesthetics:

• Sciton MicroLaser Peel
• Parisian Peel Microdermabrasion
• BOTOX
• Restylane
• Hylaform Plus
• Captique
• Customized Medical Facial
• FotoFacial (IPL)
• Light Chemical Peels
• Photodynamic Therapy
• Photodynamic Acne Treatment (BLU-U)
• Laser Facial with the Cynosure Laser
• Collagen Rebuilding Treatment with the Cynosure Laser

Q. How do I prevent sun damage in the future?

A. You can help to prevent sun-damaged skin by taking the following steps:

•  Apply a sunscreen before you go outdoors. 30 SPF and above is recommended. And be sure to read the label because you’ll want to use a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays as both are damaging to the skin.
• Use a sunblock on your lips too. Your lips are skin and therefore need protection just like the rest of your face. Again, read the label. A SPF of 20 or higher is recommended.
• Limit your time outdoors when the sun is at its peak (from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in most parts of the continental United States).
• Wear sunglasses with UV light protection.
• Wear long pants, a shirt with long sleeves and a hat with a wide brim when you are in the sun.
• If you are taking medication or using certain skin care products that can accelerate the sun’s damage on your skin, be particularly aware of the time spent in the sun.
• Avoid sun tanning beds altogether.

Also, if you have a mole or patch of discolored and/or scaly skin on any part of your body, please see your physician to diagnose if you have skin cancer. At our elevation in Colorado the rate of skin cancer is much higher than in other low-lying parts of the country or world.