In Miami, the land of the “Beautiful People” – where sun and sand mean that skin is always exposed, Dr. Andrea Trowers, Board Certified Dermatologist based in North Miami Beach, helps enhance all of her client’s beauty.

Dr. Trowers exclusively addresses many of your biggest skin care questions in our ongoing series of columns. Her latest column is on the topic of lasers. Many of you have heard about all the things they can do for your face and body. Now you can find out more about what they can (and can’t) do and how Dr. Trowers views them. – RLB

Lasers

Today, as she was receiving her Botox injection, one of my patients asked, “What lasers do you have now Dr. T?” I replied, “The same one I’ve always had. It’s a Nd Yag Cool Glide and it works great for hair removal. I can use it on all skin types, as long as the hair is dark brown or black.” She told me I needed to buy a laser that removes brown spots on the arms. I told her would love to find one, but my policy is to test every laser, procedure, cosmetic and prescription product on one of my staff, friends or family members before promoting it to patients and I hadn’t found a laser yet that worked on her very common complaint.

Over the years I have tried several lasers for brown spots, red spots, photoaging, skin tightening and spider vein removal and have never been impressed enough to buy them (and at times have been thoroughly disappointed by the results). However for all of these skin complaints there are tried and true treatments that may not have the abracadabra instantaneous results that lasers promise (and almost never deliver), but that will over time with compliance and commitment to the treatment plan produce great results. These results are also obtained with less down time and at a significantly cheaper cost than laser therapies.

All of the patients who came to me raving about the results they obtained with lasers at other locations have admitted that the same results were obtained with the skin care regimens I have prescribed. So before purchasing a laser treatment just ask if the doctor has treated themselves with the laser and a number of staff members. I know that every procedure at my office has been performed on me, staff, friends and family members. If the laser they are promoting to you is so great, why isn’t everyone at their office using it?
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