The place of laser resurfacing within the range of medical and surgical skin resurfacing techniques.

The history of resurfacing procedures used to treat the aging face is reviewed, and the place of laser resurfacing within this context is described. The changing medical reimbursement system and desire by "baby boomers" to maintain a youthful image have driven the technical development of laser resurfacing. Medical management of the skin begins with prevention of photodamage by sunscreens and education about sun protection. The next step in management of the aging face is therapy with alpha-hydroxy acid creams and topical tretinoin. Finally, the resurfacing procedures of chemical peels, dermabrasion, and lasers are the next step. The treatment of the aging face with medical and surgical methods has been enhanced over several decades by new and existing topical agents and surgical treatments. The advent of laser resurfacing in the 1990s occurring with the introduction of the Coherent Ultra-Pulse CO2 (Coherent Laser, Palo Alto, CA) and Sharplan Silk Touch (Sharplan Lasers, Inc, Allendale, NJ) lasers has added new therapeutic options for our patients. The combination of new resurfacing lasers with traditional surgical procedures will probably be the ideal approach to the treatment of the aging face.