Thomas P. Sterry, MD
1080 5th Avenue #1b
New York, NY 10128
Phone: (212) 249-4020
Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Palomar fractional laser treats fine lines and wrinkles without the downtime of CO2 lasers.
The Palomar 1540 Fractional Laser and 2940 Fractional Laser are excellent choices if you want to diminish fine lines and wrinkles without the long periods of down time required for CO2 lasers. And that isn’t the only benefit of the Palomar Fractional Laser. New York patients who visit Dr. Sterry for this revolutionary treatment can also expect a more comfortable experience compared to CO2 lasers, and the results are achieved much more quickly. After one treatment or a few quick treatments, you will be able to achieve smoother and younger-looking skin.
To find out if laser skin resurfacing in New York City is right for you, request a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sterry or call (212) 249-4020.
Fine lines and wrinkles? No time for CO2 laser treatments with a long healing process?
Dr. Thomas P. Sterry
Thomas Sterry, MD, is a board-certified New York City plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience. He has been president of both the New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons and the New York Regional Society of Plastic Surgeons. In addition, he sits on the executive council of the New York County Medical Society and has been a delegate to the Medical Society of the State of New York for years. At his inviting, boutique-style practice in Manhattan, he focuses on each patient’s unique needs and aesthetic goals so that he can provide the most attractive and natural-looking outcomes possible.
Meet Dr. Sterry Request a ConsultationCredentials you can trust
Dr. Sterry is one of the first physicians in the country to offer the newest Palomar Fractional Laser System. It is the ultimate state-of-the-art skin resurfacing technology and achieves fresher and younger-looking skin. There are two laser treatment options to choose from:
- The Palomar Lux 2940 Fractional Laser: If you want a single treatment with little downtime, this sophisticated, fractional ablative laser for skin resurfacing could be the right choice for you. The downtime for recovery is only two to five days, and Dr. Sterry can modify the treatment to give you the recovery time you prefer with only one treatment necessary.
- The Palomar Lux 1540 Fractional Laser: If you prefer to get the results you desire with absolutely no downtime, the Palomar 1540 Fractional Laser System could be right for you. After three to four treatments spaced approximately a month apart, this fractional non-ablative skin resurfacing laser will give you the results you’re looking for.
Have you ever wondered how Laser Resurfacing could transform your looks and give your spirits a boost, but hesitated to make an appointment? Meet Dr. Sterry
A Palomar Fractional Laser is a revolutionary type of laser that splits up light energy into 470 high-precision microbeams that create deep, narrow columns in the skin and penetrate the lower layers to stimulate the body’s natural healing response and cause new, healthy tissue to form. The result is smoother, younger-looking skin with improved color, texture, and tone. With the Palomar Fractional Laser, New York patients are able to achieve a more uniform skin color and reduce imperfections and sun damage such as freckles, brown spots, broken capillaries, acne scars, and/or enlarged pores.
Contact Dr. Sterry’s office today and schedule a consultation to see if the Palomar Fractional Laser System is right for you. He will evaluate you and listen to your goals to determine the best way to achieve the youthful, refreshed look you desire.
Laser Skin Resurfacing FAQ
What does a fractional laser do?
A fractional laser splits up laser light energy into an array of up to 470 high-precision microbeams. These tiny light beams create deep, narrow columns in the skin, leaving the epidermis in place and the islands of tissue surrounding the columns unaffected.
The islands of unaffected skin promote a much faster rate of healing with less chance of complications than traditional laser treatments.
Light energy from the fractional laser penetrates deep into the lower skin layer, or dermis. The columns of treated tissue stimulate the body’s natural healing response and cause new, healthy tissue to form in the epidermis and dermis. As a result, you’ll have smoother, younger-looking skin with even color and improved texture and tone.
What skin conditions can fractional lasers treat?
Fractional lasers can treat fine lines and wrinkles, and improve the skin’s color, texture, and tone.
What’s the difference between ablative and non-ablative lasers?
The difference lies in the laser’s effect on the top layer of the skin.
- Ablative lasers produce a controlled burning that removes the top layer of the skin, or epidermis, and penetrates deep into the dermis, or lower skin layer.
- Non-ablative lasers penetrate into the dermis, yet do not burn the skin or remove the epidermis. Thus, non-ablative treatments have a faster healing time than ablative laser treatments.
How is the fractional ablative laser different from other ablative laser treatments?
The fractional ablative laser preserves portions of healthy tissue surrounding the columns of treated tissue. Because the entire epidermis is not removed, healing occurs much faster than with a traditional CO2 laser treatment.
What do conventional CO2 ablative laser treatments do?
Traditional full-face laser skin resurfacing uses CO2—that is, carbon dioxide—to remove the entire outer skin layer and portions of the underlying skin layer. These conventional ablative procedures involve a one- to two-week recovery period with swelling, oozing, and crusting of the skin, as well as discomfort.
How are Palomar fractional laser treatments different?
Palomar fractional laser treatments are much less complicated and more comfortable than conventional laser skin resurfacing treatments. Unlike other laser methods, Palomar fractional laser treatments require no blue-tinted guide lotion to be applied to your skin. The Palomar laser also has a unique sapphire cooling tip that cools your skin, eliminating the need for a topical anesthetic and minimizing your discomfort.
Do Palomar fractional laser treatments hurt?
The Palomar laser’s sapphire cooling tip cools your skin before, during, and after each light pulse, making the treatment much more comfortable. And the fractional laser’s tiny columns of light prevent the unnecessary heat accumulation that occurs with traditional laser treatments.
What does a fractional laser treatment feel like?
The sensation most patients describe experiencing during treatment is like having a rubber band snapped lightly on your skin. Some patients say it feels like a sunburn sensation.
How does the laser refine the skin’s texture?
A laser facial can give you a smoother complexion by reducing enlarged pores. The heat that is generated in the deep areas of the dermis, over time, forces collagen to reconfigure itself and tighten up.
What can you expect after a Palomar Fractional Laser treatment?
That depends on whether you choose the fractional ablative or non-ablative laser.
- After a fractional ablative laser treatment, your skin will feel raw and swollen. The treated area will have a thick ointment and protective dressing applied after the resurfacing session. Continual application of protective ointment will be needed to keep skin hydrated. After 1-2 weeks, new skin will have formed but will likely remain pink or red in tone for several months.
- After a fractional non-ablative laser treatment, you can go right back to work or your normal routine. This is truly a lunchtime treatment. Some patients may experience some temporary mild redness following a treatment.
Because any laser treatment will make your skin more sensitive to the sun, you should avoid sun exposure after a treatment.
What results can you expect from Palomar Fractional Laser treatments?
By making the facial skin color more uniform and taking away some of the sun damage, laser facial treatments can make you look much younger. Think about a baby’s skin—it’s all one color. As we age, freckles, brown spots, broken capillaries, and acne scars can make the skin tone uneven. Laser facial treatments can erase these imperfections, or at least make them blend in more, to even out your skin tone for a more youthful look.
If you have enlarged pores, laser facial treatments can give your skin a smoother, younger-looking texture.
