With the advanced Sciton JOULE system, Commonwealth Facial Plastic Surgery in Richmond performs laser skin resurfacing with the Contour Turntable Resurfacing Laser (TRL). The adaptable Contour TRL application uses a 2940 Er:YAG laser that can be adjusted to meet the patient's skin concerns and cosmetic goals. The Contour TRL can be used for light micro peels on the surface layers of the skin or to reach deeper levels and correct larger issues. As an additional benefit, the Contour TRL laser stimulates the skin's natural collagen production so the patient's complexion is firmer and healthier after treatments. Dr. Matthew Bridges and his team offer Contour TRL treatments for patients who want to improve the appearance of:

• Fine lines
• Rough skin texture
• *Scars (*only with full face resurfacing revision, results may vary)
• Uneven skin tone
• Wrinkles

The Contour TRL treatment is performed in Dr. Bridges' office with shields over the patient’s eyes to protect the retinas and corneas. Once the patient is ready, the laser is passed slowly over the treated areas. The procedure generally takes less than one hour, but this varies based on the extent of the patient’s treatment. The patient’s skin will be protected and moisturized before the patient is sent home to recover.

Before the patient leaves, the laser technician will go talk about the best ways to care for the skin after the Contour TRL treatment, including normal after effects and when they will see results. The skin will usually be pink to red and tender for 1 – 4 weeks after the treatment, so patients should avoid sun exposure and use sun protection liberally. Once the skin heals after the treatment, the patient will see their results in about 6 – 8 weeks. Patients should contact Commonwealth Facial Plastic Surgery when they see their results fading and want a touch-up treatment.

Contour Tunable Resurfacing Laser (TRL) helps restore damaged, tired skin with new, healthy skin. provides precision energy treatments to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and stimulate collagen production. There are deeper treatment options as well as more superficial depending on what your specific needs are. Contour TRL (Tunable Resurfacing Laser) is the safest and most effective full-field skin resurfacing solution available. With tunable technology, Contour TRL provides treatment options from shallow resurfacing (up to 50 µm of ablation) to deep resurfacing (up to 200 µm of ablation per pass). Tunable control means tunable results, achieved safely, to provide customized patient outcomes on all skin types, both on face and body.

Contour TRL provides independent control over the depth of ablation and coagulation. The physician can precisely tune the laser to the exact tissue effect desired – from pure ablation to pure coagulation, and every combination in between.

Contour TRL can be tuned to treat:

• All skin types
• Both face & body
• Mild & deep wrinkles
• Peri-oral & peri-orbital wrinkles
• Acne scars
• Post-traumatic & surgical scars
• Actinic keratosis
• Pigmented lesions
• Lax skin
• Poor skin tone & texture

The Contour TRL employs a dual-mode erbium:YAG laser that incorporates the pinnacle of resurfacing laser technology. Erbium has a much higher absorption in the target chromophore water than CO2 (see graph below) which gives erbium the ability to vaporize tissue with very little thermal conduction. By contrast, due to its comparatively low absorption by water, CO2 lasers conduct a significant amount of heat into the tissue. The clinical significance of erbium’s superior ablation efficiency should be a critical factor in deciding which laser to add to one’s practice. Studies have shown that erbium lasers produce far fewer side effects such as the prolonged erythema and hypopigmentation that are common with CO2 lasers.

Erbium’s high water absorption is only part of the story. What truly sets the Contour apart is TRL technology, which gives the user the ability to adjust the depth of ablation and coagulation independently. By modulating the laser’s energy to deliver supra-ablative pulses, the Contour is able to vaporize any depth of tissue from 4 to 200 microns per pass with extreme precision. If coagulation is desired, sub-ablative laser energy is delivered in a train of pulses that heat the tissue to a selectable depth without vaporizing it.