01/08/2026
One of the most common questions after a laser treatment is:
“Why does it take so long to see my final results?”
The answer lies in how skin heals and rebuilds itself at a cellular level.
1️⃣ Ablative lasers create a controlled injury
Ablative lasers work by precisely vaporizing microscopic columns of damaged skin, triggering a wound-healing response. While the surface heals relatively quickly, the real transformation happens deeper.
2️⃣ Collagen remodeling is a slow biological process
After treatment, fibroblasts are activated to produce new collagen, elastin, and extracellular matrix proteins. Collagen synthesis and reorganization takes weeks to months, not days.
3️⃣ Inflammation comes before regeneration
The skin must move through three distinct healing phases:
Inflammation (days): redness, swelling, heat
Proliferation (weeks): new tissue formation, angiogenesis
Remodeling (8–16+ weeks): collagen matures, tightens, and reorganizes
Visible tightening improvement doesn’t peak until the remodeling phase is well underway.
4️⃣ New collagen needs time to mature
Freshly produced collagen is thin and disorganized at first. Over time, it thickens, aligns, and strengthens—this is when you see smoother texture, tighter skin, and softened lines. This maturation process is why results continue improving for months after a single treatment.
Come in for a complimentary consultation to see if Laser resurfacing is right for you. Xo, Mackenzie 480-335-6867
collagenremodeling
