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Under Laser Procedure, Face Renews Itself With Younger-Looking Skin

(CBS) -- Some people are now turning to laser treatment to deal with wrinkles, especially those that develop around the lips.

As CBS 2's Mary Kay Kleist reports, the newest generation of laser therapy can take years off your face.

Vicki Wolsfelt helps brides-to-be look their brightest and best for their big day. But there was a time when she didn't feel that way about herself.

"I tried every kind of make-up, every kind of moisturizer," she says. "Nothing was working."

After a laser procedure, she says she feels 20 years younger.

Dr. Bryan Rubach performs as many as five of these 20-minute procedures every week at the Center for Cosmetic and Laser Surgery in Naperville.

"It works by removing the outer layers of the skin that are damaged by the sun or with aging," he explains. "The body then heals, and it increases the amount of collagen in the skin."

A newer Erbium laser helps patients heal more quickly, with less down time -- about three to four weeks instead of three months.

Kleist watched a procedure on another patient. Within minutes, she could see shiny, bright skin appear.

"The older skin that is healthy and undamaged is down below, so we're going to then have new, healthy skin grow in," Rubach says. "That's what rejuvenates the skin and gets rid of the lines and wrinkles and the brown spots."

Another option would be an injectable filler to smooth out the wrinkle. But Rubach says that type of procedure typically lasts nine to twelve months, whereas the laser procedure can last up to 10 years.

Wolsfelt had her laser treatment in 2010.

"I don't have to get up in the morning and try to camouflage," she says. "Now I feel great."

The procedure costs anywhere from $1,200 to $4,000. The Erbium laser can also be used for burns and severe acne, laser hair removal and for full-face laser re-surfacing.

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