Laser Skin Resurfacing in Atlanta, GA
Laser resurfacing improves tone, texture and fine lines, so your skin keeps pace with the confidence of a new smile. Dr. Arshia Payman, MD sets the intensity to your skin at a free consultation in Buckhead, Cumming or Dawsonville.
What is laser skin resurfacing, and how does it work?
Laser skin resurfacing uses focused light energy to treat the surface of the skin and encourage collagen renewal underneath. At ANEWU in Atlanta, Dr. Arshia Payman, MD sets the treatment intensity to your skin type and goals, so one session can target fine lines, sun damage, uneven tone or texture.
If you have ever wondered why two people can have the same treatment and leave with very different plans, this is the reason. Resurfacing is not one setting. Lighter work stays closer to the surface and asks less of your calendar, while more intensive resurfacing reaches further and asks for more recovery time in return.
Dr. Payman treats that choice as part of the consultation rather than a detail to settle later, and laser sits alongside the rest of facial aesthetics at ANEWU instead of standing apart from it.
What does laser resurfacing treat?
Laser resurfacing is commonly used for fine lines, sun damage, uneven tone and texture, and some types of scarring. Dr. Payman will assess your skin at a free consultation in Atlanta and recommend the treatment intensity that fits your goals, since not every concern calls for the same setting.
If you have ever wondered whether the thing that bothers you in photographs is worth raising, raise it. Tone, texture and fine lines are the everyday concerns this treatment is built around, and softening acne scarring is one of the most common reasons patients ask about it in the first place.
- Fine lines that show up most in photographs.
- Sun damage and uneven tone across the cheeks and forehead.
- Rough or uneven texture you can feel as much as see.
- Some types of acne scarring you would like to soften.
Laser resurfacing compared with a chemical peel.
Both renew skin quality. They arrive there differently, and the right choice depends on what you want changed and how much recovery time you can plan around.
| Consideration | Laser resurfacing | Chemical peels |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Focused light energy treats deeper skin layers | A topical acid solution exfoliates the surface |
| Often used for | Fine lines, tone, texture, some scarring | Surface tone and milder texture concerns |
| Downtime | Varies with treatment intensity | Typically shorter, with mild peeling |
| Change you can expect | Can address deeper concerns | Lighter change, often needs more frequent visits |
If it is lost volume rather than skin quality that bothers you, dermal fillers answer a different question and are often discussed in the same visit.
Am I a candidate for laser resurfacing?
You may be a candidate for laser resurfacing if you have sun damage, fine lines, uneven tone or texture, or acne scarring you would like to soften, and no active infection or irritation in the treatment area. Dr. Arshia Payman, MD reviews your skin type and history at a free consultation before anything is scheduled.
- You have noticed sun damage, fine lines, or uneven tone and texture.
- You have some acne scarring you would like to soften.
- You recently finished cosmetic dental work and want your skin to match your new smile.
- You are in good general skin health, with no active infection or irritation in the treatment area.
- You want a plan built around your skin type rather than a standard setting.
Laser resurfacing is not the right fit for every skin type, and results vary from patient to patient. If you are unsure what a first appointment actually involves, here is what to expect at your first visit.
What happens at each stage of treatment.
Three stages, in order, so you know what you are agreeing to before you agree to it.
- 1
Your skin consultation
Dr. Payman assesses your skin type and history, listens to what you want changed, and sets the treatment intensity that fits those goals. This consultation is free, and nothing is scheduled at it unless you want it to be.
- 2
The in-office laser session
Treatment takes place in the aesthetics suite rather than a surgical theatre. Comfort measures are used as needed throughout the session, and Dr. Payman explains what you will feel before she begins.
- 3
Guided recovery at home
You follow simple at-home care while your skin renews, with results developing over the following weeks. A follow-up is used to review the change and plan any additional sessions.
What to expect while your skin renews.
The two questions patients ask before booking are almost always about time: time away from the mirror, and time across the calendar.
Is there downtime after laser resurfacing?
Downtime after laser resurfacing depends on the intensity of the treatment. Lighter treatments ask for little to none, while more intensive resurfacing can mean several days of redness or peeling. Dr. Payman walks you through exactly what to expect, and the at-home care that goes with it, before you begin.
That is worth planning around rather than hoping for. If you have an event on the calendar, say so at the consultation, because the intensity can be chosen with that date in mind.
How many sessions of laser resurfacing will I need?
Some patients see meaningful change after a single laser resurfacing treatment, while others do better with a short series spaced out over time. The plan is set at your consultation at ANEWU, based on your skin, your goals and how much recovery time you want between sessions.
Nobody is asked to commit to a series before the first session. The follow-up is where that conversation happens, once there is real skin to look at rather than a prediction.
Individual results vary and are discussed at your free consultation.
Skin and smile, planned in one place.
If you have ever wondered why a skin treatment appears on an oral and facial surgery site, this is the reason. Patients who finish a smile makeover often notice the skin around it next, and being sent somewhere else to deal with that is how a good result starts to feel unfinished.
At ANEWU, Dr. Payman leads facial aesthetics in the same practice that handles the surgical and cosmetic dentistry side, so the two plans can be sequenced instead of competing for the same weeks.
- Smoother texture and more even tone.
- Softened fine lines.
- Skin that complements a refreshed smile rather than trailing behind it.
You can read how other patients describe the experience in our patient stories.
How much does laser resurfacing cost in Atlanta?
Laser resurfacing cost at ANEWU depends on the treatment intensity your skin calls for and whether you plan a single session or a short series. Facial aesthetics treatments are not typically covered by dental or medical insurance. ANEWU accepts CareCredit and Proceed Finance, and can arrange a monthly payment plan.
No number is published here, because a number without a skin assessment behind it is a guess. You will get a real figure at the free consultation, and you can review the financing options we accept before you come in.
Call the office and ask. (470) 288-9655, Monday to Saturday.
Laser resurfacing questions, answered.
A few more things patients ask before their first visit.
Ask us directlyYes. Many patients pair skin resurfacing with the finishing touches of a smile makeover, so their skin and their smile move forward together.
It depends on the individual. Dr. Payman evaluates your skin type and history at a consultation to determine whether resurfacing, and at what intensity, is the right fit for you.
Ask which treatment intensity suits your skin type, how much downtime to plan for, whether one session or a short series makes more sense, and what the cost looks like either way. Photographs of the concerns that bother you most give Dr. Payman something specific to work from.
Who performs laser resurfacing at ANEWU?
Dr. Arshia Payman, MD, a board-certified physician specializing in aesthetic medicine, personally performs and oversees every laser resurfacing treatment at ANEWU. She trained at George Washington University and across four Washington D.C. hospitals, and she leads facial aesthetics across all three of the practice's Georgia offices.
She works alongside Dr. Abtin Shahriari, an oral surgeon specializing in implant dentistry, so surgical and aesthetic goals are planned together rather than handed off between practices.
Dr. Payman leads facial aesthetics at the Buckhead, Cumming and Dawsonville offices, and she sets the treatment intensity for every laser resurfacing case herself rather than delegating it.
Last updated September 2026. Meet Dr. PaymanExplore more, or find your nearest office.
Reviewed by Dr. Arshia Payman, MD, a board-certified physician specializing in aesthetic medicine. Last updated September 2026.
Talk to Dr. Payman about your skin.
A free consultation is the simplest way to find the right treatment intensity for your skin and your goals.