Skin Rejuvenation

Skin Rejuvenation

Skin resurfacing techniques smooth and even out the tone and texture of your skin, helping to reclaim a fresher, more youthful appearance. Several resurfacing techniques are available. Your age, the color and condition of your skin, and your desired goals are all considerations in determining which treatment is best for you.

Each technique causes a “controlled injury” to your skin. This means that the treatment triggers a cycle that purposely damages the skin so the damaged cells can be shed and new cells can surface. Deeper treatments or treatments done in combination with one another may be more likely to yield the results you’d like. You often need more than one treatment to get the best results. It can take as long as 14 days to completely heal and redness may last even longer. Light chemical peels may help tighten the skin with very limited downtime (less than 24 hours) and risk.

Following treatment, you will use medications and ointments to aid in healing. If you have sensitive skin that does not tolerate medications and ointments, you may not be a candidate for skin resurfacing.

Risks may include:

• Lightening or darkening of treated skin; some abnormal color change may occur and it may be permanent.
• Infection.
• Scarring.
• Flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters or cold sores.

Microdermabrasion

This is a non-surgical treatment that helps give the skin a fresher look. The surgeon uses a wand to blow crystals on your skin, and then the crystals and dead skin cells are sucked away through the wand. The procedure only takes about 5 to 10 minutes, and if done regularly, can help reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles and superficial scarring. The recovery period for microdermabrasion and other superficial skin resurfacing techniques is very short. Most people are able to apply makeup and feel comfortable being seen in public on the same day of the procedure..

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is a non-surgical procedure used to treat acne scars, other scar tissue and wrinkles. A high-speed rotary instrument is used to “sand” away the top layers of skin. New skin grows in as you heal that has a smoother texture. The dermabrasion depth varies with your specific needs. Similarly, the recovery period varies depending on the depth of dermabrasion and ranges from 1 day to several weeks.

Risks may include:

• Lightening or darkening of treated skin; some abnormal color change may occur and it may be permanent.
• Infection.
• Scarring.
• Flare-up of skin allergies, fever blisters or cold sores.

Key facts about Dermabrasion:

• Anesthesia used: Intravenous sedation, local
• Length of procedure: Up to 1 hour, depending on area being treated
• Length of stay: Usually dismissed the same day
• Side effects: Bruising and swelling (usually lasts about 2 weeks)
• Discomfort: Mild
• Length of results: May be lasting for acne scars; if used for facial wrinkles, it is effective until aging produces new wrinkles. 

Laser Treatments

LASER is an acronym that stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.” Lasers have been used for decades in the practice of medicine. If you are thinking about laser resurfacing, be sure to tell your surgeon:

• About other resurfacing treatments you’ve had.
• About any skin conditions you have such as viral infections of the skin or lips.
• If you are sensitive to the sun.
• If you have used vitamin A-based medications.
• If you are taking nutritional supplements or herbal remedies.
• If you have a history of cold sores or fever blisters.
• If you have taken Accutane™ or other facial creams for acne or other skin conditions. All the above can affect how you heal.

Before laser resurfacing:

You may be given an antiviral treatment to prevent infection and scarring.

You may be treated with hydroquinone cream, a bleaching agent that decreases the chance of developing dark spots on your skin (hyperpigmentation.)

You may be prescribed a cream containing retinoic acid (such as Retin-A™) to prevent fine wrinkling, roughness, and pigment changes to use for 6 weeks before treatment.

Your surgeon evaluates the color, quality and thickness of your skin and takes photographs. During the procedure, bursts of laser light energy are passed over the skin to vaporize the layers of damaged skin. The energy is delivered so rapidly that no secondary heat is generated that could otherwise cause tissue damage.

When the procedure is done, your face may be covered with a protective ointment. Laser resurfacing treats many minor skin problems including wrinkles, scars, birthmarks, tattoos, and age spots. Laser treatments can soften the lines around the eyes and mouth and minimize unevenly pigmented areas of skin and facial scars. It may be used to treat a single area, multiple areas or the entire face.

Laser treatments are effective for treating fine to medium-depth wrinkles (especially around the mouth and on the eyelids) as well as age spots and some types of acne scarring. It is less effective in treating deep wrinkles. During recovery from laser treatment, you may have a significant amount of pain. This method creates a burn on the skin which will be red, and may blister and drain (“weep”) for 7 to 14 days after treatment. You are given prescriptions for pain medications to ease your discomfort. Care following laser resurfacing is time-consuming. You have to wash your face 2 to 4 times a day for 7 to 10 days, and reapply an ointment each time.

Risks may include:

• Infection.
• If you have laser resurfacing near your eyes, your skin may contract and pull down the skin of your lower eyelids. This can require surgery to correct.