Facial resurfacing

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Woman touching face after facial resurfacing treatment.

Facial resurfacing can involve a variety of treatments, including laser resurfacing, chemical peels, dermabrasion, and microneedling. The right procedure for a patient will depend on their cosmetic goals and concerns.

The skin experiences changes with age — changes that can be accelerated with increased sun exposure, smoking, and genetics. Unfortunately, by the time most patients begin treatment to improve skin quality and appearance, extensive damage has been done. Even patients who take excellent care of their skin will still notice loss of volume and elasticity, and discoloration and changes in texture. Additionally, patients may see fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, and small blood vessels near the surface of their skin.

 
Skin aging can be exacerbated by the descent of facial soft tissues and bone loss. All of these changes can cause the face to appear older and worn out. Fortunately, patients can try various treatments to resurface facial skin, from less aggressive office-based procedures like moderate chemical peels and laser resurfacing, to more aggressive procedures requiring sedation and anesthetic, like deep chemical peels and ablative laser resurfacing.

Benefits of Facial Resurfacing

Woman undergoing facial resurfacing

Address acne

Reduce roasacea

Smooth fine lines

Even out skin texture

Fade pigmentation or sunspots

Lessen deep wrinkles

Rejuvenate aging skin

The Potential of Facial Resurfacing

Whether the patient chooses laser resurfacing, chemical peels, dermabrasion, or microneedling, the value of each will depend on treatment goals and areas of concern.

Laser resurfacing (typically done with a carbon dioxide, or CO2 laser) can help address acne, scarring, abnormal skin texture, and age-related changes like fine lines, deep wrinkles, and sun damage. Laser resurfacing can be done in a fractionated manner, which requires less downtime but a series of treatments to see results. Or, patients can undergo more aggressive, ablative laser resurfacing to experience more profound benefits. However, patients will need more downtime during the healing process.

Chemical peels are done with a controlled concentration of a known acid that creates a superficial trauma to the skin. This burn causes superficial skin layers to exfoliate. This can include the epidermis, which is treated with a superficial chemical peel, or the dermis, which is treated with a moderate or deep chemical peel. The depth of a peel is tied to the goal of treatment, expectations, and the acceptable downtime. The higher the chemical peel concentration, the more aggressive the peel, the greater the effect, the greater potential discomfort, and the more recovery time is required.
 
Dermabrasion involves superficial abrasions that reveal fresh layers of skin underneath. Although it can be done in a greater surface area like the entire face, it is typically used for spot treatment in areas of need, such as acne scars, post-surgical incisions, and trauma scars. Depending on the depth of treatment, recovery can be minimal or prolonged.

Get in Touch

Many patients undergoing skin resurfacing procedures are looking to address specific facial concerns, such as acne, rosacea, fine lines, abnormal skin texture, pigmentation or sunspots, deep wrinkles, and aged skin. Others simply want a more youthful appearance and smoother skin. We encourage patients to schedule a consultation to learn more about skin resurfacing and identify the right approach for their aesthetic goals.
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