Over time, age spots and other imperfections can appear on your skin. These can make you look older before your time. Today, thanks to dermabrasion and chemical peel treatments you can clear many of these imperfections on the skin. Imperfections are no fun to have they can make you self-conscious about the way you look.
Dermatologist and other skin professionals can perform these treatments to remove age spots and other issues in a clinical setting. Many times, you will need more than one treatment to clear up your particular skin issue. This has to be decided by the professional you turn to for these procedures.
The Dermabrasion Procedure
Dermabrasion is a controlled method of surgical scraping. It is performed with a diamond wheel or wire brush to smooth the rough edges on the top layers of your skin. This damages the skin enough for it to have to heal. During the healing process new, smoother skin forms. This skin must be well protected at first for it is delicate.
This procedure is highly effective in removing sun damage, wrinkles, fine lines, age spots and scars from injuries or operations. It also can remove keratosis, which can be pre-cancerous growths. Severe acne scars can treat successfully with this process. Dermabrasion is performed on the face or small sections of your skin. It is often combined with other skin treatments such as chemical peels or facelifts.
How the Procedure is Performed
The skin where the procedure is going to be performed in cleaned. This local anesthetic is administered for your comfort. A cryogenic spray or ice is applied to firm up the skin. If large areas get this procedure you might even get sedated before the professional proceeds. It depends on how deep the abrasions are on your skin. One section at a time is treated at a time to remove age spots, wrinkles or whatever your issue is that this procedure will help diminish or remove.
Healing Time
Recovery time depends on how large of an area is treated. Typically, you will see new skin growth within about a week. It will be pinkish or reddish in color that slowly fades over the next month to three months. You can use makeup on the skin to make it look your normal tone.
Microdermabrasion Procedure
Microdermabrasion is a less invasive treatment for refinishing the skin than dermabrasion is. With this procedure, the top layer of skin is sloughed off to stimulate new skin growth. This helps the skin produce more collagen, which helps to smooth out wrinkles. Age spots can also be helped with this procedure. Unlike dermabrasion, there is no downtime to recover.
Chemical Peel Treatments
Chemical peel treatments come in various strengths depending on what is needed to treat your particular skin problem. These peels are ideal for treating fine wrinkles, age spots, blemishes or evening out pigmentation in the skin. It has some success with certain acne scars, removing pre-cancerous growths and can even help treat acne. The chemicals used in these peels are various acids that have been deemed safe for skin treatments. Alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid are some common ones used in this process. These are mild enough to use at home. However, they could also be used in professional treatments.
Another acid that is used is beta hydroxy acid such as salicylic acid. This acid is a common ingredient in acne solutions for one thing. Salicylic acid is another mild one that can also be used in clinical settings.
The strongest type of peel is the phenol peel. This type of peel has to be applied by a professional because it has the ability to remove even deep wrinkles not just age spots.
The Procedure
The skin is cleaned prior to the chemical peel being applied. If it is one of the stronger peels, local anesthetic may be called for along with pain meds. The acids are then applied to the area, and left on for a certain length of time depending on what is needed to achieve the results. You could feel a burning during this time. At times, cool compresses are used to relieve this feeling.
Chemical Peel Reactions
The skin usually turns red after a chemical peel as with sunburn. Then the scaling starts and lasts for up to seven days. With the stronger peels, more severe reactions can happen Mild peels can be repeated closer together than the harsher peels. Check with a professional to see how often you should have a peel for your particular skin concern.
After any of the peels, you should avoid sun exposure because the exposed new skin is quite tender and could be easily damaged. Your dermatologist or other skin specialist will tell you how to care for your skin during this time.
Risks
Chemical peels could cause color changes to the skin depending on the skin type you have sometimes these could be permanent. Some scarring could occur; but this is usually treatable. For a comprehensive list of risks you should always seek advice from your doctor.
Benefits of Chemical peels
Chemical peels could prevent you from having to have the surgical dermabrasion or other more invasive skin treatments for your wrinkle, age spots or other skin imperfections. Of course, it does depend how deep your imperfections run into the skin as to whether the chemical peels can be successful.
Consult with a Dermatologist or Other Skin Specialist
To see which one of these treatments would benefit your skin the most, consult with a dermatologist or other skin specialist. They are the people that would know if the chemical peels are an effective solution or if you need to have dermabrasion performed.
No one likes to have scars, wrinkles, fine lines, age spots or other imperfections on their skin, whether they are on the face or other parts of their body. You probably feel the same way about your skin. Today, it is easier than ever to be treated for any of these conditions.
Katerina writes about women's beauty products, recently including a very revealing wrinkle cream review. You can also read her latest anti-aging product review over here.
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