What is Skin Resurfacing?
Skin resurfacing includes any cosmetic procedure that will remove the outer layers of the skin.The purpose of skin resurfacing is to change the surface texture and appearance of the skin.
* Microdermabrasion
* Dermabrasion
* Chemical Peels
* Laser Resurfacing Procedures
The resurfacing procedure may be on the less invasive end of the spectrum with no downtime, (eg microdermabrasion), or at the most invasive end of the spectrum (C02/Erbium laser resurfacing)
Why would I choose to have Skin Resurfacing?
* If I want to improve the texture of the skin
* If I have acne scarring
* If I want to have younger looking skin
* If I want to have improvement in fine lines
* To prevent/fight skin aging
* To treat photodamage
What are the risks/side effects of skin resurfacing?
The less invasive the treatment (usually the more superficial the resurfacing procedure) the lower the risks.
* Hyperpigmentation (PIH) or darker skin tone caused by inflammation of the skin associated with the resurfacing procedure (not all patients are susceptible to this side effect, typically those with darker skin tone are at risk)
* Hypopigmentation ie lighter skin tone in the area of treatment
* Scarring: very rare
* Infection: including bacterial and herpesvirus (cold sore infection)
* Prolonged redness after treatment (often occurs in those patients who regularly have issues with redness)
* Need for multiple treatments. One treatment may not produce the expected effects