Skin Care Equipment
By: Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP, CH
Surgical Equipment and Techniques
Dermabrasion is a skin refinishing technique that uses a variety of tools attached to a motorized handle to treat problem skin. Depending on your particular situation, the plastic surgeon or dermatologist may choose to use a wire brush, a burr composed of diamond particles, or a combination of several tools. Dermabrasion is typically used to eliminate wrinkles and other skin irregularities, but it can also be used to remove certain precancerous growths called keratoses. Dermabrasion may also be appropriate for evening out the rough edges of some blemishes to give the face a smoother overall appearance. The procedure may be done alone, or it is sometimes used in conjunction with other skin care procedures like a chemical peel.
Dermabrasion is considered to be surgery, and is usually performed in an outpatient facility. Patients are first given a sedative, followed by a local anesthetic. Most people remain awake during the procedure. After it is completed, your face will be bandaged for about 24 hours, which will help promote consistent healing. Full recovery takes about ten days.
A similar technique known as dermaplaning uses an instrument called a dermatome. The dermatome looks somewhat like an electric razor, and it works by means of an oscillating blade that planes off the outermost layers of skin around blemishes.
Microdermabrasion is another form of skin care that uses specialized equipment. This procedure utilizes crystals made from various substances, including sodium bicarbonate, nutshells, or wood. During microdermabrasion, the surgeon directs a steady stream of these fine crystals at problem areas. The process abrades the skin and removes dead skin cells. It also promotes the formation of new skin cells and collagen as well. Dermabrasion is typically used to treat acne, sunspots, wrinkles, fine lines, and mild scarring.
Lasers
Lasers are frequently employed to improve or remove wrinkles, scars and blemishes. A laser uses an intense beam of light to gently burn away the skin around problem areas. Modern lasers are remarkably accurate, allowing results and safety levels previously not available.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Lasers
CO2 lasers use the most highly-advanced laser technology available today. They produce short bursts of very high-energy light, which dissolve blemishes but leave healthy skin tissue intact. Carbon dioxide lasers have a very precise focus that allows for a quick, effective procedure that minimizes the risk of scarring and other potential complications.
Erbium (Er) Lasers
The Erbium:YAG laser is another laser-powered tool that is gentle and effective at precisely removing thin layers of unwanted tissue with minimal damage to surrounding healthy skin. This technology is most often used to treat moderate wrinkles, mild scarring, and to even out areas of skin discoloration.
Non-Ablative Lasers
Non-ablative lasers work below the surface of the skin to promote new collagen growth and firm up underlying skin. Also known as wound-healing lasers, they are generally used to improve the overall appearance of skin that is mildly to moderately damaged.
Chemicals
Chemical peels are typically used to improve the texture of the skin. They are appropriate for dealing with imperfections such as blemishes, wrinkles, and inconsistent skin pigmentation. Chemical peels require minimal recovery time and they are increasingly popular with both patients and dermatologists. Please note that I personally do not recommend chemical peels because they are traumatic to the skin and cause exposure to toxic chemicals.
Different types of peels employ different types of chemicals. A superficial chemical peel, can utilize several different chemicals including glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane), lactic acid (derived from milk), salicylic acid (derived from willow bark and other plants or Vitamin A).
Deep peels use stronger chemicals such as trichloracetic acid, phenol, or a combination of resorcinol, salicylic acid, and lactic acid. Let's take a closer look at each of these chemicals.
Glycolic, lactic acid, and salicylic acid are the mildest type of chemicals and are used to perform light peels, which can brighten the skin and improve its texture. They are often used to treat fine wrinkles, acne, dry skin, or uneven pigmentation.
Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) produces a medium grade skin peel that is used to treat moderate skin problems. It is stronger than the acids used in light peels, but not nearly as harsh as phenol.
Phenol is the strongest choice, and is reserved for deep chemical peels. It is commonly used to treat skin that has been significantly damaged by the sun, deep wrinkling, and even precancerous skin growths. Skin treated with phenol tends to become lightened during the process.
About the Author
Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP, CH is a Doctor of Naturopath, Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Practitioner and Clinical Herbalist in Houston, TX and Founder / CEO of Oasis Advanced Wellness. Under her leadership, Oasis Advanced Wellness is known and respected as one of the leading companies in providing safe and clean hi-tech natural health and wellness solutions. Because of the need for high-end natural and organic skin care products, Dr. Lanphier has developed Lanique Organics, an all-natural skin-care line which promotes natural health for the skin. All Lanique and OAW developed products are free of toxic ingredients, excipients and preservatives and are certified organic, organic, wild crafted or of the highest purity and quality that we can obtain while still providing the utmost degree of active ingredients. All product batches are laboratory tested to ensure that you are getting exactly what the label states. We will never knowingly compromise health in order to provide a cheaper product or to get a product out quickly. Lanphier is Editor and contributor to the worldwide Free E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness We invite you to visit us at Oasis Advanced Wellness, the PMS-Progesterone-Menopause Resource Center, the Acne Resource Center, the Glyconutrient Resource Center, the Allergy-Asthma-Sinus Relief Resource Center and www.oasisserene.com
