Skin Care Equipment

Surgical Equipment

Dermabrasion is a refinishing technique that utilizes specialized skin care equipment such as a rough wire brush, or a burr containing diamond particles, attached to a motorized handle. A dermatologist or a plastic surgeon can use dermabrasion to soften the sharp edges of surface irregularities, giving the skin a smoother appearance. It is most often used to remove wrinkles and similar blemishes, but it may also be used to remove pre-cancerous growths called keratoses. A dermabrasion may be performed alone, or it may be combined with another skin care procedure such as a facial or a chemical peel.

Dermabrasion is a surgical technique and is typically performed on an outpatient basis. Your health care provider will administer local anesthesia, to numb the skin, and a sedative to make you drowsy. During the procedure, you will more than likely be awake, but very relaxed. The surgeon will begin scraping away the outermost layer of skin until the blemishes become less noticeable. After the procedure, the physician will apply a sterile dressing which should help the skin heal more evenly.

A similar technique, called dermaplaning, uses a piece of equipment called a “dermatome.” The dermatome looks like an electric razor, and it has an oscillating blade that moves back and forth to plane off the surface layers of skin that surround the imperfections.

Microdermabrasion is another skin care procedure which utilizes specialized equipment. This procedure uses micronized crystals made from sodium bicarbonate, nutshells, or wood to treat damaged and aging skin. During this procedure, a surgeon will use an instrument designed to direct a steady stream of fine crystals onto the skin. These crystals abrade the skin and remove dead and flaking skin cells. This technique is used to stimulate collagen production and the growth of new skin cells. It’s commonly used to treat blemishes such as fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, sunspots, acne, and mild scarring.

Lasers

Lasers are frequently used in skin care to improve the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and blemishes. A laser produces an intense beam of light that gently "burns" away imperfections. Lasers are remarkably precise and selective, allowing treatment results and safety levels not previously available.

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Lasers

CO₂ lasers are the most advanced generation of lasers currently available. They produce short bursts of extremely high-energy laser light, which vaporizes imperfections without damaging the fresh healthy skin underneath. CO₂ lasers have a highly focused aim that enables the surgeon to work quickly and efficiently with a lower risk of scarring and complications than with other lasers.

Erbium (Er) Lasers

The erbium:YAG laser is another high-powered piece of equipment that gently penetrates the skin and removes thin layers of skin tissue with precision while minimizing damage to surrounding skin. It’s commonly used to treat moderate facial wrinkles, mild surface scars or uneven skin pigmentation.

Non-Ablative Lasers

Non-ablative, or wound-healing lasers, work beneath the surface of the skin to stimulate collagen growth and tighten underlying skin. Non-ablative lasers can help to improve skin tone, remove fine lines and reduce the visibility of mild to moderate skin damage.

Chemicals

Chemical peels are commonly used by skin care professionals to improve and smooth the texture of the skin. They can be used to treat blemishes, wrinkles, and irregular skin pigmentation. Chemical peels require little to no recovery time, and as such they are popular with patients as well as physicians.

In this procedure, your dermatologist will apply the chemical solution to your face with a cotton swab, and allow it to sit for a few minutes. The chemicals are then removed with cool water and the skin is treated with a soothing mask or moisturizer.

For a superficial chemical peel, a dermatologist can choose from several different chemicals such as 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 chemicals such as trichloracetic acid, phenol, or a combination of resorcinol, salicylic acid, and lactic acid. Here's a closer look at each of these chemicals. I should point out that I do not recommend using chemical peel due to the trauma caused to the skin and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Glycolic, lactic acid, and salicylic acid are the mildest of the peel formulas and produce light peels. These types of peels can brighten the skin and smooth out its texture. A superficial chemical peel can treat fine wrinkling, dryness, irregular pigmentation and acne.

Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) produces a deeper skin peel used to treat fine surface wrinkles, superficial blemishes and pigment problems. The results of TCA peel may be less dramatic than those of a phenol peel, but they also require less recovery time.

Phenol is the strongest of the chemical solutions and is used for the deepest chemical peels. It’s used mainly to treat coarse facial wrinkles, areas of blotchy or damaged skin caused by sun exposure, or pre-cancerous growths. Phenol tends to lighten skin in the treated areas.

About the Author

Dr. Edward F. Group III continues to develop and sell exclusively high-end natural and organic skin care lines to support a wide range of skin conditions. The products he promotes are free of toxic tag-along herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, heavy metals, fumigants, irradiation, liver-toxic glues, binders, or gelatin capsules with animal-source risk and toxic preservatives. For more information on skin care please visit Skin-care-support.org.