Skin Care Treatment Methods
We’re all searching for a fountain of youth in a bottle; that magical cream or pill that can restore skin to the soft, supple and wrinkle-free state of yesteryear. And while the real fountain of youth may not come in a bottle, there are several other skin care treatments that can offer hope. Here's a closer look at some of the most popular skin care treatments.
Chemical Peels
Just as their name implies, this skin care treatment involves applying chemicals to your face to promote new and healthier skin formation. Chemicals used in these types of treatments include glycolic acid, trichloroacetic acid, salicyclic acid, resorcinol, and lactic acid. They are classified by dermatologists as either light, medium, or deep peels. I personally do not recommend causing trauma to the skin by using these methods, but for educational purposes I have included descriptions of these treatments. However there are natural organic peels and masques which are very effective.
Light Peels: Light or superficial peels work on the upper epidermis to promote exfoliation. They work well at lightly refreshing the skin.
Medium Peels: This type of chemical peel affects the upper epidermis as well as the upper dermis. Medium chemical peels are good for repairing damaged collagen, evening out skin tone and softening moderate wrinkles and blemishes.
Deep Peels: Deep chemical peels penetrate even further, down to the mid to lower dermis. They work best on deep wrinkles and scars.
Conventional Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion has been used for more than 50 years to treat scars and remove wrinkles. It is also referred to as skin planning as this method uses a motor driven high speed-rotating bush to abrade layers of skin. The degree of improvement and satisfaction with this method varies from person to person and from blemish to blemish. But in general, most people experience a 50-85% improvement in their appearance.
Before you undergo dermabrasion, your health care provider will likely start you on a daily facial care regime to enhance your skin's condition and improve post-procedure wound healing. The procedure will begin with a local anesthetic followed by the application of a skin refrigerant such as ethyl chloride or flurethyl spray. Freezing numbs your skin even further and stiffens it to make a better surface for the dermabrasion procedure. After the procedure, your face will likely be wrapped in a bandage for about 24 hours. And it will likely take at least ten days to fully heal. This skin care treatment is relatively painless; however, it can be quite a messy procedure, as the skin "sanding" usually results in a spray of skin cells and blood. Many health care professionals prefer buffing to conventional dermabrasion.
Skin Buffing
This procedure is a gentler form of dermabrasion has rapidly increasing in popularity. Buffing is done by hand, using sterilized abrasive material rather than a motor driven tool. This makes it easier to handle and to control. Skin buffing can help to improve the appearance of scars, wrinkles, enlarged pores, broken blood vessels, and other blemishes. On the day of the procedure, you may be given a sedative followed by a local anesthetic. Your health care provider will then gently buff your skin using a circular motion. You will not need a full facial bandage after treatment, but your skin will likely feel sunburned for a few days. As with conventional dermabrasion, expect a 7-10 days for full recovery.
Soft Tissue Augmentation
Wrinkles or scars that are too deep to remove can also be improved with a skin care procedure known as soft tissue augmentation. Filler substances may be injected under a wrinkle or scar to plump up the tissue. The general rule of thumb is that if you can stretch the wrinkle or scar between your fingers and flatten it, you will likely see improvement with soft tissue augmentation. These procedures may result in slight excess swelling for a few days but the recovery period is generally short.
Botox Injections
As with soft tissue augmentation, botox injections are used to improve the appearance of wrinkles. However, rather than "plumping up" the area, botox temporarily paralyzes the tiny facial muscles that cause the wrinkling. Improvement is usually noted within two days of the procedure and the full effect of the treatment can be seen within seven days. However, the results of botox injections are temporary and must be repeated every few months.
Surgery
For particularly troublesome wrinkles, scars, and blemishes, there are several surgical procedures that can be used to improve the overall appearance of the skin. Special excision methods can be used to remove the unsightly skin such as moles, scars, cysts, and skin tags. Laser surgery can be used to treat such conditions as wrinkles, broken blood vessels and age spots. Cosmetic skin care surgery removes the abnormal patch of skin and promotes the growth of new healthy skin in the same area.
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.
