Whether you have scars on your face, or you'd like to have wrinkles removed, your dermatologist can provide you with a variety of options. One of these options, called dermabrasion, is a popular method of dermatological procedures that can help smooth out your skin. If you've considered getting a dermabrasion procedure, there are several things you need to know in order to be prepared. Read on to understand how the process works and what it can do for you.
What is It?
When you undergo a dermabrasion procedure, your dermatologist uses a small instrument called a dermatone. This tool looks like an electric razor. It contains a blade that oscillates like a fan, moving back and forth across your skin. As it moves, it delicately yet effectively sloughs off layers of the facial skin. This helps to even out the surface of your skin, smoothing out scars or wrinkles. This can be performed safely on delicate facial skin, and can also be used in addition to other procedures like laser treatments without issues.
Are There Side Effects?
While generally safe, dermablasion does have a few side effects, but these will not affect all patients, and could have no implications for you. It really depends on your personal skin type and what you may be prone to. For example, the procedure can irritate or worsen cold sores or fever blisters for some people. It can also cause slight skin discoloration, particularly in patients with a darker skin tone. Others may end up with thicker skin in certain areas of the face, but this can typically be treated with a variety of prescription or non-prescription facial creams.
What is the Procedure Like?
Most patients who get a dermabrasion procedure will be treated with a topical numbing agent at the site of treatment. This numbing agent can be a topical gel, a spray, or if you prefer, you can opt to have general anesthesia which will put you to sleep as the dermatologist performs the procedure. It typically takes a few minutes up to an hour per treatment, depending on how much of your skin you need to have treated. A dermatologist (such as one from Desert Dermatology) will look closely at the results to decide whether or not you will need to return for future treatments. Dermabrasion may not permanently remove very deep scars or all wrinkles, but it is quite effective at safely smoothing out the surface of the skin, giving it a youthful appearance.
Share28 October 2015
When my daughter began having academic problems in school and acting out, I knew that something wasn’t right. Her teachers wanted me to put her on ADD medications, but I didn’t think that that was the right course for us. I had serious doubts that ADD was what was causing her problems. I took her to several different specialists before discovering that her issues in school were actually do to a visual processing problem. The doctor recommended vision therapy, not medication, to help correct the problem and get her back on track. The exercises are really starting to pay off, and she’s showing great improvement.
