Cosmetic Surgery Washington DC - Skin Resurfacing
Fine lines (especially around the mouth and eyes), uneven pigmentation, areas of dryness, scarring or other skin damage—these problems can be addressed through skin resurfacing. All resurfacing techniques work in essentially the same way. The outer layer of damaged skin is stripped away. As healing begins, new skin cells form to create smooth, tight, younger-looking skin.
Skin resurfacing cannot remove excess skin or fat and is no substitute for a facelift, eyelid surgery or other cosmetic facial surgery. It does, however, do a wonderful job of minimizing fine lines, correcting uneven pigmentation and eliminating other surface signs of aging. Skin resurfacing can also help restore skin elasticity by penetrating to the dermis and stimulating collagen and elastin cells. These cells are the support structure of your skin and stimulating them creates a smoother, more youthful appearance.
There are several approaches to skin resurfacing and they vary in terms of intensity and results. The different techniques use specific chemicals. In general, a more aggressive procedure provides a better result but has a longer healing and recovery time. The resurfacing procedures offered at Center for Plastic Surgery are chemical peels, laser resurfacing and microdermabrasion.
Chemical Peels
These peels use a chemical solution to remove the damaged outer layer of skin. The type and strength of the chemical employed determines how quickly a peel produces results. A deeper peel yields benefits more quickly, but it requires a longer recovery time.
Chemical Peels improve or, in some cases, eliminate fine skin wrinkles caused by sun damage and restore some of the elasticity lost during the aging process. Chemical peels can restore some of the skin's elasticity by penetrating the dermis and microscopically tightening the elastin fibers. This gives the skin a smoother, more youthful appearance. There are many different kinds of peels-these are the most commonly used.
Alpha & Beta Hydroxy Peels are very light and are repeated several times to obtain the final result. These light peels have no downtime. They allow you to wear makeup immediately and to maintain your normal routine. At the Center for Plastic Surgery, we use BioMedic and Physicians Choice.
Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) Peels. TCA peels are medium depth peels which cause a more aggressive peeling. Healing takes seven to ten days. With slow acting TCA, the depth and intensity of the peel can be tailored to your individual needs. We use OBAGI Blue Peel and Accu Peel.
Laser Resurfacing
Laser Resurfacing is a surgical technique that, like chemical peels, removes the damaged outer layer of skin to create a smoother, younger look. Click to read more about the Center for Plastic Surgery's approach to laser resurfacing.
Microdermabrasion
At the Center for Plastic Surgery in Washington DC, we use a microdermabrasion technique called Power Peel. It is a non-surgical procedure that removes the damaged outer layer of skin and encourages rejuvenation through the use of micro-crystals and a unique polishing tool.
