Most of us realize that aging has a direct impact on our skin. The reduction of elasticity causes the skin to become wrinkled and age. Find out about these 7 rejuvenation procedures that can reverse the signs of aging.
Miraculous Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion treatments are a non-surgical way to increase the vitality and beauty of the skin, specifically on the facial region. Unlike the harsher dermabrasion option, microdermabrasion does not require anesthesia, neither topical nor local. While there is no recovery period, there is the potential for minor itching and skin irritation. Microdermabrasion potentially reduces discolorations, tightens and beautifies the skin. A diamond or crystal tip device, a hand-held system, pushes crystal or diamond particles across the skin while a suction device exfoliates it. This technique is a gentle method where the dermatologist smooths the skin’s surface and stimulates collagen production.
Dear Dermabrasion
Microdermabrasion’s big sister, so to speak, is dermabrasion. This procedure involves a sandpaper-like skin impact. The surgeon uses a small scraping device, like a wheel, to scrape across the skin and remove the damaged areas. This process resurfaces the skin while reducing the appearance of vertical wrinkles. Dermabrasion does require a local anesthesia because it can sometimes be painful. The results are amazing with dermabrasion.
Other benefits of microdermabrasion and dermabrasion include:
- Elimination of black heads and age spots
- Decrease of hyper pigmentation (patches of darkened skin)
- Exfoliation of your skin, refreshing your appearance
- Reduction of fine lines and wrinkles
- Reducing the appearance of stretch marks
- Eliminating enlarged pores
- Acne treatment
Lasting Laser Resurfacing
Laser treatments involve reducing wrinkles by resurfacing the facial skin. The lovely laser is great for use in areas that show aging, like the forehead and chin. The laser device has a mild tightening impact on the face. A dermatologist only administers treatment after he does a careful skin characteristic evaluation, because the thickness and texture of the skin will impact the way he will want to approach the laser resurfacing treatment. Lasting laser resurfacing is a wonderful way to reduce wrinkles and brighten the skin tone. Laser recovery time varies, depending on the depth of the treatment and the level of laser power used. Though some recovery time is necessary, the down time is minimal compared to a face lift or cosmetic facial surgery.
Cunning Chemical Peel
A chemical peel is another treatment for reducing wrinkles on the skin. There are a variety of degrees and levels of strength used by dermatologists. The mildest one is a cunning peel, which uses glycolic acid to impact the superficial layers of the skin to cause change. The stronger, more irritating peels, like phenol, go deeper into the skin which results in more drastic alterations. The chemical peel, however, is a double-edged sword because the stronger treatments have a greater risk of skin damage, but also lead to greater rewards. Chemical peels work greater for the area around the mouth, but not as good for the skin around the eyes.
Laser resurfacing or chemical peels might be ideal for you if:
- You have sun damaged, wrinkled facial skin
- You have vertical wrinkling around the mouth
- “crow’s feet” creases near the eyes
- Skin laxity around the lower eyelid
- Wrinkled upper eyelid
- Brown spots or blotchy skin
- Skin growths that are found to be precancerous
- Scars from acne or chickenpox
- Any shallow facial scarring that resulted from other procedures
Bountiful Botox
The beautiful drug known as Botox is another reducer of wrinkles. Botulinum Toxin Type A, which is it’s medical term, is a solution containing a group of neurotoxins. It is “bountiful” because it not only eliminates creases and fine lines, it prevents them from occurring. The paralyzing substances in Botox work to block signals from the nerves that cause the muscles to constrict. Usually placed in the body by injection, Botox causes a constriction of the skin which in turn, causes wrinkle reduction. Administering Botox is easy, as it is done at the doctor’s office in an out-patient procedure. The risks are rare, but include potential bruising, infection, or possible muscle damage. These are the reasons only licensed professionals should administer Botox treatment.
Desirable Dermal Fillers
Facial rejuvenation’s most desirable are dermal fillers. These are injections given into the soft tissue of the face where they rapidly expand under the skin. Several different types of fillers can be used. The most common types are collagen and hyaluronic, or HA. These injections result in a smoother more taut skin surface which gives a more youthful and tight appearance. Dermatologists use dermal fillers to add volume to the skin that sometimes decreases with age and collagen depletion. These injections are a popular treatment for lips, as they pump them up and make them look more firm. The risks of using dermal fillers include bruising, redness or other discolorations of the skin, though these are slight in occurrence. Depending on the region of the body these fillers are injected, they can last anywhere from three months to one year.
Innovative IPL Photofacial
Relying on a laser to remove damaged skin, IPL photofacial treatments are another approach to wrinkle reduction. Dermatologists use IPL specifically to eliminate the impacts of sun damage, treat age spots, and reduce wrinkles. This is an innovative florescent pulsed laser system that goes deep beneath the upper layer of the skin to leave a more polished and taut appearance. Causing the elasticity of the skin to rejuvenate, IPL photofacial treatments can take less than an hour, and doctors usually perform between five and eight procedures to give you the best results.
Request an Appointment
All of the above procedures are offered at our 3 locations in Northern Virginia including Vienna, Woodbridge, and Stafford. If you’d like to schedule a consultation with a dermatologist for one of the above procedures, you may request an appointment or call one of our 3 office locations.