Finding the Classic Beauty Within

Skin Resurfacing

A wide range of treatments are available to reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth and eyes and on the forehead and cheek areas giving a fresher, more youthful appearance.

Chemical peels of varying types and strengths can be applied at RPS. An acid solution is applied to the entire face or to specific areas to peel away the skin's top layers.

Dermabrasion — a procedure in which a high-speed rotary wheel, similar to fine-grained sandpaper, is used to abrade the skin—sometimes is recommended for extensive sun damage, wrinkling or pockmarks.

Skin resurfacing using a variety of lasers is another popular technique to reduce wrinkles, improve skin texture and achieve some degree of skin tightening.

A few days following a deep peel, dermabrasion or laser skin resurfacing, a new skin emerges. Its bright pink color will fade over several months and may be covered with makeup. Permanent pigment changes, usually lighter in color, may occur with some treatments.

Frequently Asked Questions for Skin Resurfacing

I have fine lines around my eyes and mouth. What can be done to correct to them?
Fine lines around the eyes and mouth are one of the early signs of facial aging and can sometimes appear in patients who have had a good deal of sun exposure. I usually recommend starting with more simple procedures and moving to more involved things. An application of a fine chemical peel or several sessions of microdermabrasion can improve the fine lines in these areas. If these simple procedures are not effective, then deeper chemical peels or possibly even a carbon dioxide laser peel may be beneficial.

I had a severe acne problem in my youth. What can be done to give my face a smoother appearance?
Skin resurfacing procedures will definitely improve the appearance of a scarred face from previous acne. Once again, I recommend starting with simpler procedures to see what type of improvement can be obtained with the least cost and time expended. If the scars are not too deep, then several sessions of microdermabrasion or the power peel can help to smooth the transition between the scars and the rest of the facial skin. The scars will not be completely taken away, but the transition will be smooth and the scars will be less apparent. If the scars are deeper, then I would either recommend several courses of deep chemical peeling or even a carbon dioxide laser peel. The laser peel produces a deep resurfacing of the face, but with minimum swelling and recovery time as compared to other deeper resurfacing procedures.

I have a scar on the side of my face. What can be done to make it less noticeable?
Scars can be treated in multiple ways depending on their appearance. If the scar is raised above the rest of the skin, then injection with a mild locally acting steroid will help to shrink the scar and make it less noticeable. If the scar is depressed or lower than the rest of the level of the skin, then injection of collagen or fat transfer can improve the area by leveling the position of the scar. In some cases, some resurfacing procedures, such as the power peel or carbon dioxide laser peeling done on low settings can also improve the appearance of the scar.

Are there any topical treatments to improve the over all texture of the skin?
There are simple treatments that can improve the texture of the skin without resorting to skin resurfacing. These procedures are primarily performed by our office aesthetician and they involve very limited glycolic acid peels or the power peel, which involves gently resurfacing the skin with fine grains of sand.

For more information, or to schedule a consultation or appointment, please call us at 215.732.3340 or fill out our online form.

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Algird R. Mameniskis, M.D., F.A.C.S- Rittenhouse Plastic Surgery of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Medical Tower Bldg 255 | S. 17th Street, Suite 2200 | Philadelphia | PA 19103
Phone : 215.732.3340 | Info@rittenhouseps.com