Skin Resurfacing: Laser, Plasma, Chemical

Does your skin look prematurely aged, damaged or have impurities? Imagine smoothing all that away to reveal smooth and youthful skin. This is the premise of skin resurfacing. Skin resurfacing is not limited to the face; you can also have an herbal peel done on your back, stomach, upper arms or thighs.

There are many options for skin resurfacing. There is laser skin resurfacing, plasma skin resurfacing, and chemical peels. There are also many different chemical peel types.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Lasers are high-energy beams of light that can be used for skin resurfacing. Ablative laser skin resurfacing consists of brief, direct bursts of laser light onto the surface of the skin. The high-energy beam of light heats water within the surface layers of the skin, and causes both the water and the tissue of the skin to turn to vapor. Each time the laser passes over the skin, some of the outermost layers of the skin are removed in a precise and controlled way.

Unlike deep chemical peels, lasers can be used in sensitive areas, to treat lines around the lips, eyes and eyelids, for example. Lasers can also be used to treat larger surfaces, such as the entire surface of the face. Acne and other types of scars can be improved dramatically with ablative skin resurfacing, as can certain types of stretch mark.

Plasma Skin Resurfacing

Plasma skin resurfacing is an interesting alternative to classic laser resurfacing or chemical peels. Plasma resurfacing still works by destroying the outer dead skin so new healed skin can grow, but it does not burn off the outer layers so there is less risk or scarring, and less downtime.

Chemical Peel

A chemical peel exfoliates the skin in order to remove damaged or aged layers of skin to expose the softer, more youthful skin underneath. It typically uses acidic chemicals, such as Trichloroacetic acid (TCA), Phenol, or Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs).

There are three types of chemical peels. The first is the superficial peel. It is the mildest form of chemical peel, and is safe for all skin types. Normally superficial peels use mild solutions like glycolic acid or dry ice. A medium peel is harsher than a superficial peel and basically causes a second-degree burn of the skin. Typically, a medium peel will use Trichloroacetic acid. The harshest form of chemical peel is the deep peel. A deep peel penetrates through several layers of skin. Phenol is the chemical normally used for a deep peel. Because deep-peeling agents could bleach the skin, deep peels are not recommended for dark-skinned patients.

Chemical Peel Type

If you want to reinvigorate your skin and give it a more youthful appearance, consider the various types of skin resurfacing available at a medi-spa near you today.