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Skin Enhancement The process of aging along with sun damage take their toll on our skin's appearance. As we age the skin loses its elasticity, sags, wrinkles and changes its pigmentation.
Surgical and non-surgical treatments should address all these changes to restore a natural and more youthful appearance.
Using the menu on the right, learn about skin enhancement procedures like dermabrasion, scar revisions, laser resurfacing and more. Chemical Peel Restores wrinkled, blemished, unevenly pigmented, or sun-damaged facial skin, using a chemical solution to peel away skin's top layers. Works best on fair, thin skin with superficial wrinkles.
A chemical peel uses a solution applied to the skin to remove dead skin cells and stimulate the production of new skin cells. It tightens the skin, reduces wrinkling and restores a more youthful appearance.
During your consultation, you will want to explain the level of skin improvement that you wish to achieve. Your doctor and you will then review your medical history and examine your skin type and pigmentation to determine if you are a good candidate for a chemical peel. Recovery 10 to 14 days. Top Dermabrasion The difference between a chemical peel and dermabrasion is the method used.
Dermabrasion involves the surgeon utilizing a high speed rotating brush to remove the top layer of skin. The size and depth of the scars as well as the degree of wrinkling determine the appropriate level of skin that will be surgically sloughed.
Anaesthetic options include:
- local anaesthesia, combined with a sedative (allows the patient to remain awake but relaxed)
- a numbing spray, such a freon, may be used along with or instead of local anesthesia or general anaesthesia.
The procedure takes from a few minutes to over an hour depending on the area of the skin to be worked on. Recovery 7 to 10 days. Top Epilight (Hair Removal) An Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) system, EpiLight has a variable wave length which makes it effective on a wide range of skin tones.
Your sex, complexion, hair colour and texture are entered into the system's computer and the right wavelength is chosen.
It works in a similar way to a laser but light is projected through a filter. Recovery 2 days. Top Hair Transplants A hair transplant is a surgical procedure to improve baldness.
Hair transplantation is a surgical technique in which a physician redistributes hairs from an area of thick growth to areas that have balded. Most hair transplants are performed in an office setting under local anesthesia. Only minimal pain should be experienced. After thoroughly cleaning the scalp, small needles are used to numb an area of normal hair growth on the back of the scalp. A portion of the hairy scalp is then removed with a scalpel and set aside while the surgeon sews the cut scalp closed.
After the scalp is sewn closed, small groups of hairs, or individual hairs, are separated out from the removed scalp using a magnifying lens and sharp blade. The area that will receive these healthy hairs, usually the front of the scalp, is then cleaned and numbed with additional small needles. Finally, tiny holes are made in the front of the scalp and healthy hairs are delicately placed in the holes. During a single treatment session, many hundreds or even thousands of hairs may be transplanted. Recovery 7 to 10 days. Top Laser Hair Removal There are many different types of lasers, but all laser systems emit a gentle beam of light that passes through the skin to the hair follicle where it is absorbed by the hair. The laser energy is then transformed into heat that can disable the follicle. People with white skin and dark hair will see the best results because the laser light is attracted to dark colors (melanin) in the hair. Melanin is also present in our skin. Some people who have tans and darker colored skin will have less of a benefit from the laser because the darker pigment in the skin will absorb some of the laser light energy and it could burn the skin. These people can either use a lower energy level with the laser to avoid burning the skin or electrolysis.
Most lasers also do not work on white, gray, light blonde or red hair. Lasers that utilize a cooling device will help protect the skin by cooling the upper layers providing the patient with increased comfort. This cooling selectivity helps to protect the skin while effectively treating the unwanted hair.
The length of the procedure depends on the area being treated and can range from 3 hours for an entire back to ten seconds for the upper lip.
At least 2-3 treatments minimum are required. Recovery 2 days. Top Laser Resurfacing Laser Skin Resurfacing uses a wand-like laser handpiece in which undesired skin cells and wrinkles disappear and are replaced by fresh skin cells. One of the laser's most significant advantages over traditional techniques for skin resurfacing is that treatment is relatively bloodless. The procedure also offers more control in the depth of penetration of the skin's surface, allowing an increased degree of precision and safety in treating delicate areas. Recovery 7 to 10 days. Top Mole Removal Most moles are harmless and don't need to be removed but you need to be aware that some forms of skin cancer can begin looking like a mole.
This is usually an in-office procedure performed by your doctor, although you can be referred to a specialist. Recovery 1 to 10 weeks. Top Scar Revision While a plastic surgeon can improve the appearance of a scar, it's unlikely that it can be removed completely.
Your surgeon has several techniques to choose from to make your scar look less obvious; from collagen or steroid injections to laser resurfacing and skin grafts. Recovery Depending on the technique used: 2 days to several months. Top Spider Veins Those thin red veins on your legs and face can be eliminated using a laser or a process called sclerotherapy.
Large and medium sized veins are injected with a sclerosing solution which makes them collapse and disappear. Smaller veins can be treated by laser. Recovery Immediately. Top Tattoo Removal Old methods of tattoo removal create a lot of scarring, but the lasers used today are more gentle and effective.
A beam of light from the laser is fired in rapid bursts onto the tattoo and the pigment heats, erupting from the skin. You will need 6 to 8 treatments or more depending on the individual tattoo. Recovery 7 to 10 days. Top
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