Sandpaper Your Skin To Get Rid Of Wrinkles And Acne Scars

Would you like to get your face sandpapered?
It sounds senseless -- as bad as injecting toxins into your face to erase wrinkles a.k.a. botox. Yet, like botox, it works.

That in a crux is what dermabrasion is all about. Sandpapering your face in the name of beauty.

I'm not suggesting that you go to a hardware store to buy sandpaper to slough your face with. Dermabrasion is a surgical procedure which should be done by a qualified surgeon. It carries the risk associated with any surgery. An anaesthetic is used, and there's always the possibility of infection.

Dermabrasion is a drastic way to reduce acne scars and to smoothen away wrinkles. The top layer of skin is sloughed off to reveal younger, softer, smoother skin beneath. First, the surgeon applies a local anaesthetic. Then the surgeon uses an abrading instrument to "sandpaper" the skin in circular motions.

There is a risk of scarring should the skin be abraded too deeply. In some cases, discolouration can occur. Hence, the surgeon's skill is important. The surgeon has to abrade deep enough to make a difference, but not so deep as to scar the patient.

After the procedure, the skin is treated like a wound. The patient would generally take 7 to 10 days to recover after the dermabrasion. The skin would feel sunburned and may be slightly swollen, bright pink and uncomfortable for a few days after the treatment. The final results can be dramatic. Especially on fine lines on the mouth and other deep wrinkles that come with aging. Acne scars, especially the ones left by cystic acne might not be completely removed through dermabrasion. Still, dermabrasion can soften the scars and reduce their appearance. Skin discoloration can be effectively removed with dermabrasion. For details, check with the surgeons you are considering for the procedure and request to see before and after photos of your surgeon's work.

Dermabrasion might be too drastic for some people. There's a gentler alternative, known as micro dermabrasion. Both Dermabrasion and micro dermabrasion require repeat treatments for optimal results as well as to maintain the results.

In Micro dermabrasion, micro particles are blasted onto the skin to slough off the dead skin cells and reveal the younger skin beneath. It is like sandplasting a surface smooth. Alternatively, a diamond tipped device may be used instead of crystal so slough off the top layer of the skin. The effects, though not as dramatic as dermabrasion, are excellent for treating acne as well as making the skin smoother. Micro dermabrasion is basically very efficient exfoliation. It treats acne at its root - by unclogging the pores. It also works on fine lines and wrinkles.

Basically, both dermabrasion and micro dermabrasion are forms of exfoliation, albeit more drastic. Hence, you can have your own home microdermabrasion treatments with home dermabrasion kits. These are safe if you follow the instructions exactly and use them no more than once a week. The results are milder than microdermabrasion, but then again, home microdermabrasion done carefully, following the instructions exactly is safer than salon microdermabrasion in the hands of an inexperienced person.