Microdermabrasion

Chemical peeling uses a chemical solution in order to improve the skin’s appearance. Chemical peeling involves the application of chemical agents that act to accelerate the normal process of exfoliation. Possible complications associated with chemical peels may include AHA Peels – mild peels including glycolic acid and salicylic acid peels. TCA Peels – moderate peels, which burn the skin to remove skin layers. These are usually performed by doctors. Phenol Peels – severe peels that may require hospitalization. Phenol Peels are slowly being replaced by multiple treatments of TCA peels, as TCA peels allow the patient to heal a lot faster than Phenol Peels. DIY Chemical Peels are often a mixture of AHA and TCA peels combined.

Chemical peels can be performed on the face, neck, chest, hands, arms, and legs. A chemical peel is most commonly performed for cosmetic reasons, to enhance appearance and self-confidence, and may be performed in conjunction with a facelift. Chemical peels all come with the same ingredients, but with different concentrations, which is labeled on the peel you decide to purchase. A good chemical peel would soften up the top layers of skin, and over the period of a week, the skin would gently start to flake off. When the top layers of skin fall off, new, red, fresh skin would start to show. A good chemical peel would soften up the top layers of skin, and over the period of a week, the skin would gently start to flake off.

TCA peels are a medium strength peel used to induce a more profound resurfacing effect on the skin. Phenol, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and alphahydroxy acids (AHAs) are used for chemical peels. Anesthesia is not usually required for TCA peels because the chemical solution acts as an anesthetic. Although, sedation may be used before and during the procedure to help the patient relax. Acid peels another type of chemical peel, typically use alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) to treat ailments such as dry skin, acne, sun spots and other skin problems. It is possible for a superficial burn to occur if the solution is left on too long or something has happened to make the skin more sensitive. Colour abnormality or variation may be more pronounced after the peel.

By: Juliet Cohen

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There are many skin peel treatments available today. This article will deal strictly with the deeper, medium strength peels as they have much more defined results that last considerably longer than those attained with light chemical peels. The famous Obagi Blue Peel and its active ingredient trichloroacetic acid have long been a major constituent and feature on numerous TV shows and been heralded by many famous stars of the red carpet.

The Obagi Blue Peel has actually been said as having the ability to reverse time and aging. It does this by minimizing wrinkles, reducing fine lines and erasing age spots, sun freckles and numerous other sun related and age related conditions and problems. It has also recently been shown to be highly effective in treating pimples, zits, blackheads, whiteheads and even mild to severe acne.

The wide range of effectiveness and its relative ease in use has made it one of the most sought after skin care treatments available today. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons have waiting lists of people wanting either an Obagi Blue Peel or straight TCA peel.

Many medi-spas offer these peels as a part of their highly popular anti aging and rejuvenation packages. Many customers are now booking medi spa and similar rejuvenation treatments as vacation packages and to the tune of anywhere from $500 for a single treatment to thousands and thousands when grouped with other various treatments in a vacation package.

So, what exactly is the Obagi Blue Peel and TCA skin peel and what makes them so effective at transforming and rejuvenating skin? The Obagi Blue Peel is a skin peel that like most skin peels removes the surface most layers of skin through a controlled burn process. This in turn leads to peeling off of the dead skin cells and the revealing of fresh, younger looking skin. The Obagi Blue Peel was originally invented by Dr. Zein E. Obagi. Dr. Obagi saw the need for a controlled variable depth skin peel that would make application almost foolproof.

Basically, the Obagi skin peel is a skin dyeing solution that when applied to the face and neck skin will dye it blue or green in color indicating where the acid has been applied and how strong or deep. The more times it is applied the darker the dyed skin becomes. This made it so a more even peel with fewer missed areas would result.

The dye solution basically comes inert and has no chemical burning or peeling properties of its own. It needs to have trichloroacetic acid added to it to make it effective. The trichloroacetic (TCA) acid is its only active ingredient and is obtained separately. A neat feature of TCA (unlike most other skin peels) is that it self neutralizes with the skin so no neutralizer is needed except in strong applications or very sensitive skin issues.

By: David Maillie

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craig asked:

im really considering gettin my acne scars treated with microdermabrasion they are on my forehead and jus under my eye on one side they are not severe bu u can notice them and when i was lookin at the m/dermabrasion procedure online it looks as if it could give you scars never mind get rid of them rubbin a tool on acne takin layers of skin off so i would jus like to know if there are any side affects i should no about tnx

Lately I’ve noticed a stubborn little crease on my forehead. I lift the skin just a bit, mimicking a facelift - and the crease disappears. During a facelift, the surgeon makes an incision, usually around the hairline, and then pulls the facial skin upward to smooth loose skin and wrinkles, and provide a more youthful appearance.

While a facelift can provide dramatic results, I’m not quite ready for all that. I’d just like something to freshen my face a bit. And yet I’m smart enough to know that some products and procedures billed as facelift alternatives are likely to have more of an effect on my wallet than on my face. But how to separate the facts from the fictions? I turned to an expert for help - and here’s what I learned.

Topical Treatments

Dr. Joel Schlessinger, MD, FAAD, FAACS, president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, assured me that creams can be very effective when targeting specific problems. No single cream can do it all, however, and sadly he could not tell me of a cream that is truly “better than Botox.” He recommends the Obagi line for pigmentation and age spots, and he has found creams that accomplish such things as increasing eyelash growth and enhancing pouty lips.

Peels are another option, and their level of invasiveness depends on what you’d like. Prices range from low strength AHA peels at $30 - $100 per treatment to very strong phenol peels at $4000 or more. Chemical peels burn off the outer, damaged layers of skin, revealing the younger skin underneath. Babies have such soft skin because their cells are constantly regenerating, but this slows as we age. Chemical peels speed the process up.

There are some nasty stories about what happens if a chemical peel goes too deep, so be careful in your choice of practitioner. Some of the newer options, like blue peels, claim to be safer. At $200 - $1000, these peels may be adjusted to the desired strength. Milder peels can be repeated at regular intervals to achieve a desired result and minimize side effects and healing time. According to the blue peel website, a measured application of blue glycerine is mixed into the traditional peel chemical, trichloracetic acid (TCA), to “improve patient safety by visually indicating the TCA solution strength and facial skin coverage.” Anything that helps keep the peel from going too far sounds good to me.

High Tech Salon Treatments

Laser treatments are increasingly popular these days, whether you’re trying to remove unwanted hair or get rid of wrinkles. Laser “facelifts” use a carbon dioxide laser to remove outer layers of old skin and tighten muscles.

Dr. Schlessinger tells me that the first laser treatments had “a long recovery time and fabulous results. Today’s technology produces only about 20-30% of the those early results, but with almost no side effects.” The new buzz word, Schlessinger tells me, is “fraxellation.” In today’s treatments, you can “strafe” an area so that the laser only disrupts pinpoints of skin, leaving enough surface untreated to speed healing time. This one sounded good to me.

What’s more, laser treatments are only one kind of skin resurfacing. Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion, which can be thought of as extreme exfoliation, are old standbys that are still quite popular.

In dermabrasion, the surgeon removes the outer layers of skin with an electronically operated wire brush or diamond-impregnated burr. It can leave you pretty raw and is moderately painful, with a 2 to 12 week recovery. Microdermabrasion is a bit easier on the patient. It involves spraying fine crystals onto the skin, then removing them along with the top layer of skin cells. It is not as painful as dermabrasion, and is safe to repeat every couple months.

Microcurrent “facelifts” go deeper, using mild electrical stimulation to activate chemicals in the skin. Dr. Schlessinger warns that some microcurrent treatments are nothing more than quackery. In general, he says, be careful of spa-type clinics that recommend the same treatment for everyone-chances are they might own only one piece of equipment!

Every woman trying to decide which procedure to have should have a consultation with a certified surgeon, Dr. Schlessinger tells me: “This is one area in which you get what you pay for.”

Needles Required

Dr. Schlessinger cautioned me to be especially careful in selecting a good practioner if I decide to go with Botox. These days, Botox is being offered everywhere, from salons to parties. And yet, Botox is a powerful chemical that should be administered only by those with the training to do so. It is derived from a toxin that causes food poisoning. Injected in small amounts into the skin, however, it weakens or paralyzes certain muscles or blocks certain nerves, causing fewer frown lines and wrinkles.

“Many wrinkles are due to repetitive motion on the face-frown acquired as a habit,” Schlessinger explains. These wrinkles disappear after a Botox treatment, and the very good news is that often after several treatments the habit is broken and no further injections are necessary.

But what about all the horror stories? The paralysis? Most of those are just urban legends. Botox is not permanent. In fact, injections last only three to four months, which means any side effects are also temporary.

According to Schlessinger, “the biggest complication we see is Botox done wrong.” For two reasons, he advises going to a professional who specializes in Botox. One: the proliferation of Medspas and day spas has resulted in many unqualified practitioners. Two: you’re more likely to get fresh Botox at a place that uses a lot of it. According to Dr. Schlessinger, we should buy our Botox fresh - just like we would want to get our fish fresh from a fish market.

Facial fillers are another injectable option. These injections actually help replace the volume that you begin to lose in your 30s. And sometimes they actually spur more collagen growth. A recent University of Michigan study even found that the supposedly non-permanent filler restylane sometimes provides long-term effects.

One popular name-brand filler is Juvederm, a hyaluronic acid dermal filler. Hyaluronic acid naturally occurs in all living organisms as a type of sugar. While the treatment does not last forever, it does last longer than Botox, typically at least six months or more.

I was also intrigued by the threadlift. In this procedure, barbed prolene facial sutures (threads) are attached to anchor points in the face (such as a sagging jowl) using a hollow bore needle. The threads are used to lift the sagging areas and can be tightened when necessary. I thought this sounded pretty cool, but unfortunately, it turns out that it’s a risky procedure that Dr. Schlessinger says is “so popular, but so incredibly wrong.” The threads used in the procedure are quite fragile and can break. When this happens, the effect becomes uneven and the threads can migrate to new areas, or even poke out through the skin! I have moved this option to the “no” column for me.

Go-Go Gadget Facelift

For those willing to try any weird science on their faces, there is such a thing as facelift tape, which uses exterior anchors and threads to physically pull the skin on your face tighter. Think Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. Unfortunately, you won’t have a makeup team to help attach the device to your face every morning, and it seems like you’d need an awful lot of hair to hide the threads adequately. Not for me!

Sweatin’ to the Oldies?

An au natural option is facial exercises. Rather than working from the outside-in, these programs claim to work from the inside-out, building tone and strength in your facial muscles. Some programs, such as Facial Flex, even include a resistance device that fits in your mouth to help improve the results of your “workout.”

Sorry to say, Dr. Schlessinger says that these program claims are “a complete fabrication. If it were true, a person who chews a pack of gum a day would look great, but in fact the opposite is true.” The more you stretch the skin out on your face, the more wrinkles you get. Remember, Botox works by temporarily paralyzing muscle groups, not by giving them a workout. I was a bit disappointed by this news, but at least I can take comfort in knowing there’s something good about being a couch potato.

Minor Surgeries

While it may not seem like an alternative to some, there is the partial facelift option, in which a surgeon does not complete an entire facelift (which is extremely painful, expensive, and requires a large recovery time), but simply targets the areas you would most like to see improved. Neck lifts, upper brow lifts, and cheek lifts are common options, but the possibilities are truly endless. It’s especially popular for women to have the fat removed under the chin, and in some cases, this is a liposuction procedure that doesn’t even involve cutting removing skin. And it is, in my opinion, one way to look a lot younger through a relatively minor procedure.

Welcome to the New Millennium

It used to be unheard of to visit a plastic surgeon before you really needed it-at which point your skin and facial muscles are almost beyond repair. “Today,” Dr. Schlessinger assured me, “we have better alternatives to keep people looking good for much longer.” The trick is to do your research and take care of your face by starting early. And while an effective Botox cream is still five years off, new treatments are developed every day. With so many good options, short of a full facelift, I am very happy to know that I will never be trapped in a prematurely aging face.

By: kathleen bowers

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In the recent years fashion and looks have become a billion dollar industry and as expensive life altering procedures become less expensive and more affordable it looks like this trend will continue for many years to come. Everyone is questing for the fountain of youth and apparently it can be found in the field of plastic surgery. They can make your skin look younger, tighter and more youthful for a price. One of the most popular treatments is the skin peel. They consist of everything from light peels like fruit and sugar derived (glycolic) peels and deeper peels like TCA and phenol. These peels can reveal younger skin and rejuvenate your face. Some of them are quite literally even considered to be the fountain of youth in a bottle (like the TCA peel).

There are basically four different kinds of peels and they range from light and superficial peels like glycolic to deeper peels like the TCA peel and phenol peels. We will not discuss phenol peels as they are dangerous and are rarely ever used. The deepest peel doctors use today is the TCA peel, which is the most effective and safest of all the skin peels. The basic function of a chemical skin peel is to loosen bonds between cells in the top most layers of skin through a mild and controlled chemical burn to cause peeling and to reveal more youthful skin from underneath. This process when done regularly can result in a reduction of wrinkles, fine lines, age spots and other symptoms of aging skin. In the case of the TCA peel it is also been proven to be highly effective in the treatment of acne and resultant acne scarring.

The light or superficial peels are generally glycolic and salicylic acid. There are many off shoots of these like fruit acids, the pumpkin peel, etc. Any of these acids that you see available at your local store have a concentration or strength that is so low that it is basically ineffective. For these light peels to have any visual effect at all the concentrations must be in the range of at least 30 percent. Regardless, even when done in a doctors office they must be redone every 2-3 weeks for any lasting effect. And at $100 to $300 per peel it can become expensive quickly.

The salicylic peel is a little different from the rest of these lighter peels as it is oil soluble and the others are water soluble. This gives salicylic the distinct advantage of being able to migrate deeper into oil blocked pores and to help with pimples and very light acne. This is why it has recently been added to some current acne products like Murad. This is why Murad is more effective than Proactiv. The problem is that just like glycolic it must be used at a higher concentration to have lasting and visual effect. Low concentrations and strengths, like in most over the counter acne products, is ineffective in fighting acne. Concentrations of at least 10 percent are recommended by dermatologists.

Then there is the TCA peel. TCA stands for trichloroacetic acid. It is a synthetic acid that has the ability to do everything that all the lighter peels can and more. It can completely kill acne causing bacteria and rid the facial skin of it for good. It can reduce and minimize scarring, tighten the facial skin and rejuvenate the skin. It can treat more skin problems than any other skin peel. From skin blemishes, pigmentation problems, acne, aging skin, and even precancerous and cancerous skin legions. The TCA peel is offered in almost every dermatologist and plastic surgeons office as it is the most effective treatment outside of actual surgery. Its results also last the longest, up to 6 months or more depending on the strength and depth desired or achieved. It has even ben stated in numerous medical journals that the TCA peel is every bit as effective as Accutane, the strongest acne medicine available, without the bad and very serious side effects. The TCA peel normally runs between $300 and $500 per application at your doctors office, but can now be purchased for under $30 for in home use.

Skin peels can be very effective in treating both aging skin and acne and it is obvious that the TCA peel is the best of these.

By: David Maillie

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There are many people who are suffering from the insecurity complex brought on by the appearance of stretch marks. Though merely an issue of vanity and appearance, the problem and treatment of get rid of stretch marks have received considerable attention from the medical field.

Although to get rid of stretch marks, there are several treatments which help diminish their appearance. If one has a lot of time to spare and is in no hurry to remove these scars, he or she can merely be satisfied with the use of ointments and creams. These over the counter treatments may help make stretch marks appear less visible over continued use.

Unfortunately, many of us are in a hurry to cure those marks that have been bugging us for so long. If you are one of those who would like to hasten their treatment of stretch marks, surgical methods can be undergone into. These are more rapid in their effects compared to ointments and creams. Although less longer to effect than ointments and creams, these clinical procedures still take months.

One of the more popular clinical procedures against get rid of stretch marks is Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck, as it is more commonly known. In this procedure, loose skins from around the navel are removed in order to make it firmer. Through this, the skin becomes more compact and stretch marks are removed. However, this procedure only involves the middle area of the body and is not compatible with those other areas where stretch marks can be found. This procedure usually takes 1 to 5 hours and is very costly compared to other clinical treatments.

A cheaper alternative to Abdominoplasty is dermabrasion. This procedure comes with different names such as peeling and its sub-types. In this procedure, the top layer of the skin is slowly peeled off to remove dead skin cells and scarred tissues. This process yields to the production of new layers of skin which has more collagen than the previous one. The results of this are less visible get rid of stretch marks and a smoother skin. This procedure may be cheaper than tummy tuck but it is also a very painful procedure especially afterwards when the skin is so raw and becomes very sensitive. There is also a risk of suffering from the hazardous effects of the chemicals used.

Another cheaper treatment, yet more expensive than dermabrasion, is laser surgery. This procedure is considered more effective than dermabrasion because it targets the dermis layer of the skin, the part where get rid of stretch marks form. The laser beams stimulate the generation of new skin cells to replace the old ones in this area. Proven to be very effective, especially the reddish, newly formed ones, it usually takes 5 to 6 treatments before its effect become visible.

Stretch marks are truly irritating to the eyes. It makes one feel very conscious and may impede in one’s self-esteem. Since treatments are available, I believe that we owe it to ourselves to appear beautiful and more confident. But remember, it is always best to seek professional advice before deciding on any treatment. The doctors will know the best treatment for you and their background in the subject can help you decide objectively and informatively.

By: Kelly Purden

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bubbas asked:

… off layers of skin until you reach the layer that the ink is embedded in. i have heard of people using sanders…) Did it work? How painful was it and did it leave a huge scar?
by the way, this question is NOT for me. i do not have the genitals to do such a thing. i think i would pass out. a friend of mine is considering this… just wanted to know if others had heard of/done this because it completely disgusted me.

The business of acne scar removal has taken a turn in recent years. No longer is it necessary to make doctors appointments and go through laser treatments in order to remove those pesky acne scars. Advancements in science have given us a new way to view scar removal. We can now remove scars in the privacy of our bathrooms using a new biological agent found in nature.

The new science of glycobiology has studied how sugars in the body play a part in molecular biology. Glycoconjugates collected from a Chilean land snail can help play a critical role in cellular communication. These sugars, extracted naturally directly from the source, help improve tissue development and cellular function in the body. They help the body control the inflammatory response while stimulating collagen and elastin production.

In the past, when people were looking for a remedy to left over acne scars, chemical peels and dermabrasion were the popular methods of removal. Acne cysts tend to leave a red mark under the top layer of dermis. Dermabrasion is the method of removing the top few layers of skin using a machine that rivals a sandblaster. The process physically scrapes off skin giving it a smoother apprarance. This action must be repeated in order to help deep scars and other skin afflictions.

Chemical peels are a popular method of removing pimple scars. Scar tissue is covered by a chemical that is left on the skin for a few minutes and allowed to penetrate into the affected area. The peel is then removed, taking with it the top layer of skin. Removing the top layer allows the skin to regenerate itself, providing the body the opportunity to generate healthy skin cells to replace the scarred areas. People prefer this method because it is not considered major cosmetic plastic surgery.

Grafting is a last resort used to cover acne scarring. Miniature portions of the dermis are removed from their original site and implanted over the scars. This procedure runs a high risk of infection and the possibility of the graft falling of is constantly present.

The new science of glycobiology has given us new insights into skin care and acne scar removal. The ingredient extracted from the Chilean land snail has the scientific name of Helix Aspersa Muller Glycoconjagate. This biological agent has the power to coordinate dead skin cell removal by using its natural enzyme to control cellular communication. Improved communication between cells promotes proliferation which boosts collagen and elastin levels in the skin. Enhanced communication between cells can reduce acne breakouts by controlling the natural response mechanisms in the body while also cleaning out existing scar tissue.

By removing dead cells and promoting the influx of healthy cells to the site, this natural enzyme unclogs pores and removes scar tissue from the inside out. It performs the same action as dermabrasion procedures and chemical peels without the surgical feel.

Helix Aspersa Muller Glycoconjagate is found in creams that fight acne scars and rosacea. It is not used as a makeup substitute. This natural substance can take evasive surgeries out of the process of acne scar removal. Regular application has been shown to naturally work with your body to promote healthy cell regeneration at the cellular level. Impurities are cleaned out from the inside without harsh chemicals or surgical procedures.

By: Martha Fitzharris

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Judy86 asked:

i have been doing my research and found a method of tattoo removal called “layered dermabrasion.” it is essentially the removal of the top layers of skin to get rid of the tattoo. my tattoo is on the top of my right foot where the skin is already thin… does anyone know if my chances of receiving the dermabrasion technique and having it work are positive or should i continue to look for any alternative… or does anyone know how often this technique is performed? I just need some constructive opinions on this…