Dermabrasion help to "refinish" the skin's top layers through a method of controlled surgical scraping. The treatments soften the sharp edges of surface irregularities, giving the skin a smoother appearance.
Dermabrasion is most often used to improve the look of facial skin left scarred by accidents or previous surgery, or to smooth out fine facial wrinkles. It's also sometimes used to remove acne scars.


Dermabrasion can be performed on small areas of skin or on the entire face. They can be used alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as facelift, scar removal/revision or chemical peel.
Men and women of all ages can benefit from dermabrasion. Although older people heal more slowly, more important factors are your skin type, coloring and medical history. For example, black skin may become permanently discolored or blotchy after dermabrasion. The procedure should not be performed during the active stages of acne because of a greater risk of infection.
Dermabrasion is normally safe when performed by a qualified, experienced plastic surgeon. The most common risk is a change in skin pigmentation. Permanent darkening of the skin may occur in some patients due to sun exposure in the days or months following surgery.

 

The procedure

Dermabrasion may be performed in a surgeon's office-based facility, an outpatient surgery center or a hospital under local anesthesia. In more severe cases, your surgeon may prefer to use general anesthesia.
The procedures usually take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour and a half, depending on how large an area of skin is involved. It's not uncommon for the procedure to be performed more than once or in stages, especially when scarring is deep or a large area of skin is involved.
In dermabrasion, the surgeon scrapes away the outermost layer of skin with a rough wire brush, or a burr containing diamond particles attached to a motorized handle. The scraping continues until the surgeon reaches the safest level that will make the scar or wrinkle less visible.
The surgeon may then treat the skin in a number of ways, including ointment, a wet or waxy dressing, dry treatment or some combination of these.

Recovery

New skin will be a bit swollen, sensitive and bright pink for several days. During this time, you can gradually begin to resume your normal activities.
You can expect to be back at work in about two weeks. Your surgeon will probably advise you to avoid any activity that could cause a bump to your face for at least two weeks.
It's important to protect your skin from the sun until the pigment has completely returned to your skin- as long as six to twelve months.