Aging, sun exposure, heredity and lifestyle factors including nutrition, alcohol consumption and smoking all may contribute to facial wrinkling. Pigmentary changes of the skin, such as blotchiness or brown spots, may also occur with age or as a result of birth control pills, pregnancy or genetic factors. Prior acne may have made the surface of your skin uneven. These problems, as well as certain other skin conditions, may be improved by skin resurfacing. Generally, Dr. Newman (Plastic Surgeon Temecula) recommends superficial peels for the more superficial skin issues like fine wrinkling and for deeper wrinkles, laser resurfacing treatment may be the best option depending on wrinkle location, skin tone and taking into account what other modalities might also be of benefit to you. Dr. Newman will customize his recommendation for treatment to achieve optimal results.
Skin resurfacing is a one time treatment, but can require touch-ups over time. Skin resurfacing is different from the peels offered by aestheticians because aesthetician treatments remove dead skin and pigment and resurfacing actually removes living surface skin that is wrinkled. During the consultation with Dr. Newman (Plastic Surgery Temecula), you may be asked to look in a mirror and point out the specific areas of your face that you would like to see improved. This will help Dr. Newman understand your expectations and determine whether they realistically can be achieved. You may be a good candidate for skin resurfacing if you have one or more of the following conditions:
- Wrinkled or sun-damaged facial skin
- Vertical wrinkles around your mouth, such as those that cause lipstick “bleed” “crow’s feet” lines around your eyes
and perhaps some skin laxity in your lower eyelid area - Fine wrinkling of your upper eyelids
- Brown spots or blotchy skin coloring
- Acne or chicken pox scars
- Superficial facial scars from a past injury
The amount of time you can allow for recovery may be an important factor in selecting a particular resurfacing method or determining the extent of treatment. Differing resurfacing techniques can be performed to varying depths.
A more superficial treatment will require less healing time, but you may need to have the procedure repeated more than once to achieve the same results as a deeper treatment. If you are having aesthetic plastic surgery, such as a facelift or eyelid surgery, you may be able to have a skin resurfacing procedure performed at the same time.
Dr. Newman will carefully examine your skin to determine which resurfacing technique, or combination of treatments, will provide you with the best results. Your skin type, the severity of any sun damage, the extent of uneven pigmentation and the depth of skin imperfections will be evaluated. Fine lines, coarse wrinkling or deep acne scarring each may require a different approach to treatment.
You should come to the consultation prepared to discuss your medical history. This will include information about any medical conditions, drug allergies, medical treatments you have received, previous surgeries, and medications that you currently take. Be sure to tell your plastic surgeon if you have ever had x-ray treatments of your facial skin such as those used in the treatment of acne or if you have had a prior chemical peeling procedure. Please inform us if you have had or are taking accutane, Retin-A or other skin medicines or treatments.
Additional Reading:
Additional Reading:“Unlike some of the other surgeons I considered going to, Dr. Newman listened to my concerns. I am thrilled with the results of my tummy tuck. I never thought I could regain my pre-pregnancy figure.”
Jill Smith