Anti-Aging Skin Care Treatment For Your Face

There are more skin treatments that claim they improve the appearance of your face than I could write about or want to write about. I suspect that as we get older there will be newer treatments that are even less invasive than the ones I have described. I am also guessing that these treatments will do more than just help our appearance but will be preventive techniques for skin cancer. For now my goal here is to describe the strictly cosmetic applications of facial treatments.

Chemical Peels
One of the more popular treatments and one of the oldest is the chemical peel. This is technique in which a chemical solution, usually an acid, is applied to facial skin by removing the top layers of the skin to reduce the appearance of sun damage, uneven pigmentation and wrinkles. Keep in mind that chemical peels differ in their strength according to their ingredients and the strength of their peeling properties.

Light peels, which give skin a fresher look, may be administered by a physician or trained technician. They are used for treating fine wrinkling, areas of dryness and uneven pigmentation. The solution is usually comprised of alphahydroxy acids such as glycolic, lactic, salicylic or fruit acids.

Stronger peels require a trained physician for application because they remove skin to a greater depth to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. They are popular because they offer nearly immediate results and are performed as outpatient procedures. Light chemical peels can cost as low as $150 and deep peels as much as $600 or more. There are some risks including scarring, infection, and changes in skin tone.

Laser Skin Resurfacing
Cosmetic laser skin resurfacing is used to reduce imperfections of the skin’s surface until a smoother more uniform skin appearance is achieved. The procedure is sometimes referred to as laser skin rejuvenation because of its anti-aging benefits or laser peel because the damaged layers of skin are peeled away. It is used to treat discoloration, wrinkles, sun damage, scars and acne marks.

What makes this treatment more intriguing is the different kinds of lasers that are used. The CO2 laser, for example, is the highest intensity laser treatment currently available. It has even been used to treat skin cancer in its earliest stages. It can diminish the appearance of most wrinkles, scars and birthmarks.

The erbium lasers remove thinner layers of kin and are more precise. This treatment has a shorter healing time and is good for patients with healthy skin who are just looking to treat only fine lines and wrinkles.

Then there is the Fraxel laser skin resurfacing treatment which has few post-treatment side effects and no downtime. However, this treatment requires at least three sessions as improvements gradually appear over the course of weeks or months.