Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion (skin peeling) treatment involves removal of the ouyer layers of skin by means of an electrically rotating brush which penetrates down to the inner skin layer. It is carried out under a general anaesthetic.

It is normally used to treat the acne scar, wrinkles and pigmentation blotches, and can also remove rough and crepey skin from the back of the hands. Dermabrasion requires a great deal of skill - badly done, there could be serious skin damage - and it should only be carried out by an expert medical practitioner.

Some doctors believe that it should never be used to treat active acne while others consider it a good treatment at this stage because it opens up the skin and allows drainage (see causes of acne scar).

Abrasive brushes are selected according to the thickness of the skin and the depth and degree of peeling required. Specific ares of  scarring (including the acne scar) can be treated effectively in isolation, although deep scars will not be removed completely.

After the operation, dressings must be changed frequently, and antibiotic ointments applied to prevent infection and crusting. The skin will be up to twenty per cent tighter, but will remain red and tender for a few weeks while healing. Make up can be worn during this time to camouflage the redness. Normal skin color should resume in about three months and skin should look fully improved by six months.

After dermabrasion the skin should be completely protected from the sun for at least three months, and thereafter a strong sun block should be used, as ultra violet rays can cause permanent pigmentation blotches. These patches can also occur if you are taking the contaceptive pill. If dermabrasion is planned, therefore, use another method of contraception for at least four weeks before the operation, and three weeks after.

Like chemical peeling, the success of dermabrasion varies with each skin type and cannot be guaranteed.