Skin Resurfacing Treatment Options + Benefits

Let’s talk about skin resurfacing - What is it? What are the benefits? Which treatment is best for your skin concerns? Here’s a breakdown to answer all of your burning questions!

What is skin resurfacing?
Skin resurfacing is the action of stimulating cell renewal, removing dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, and targeting the dermis to improve underlying skin damage.

What are the benefits of skin resurfacing?
There are many benefits for skin resurfacing which include:
- Removing/reducing stubborn pigmentation, including melasma
- Improving collagen and elastin production
- Stimulating fibroblast activity to strengthen your skin
- Reducing fine lines and wrinkles
- Toning and firming the skin
- Smoothing skin texture
- Creating a glow and improving the brightness/clarity of the skin
- Removing/reducing scarring, including acne scars
- Creating a quicker cellular turnover rate for healthier skin cell production

Which treatment is best for your skin concern?
You may opt for skin resurfacing treatments for a variety of reasons. Your skin professional can help guide you as to which treatment is best for you. Here is a quick look into some popular skin resurfacing treatments and how they can help you with your concerns:

Chemical Peels
Chemical peels stimulate the skin internally creating a shedding effect on the skin. The small molecules of the acids within chemical peels penetrate deep into the skin, bringing skin damage to the surface, and creating an epidermal shed to remove the damage. There are many options when it comes to chemical peels - from very minimal to no downtime to intense peeling and shedding. The intensity of the peel recommended to you by your skin professional will ultimately depend on the skin concern you are trying to target.
Skin Concerns Targeted: Acne, Pigmentation, Uneven Texture, Loss of Luminosity, Fine Lines, Superficial Scarring

Microneedling
Microneedling is a great option for anyone looking to resurface their skin with a short amount of downtime and faster results. The micro-needles penetrate into the skin causing micro-channels to form. The skin surrounding these pinpoints then heals and stimulates new tissue growth. This treatment effectively targets a lot of common skin concerns with only 72 hours of downtime. Results start to show within 2 weeks and continue up to 3 months post tx.
Skin Concerns Targeted: Scarring, Acne Scarring, Pigmentation, Loss of Luminosity, Fine Lines and Wrinkles, Tone and Texture

Laser Peels
Laser peels can be likened to a combination of a traditional chemical peel and microneedling combined. The treatment works by a laser creating micro-channels in the skin (instead of needles like microneedling). This action stimulates healing and new tissue growth. The focus of treatment is typically within the epidermis (top layers of skin). Therefore, there is only 3-5 days of downtime associated with the treatment, dependant on the intensity of the laser peel. This option is a great introduction to laser resurfacing treatments and allows for quicker results, especially with epidermal skin concerns.
Skin Concerns Targeted: Tone and Texture, Pigmentation, Loss of Luminosity, Superficial Scarring, Fine Lines

Fractional Laser
Fractional laser is designed to target your skin concerns at a deeper level - the dermis. The laser treatment perforates the skin, deep into the bottom layers of your skin’s structure to allow for more significant results and tissue regeneration. There may be some discomfort while healing including redness, swelling, and mild pinpoint bleeding. The procedure requires 7 days of downtime, but the results are well-worth the wait!
Skin Concerns Targeted: Collagen and Elastin Production, Fine Lines and Wrinkles, Acne Scarring, Scarring, Pigmentation, Uneven Tone and Texture, Loss of Luminosity, Skin Laxity

CO2 Laser
CO2 laser is the most intense laser treatment currently available for skin resurfacing. If you are looking to target more severe skin concerns such as deep acne scarring, wrinkles, skin laxity and signs of aging, this is the procedure for you. Typically, this treatment is performed by a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, or highly-skilled and trained laser technician. There is about 10-14 days of downtime associated with CO2 laser treatments including swelling, bleeding, redness, and some discomfort during healing. However, the results are stunning! Typically, you will notice improvements after 30 days and the healing will continue for up to 6 months post procedure.

Skin Concerns Targeted: Wrinkles, Deep Scarring, Skin Laxity and Compromised Tone, Texture Irregularities, Volume Loss

For a more in-depth discussion about these treatments, inquire within and talk to your educated skin professional. We are qualified to assist and guide you in the right direction to effectively to treat your skin concerns. At Meraki, we have a plethora of resurfacing treatment options to target your specific concerns. Our most requested treatments include Microneedling, The Perfect Derma Peel, and BioRePeel!

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