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Chemical Peel
Chemical
peeling is a procedure that uses a chemical solution in order to improve
the skin's appearance. It can reduce or eliminate fine lines under
the eyes and around the mouth, correct uneven skin pigmentation, remove
pre-cancerous skin growths, and soften acne or treat the scars caused
by acne. There are several techniques. In one procedure, Trichloroacetic
acid (TCA) is used for peeling of the face, neck, hands and other
exposed areas of the body. It has less bleaching effect than phenol,
and is excellent for "spot" peeling of specific areas. It
can be used for deep, medium or light peeling, depending on the concentration
and method of application.
Different types
of chemical peels vary according to their specific ingredients and
their strength. The depth of the peeling action is determined by factors
such as how long the chemical remains on the skin and whether it is
applied lightly or rubbed more vigorously onto the skin.
AHA Peels
The most superficial peels are those using alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)
such as glycolic acid. Sometimes just a single treatment with an AHA
peel can give the skin a fresher, healthier appearance and a radiant
glow. Repeated treatments can help to further improve the texture
of the skin. AHA peels can reduce the effects of aging and sun damage
including fine wrinkling and brown spots. Your surgeon will recommend
a maintenance program using AHA products that you can apply at home
on a regular basis. An AHA peel is performed in your plastic surgeon's
office and usually no anesthesia or sedation is needed. Only tingling
or mild stinging sensation will be experienced when the solution is
applied to the face, and immediately after the procedure, the patient
generally will be able to wear makeup, and drive themself home or
back to work.
TCA Peel
A trichloracetic acid (TCA) peel is often used for the treatment of
wrinkles, pigmentary changes and skin blemishes. Some patients benefit
from having TCA applied not only on the face but also on the neck
and other parts of the body that have been exposed to the sun. With
spot peeling of limited areas (such as around the mouth or eyes),
TCA formulas are often preferred because they have less bleaching
effect than solutions containing phenol, another popular peeling agent,
and some surgeons have therefore found TCA to be effective in treating
darker-skinned patients. Milder TCA peels can be repeated frequently
in order to achieve cumulative effects, or TCA can be used to achieve
a medium or even a deep peel, depending on the acid concentration
and manner of application.
Phenol Peel
A phenol peel is sometimes recommended for treating particularly rough
and sun-damaged facial skin. Phenol is effective in reducing the appearance
of wrinkles ranging from fine lines to deeper creases, and can correct
skin or pigmentary problems including blotchiness or age-related brown
spots. Phenol may be used in the treatment of precancerous skin conditions,
and is particularly useful for minimizing the vertical aging lines
that often form around the mouth. The disadvantage of phenol for spot
peeling of limited areas is that it often has a significant bleaching
effect. After your skin has been treated with phenol, you may need
to wear makeup in order for the treated portions of your skin to more
closely match the skin color of the surrounding areas. Unlike TCA
peels, phenol cannot be used on the neck or other parts of your body.
Certain variations in the phenol peel formula create a "buffered"
or milder solution, which allows for greater flexibility in use.
Collagen/Fat Injections
Also called soft-tissue augmentation, collagen/fat injectable fillers
are a plastic surgery technique used to correct wrinkles, depressions
in the skin, and/or scarring. Collagen injections were approved by
the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981, and have proven
to be a very popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure. Injectable Zyderm
and Zyplast collagen, natural substances derived from purified bovine
(cow) collagen, essentially replace the natural collagen that the
skin loses over time. Collagen injections are most useful in the treatment
of frown lines, "crow's feet", and smile lines (nasolabial
folds). To improve deeper creases or enhance lip fullness, there also
are filler materials, such as soft ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoro-ethylene)
that can be surgically implanted.
In one technique,
collagen which contains local anesthesia, is injected with a tiny
needle into the skin depressions being treated. Several injections
may be needed, depending on the length and depth of the wrinkle. The
procedure for both injections and implants takes less than an hour,
and implantation procedures for the lips and nasolabial areas are
done with a local anesthetic. A tiny incision is placed at either
end of the site, and then the implant is inserted and positioned.
Finally, the incisions are closed with a suture.
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