As people get older and see the physical changes their bodies are going through, particularly the face and skin, they will understandably desire to do anything to preserve a youthful appearance. As the aging process accelerates, the body loses subcutaneous fat, leading to wrinkles. Furthermore, damage caused by long-term exposure to the sun’s ultra-violet rays causes the skin to discolor and fine line development that leads to notable skin changes.
While eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle to help reduce the noticeable signs of aging, there are quality non-surgical anti-aging procedures in Sterling Heights patients can opt for to preserve a youthful look without having to do an extensive, invasive operation. These medicinal remedies allow patients to maintain the healthiest and most refreshing look without requiring more extensive procedures.
Using Laser Resurfacing
Laser is a type of light therapy that uses light energy to repair and regenerate skin cells. Sharp, concentrated vibrating light rays are pointed at the skin to remove its damaged layers. Also known as a laser peel, laser resurfacing is a popular procedure that adds much-needed rejuvenation to the skin.
One of the biggest reasons people choose laser resurfacing is that it boosts the energy levels of the cells in the affected area of the skin. The light that the laser uses helps refresh the area, and the treatment also improves the immune system, ensuring it runs more smoothly. Furthermore, laser treatment boosts collagen, the most important protein for the skin, to form new skin cells, leading to younger-looking skin while improving blood flow in the treatment area.
Potential risks of swelling, infection, skin discoloration, and infection accompany laser resurfacing. Therefore, thorough consultation with a dermatologist in Sterling Heights must be completed before pursuing such a treatment option.
There are two types of laser treatments that can be done. There is ablative laser resurfacing where the skin tissue is destroyed or non-ablative surgery to avoid damaging the tissue, with the ablative procedure typically costing a lot more.
Chemical Peels
Another operation that is not invasive that can be done to correct a skin issue is a chemical peel. Chemical peels are skin resurfacing treatments, primarily for the face, using acidic solutions to smoothen the skin’s surface and reduce any fine lines within the face. Most chemical peels act like gels and are also applied to other areas of the body like the neck, chest, or hands. Once the chemicals from the peels are applied to the skin, intentional blisters are caused, leading to them peeling from the skin. The peels eradicate all dull and dead cells on the skin’s surface, improving fine lines, reducing or removing discoloration, getting rid of acne and other noticeable imperfections on the body.
While there are various chemical peels available, a dermatologist in Sterling Heights can only perform a select few of these peels. Other types of chemical peels can be done from the comfort of home. However, such peels may not yield the comprehensive, desired results offered by a clinic. The three main chemical peels typically offered are mild peels, medium-depth peels, and deep peels.
Mild peels treat mild skin issues and require less recovery time. Additionally, mild peels can be used on any skin color and come with minimal risk of hyperpigmentation. Medium-depth peels, meanwhile, are typically helpful when removing facial scars. They are also used to eradicate fine lines and remove birthmarks whenever necessary. However, healing from medium-depth peels takes longer than mild peels, and there are potential side effects that may result from these peels. Though one treatment usually does the trick, professionals recognize that patients do multiple treatments.
Deep peels are typically used for more serious cases like precancerous growths, deep scars, wrinkles, and extreme cases of acne. With deep chemical peels, the results are noticeable after just one application. However, deep peels are the costliest types of chemical peels and have more severe side effects attached to them.
Microdermabrasion As An Alternative to Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion aim to renew the overall texture and tone of the skin. While dermabrasion requires you to go under the knife, microdermabrasion does not. It is the more subtle of the two applications, usually used to improve how the skin looks following UV ray damage, acne scars, melasma, and various other skin conditions. Microdermabrasion can be used on any skin color or type and isn’t too noticeable a process.
Microdermabrasion is also known as a power peel, meaning that the skin is blasted with tiny crystals to exfoliate the skin’s outermost layer. When the microdermabrasion exfoliates the skin, it removes the dead skin from the face, with the new skin looking pink and mirroring a sunburn. According to clinical experts, it may take up to 10 sessions, with a few weeks apart between each session, for patients to see optimal results from the minor operation.
By using microdermabrasion, spotty skin can be removed, and healing takes a few days to a week. However, bleeding may occur with the procedure.
Thermage
Thermage, meanwhile, can be used to eradicate saggy skin, using radio-like frequency to heat the skin and apply energy to rejuvenate it. The heat from the thermage generates collagen, which tightens the skin and gives it an extra layer to function on. While thermage is a painful process, it usually requires just one treatment to see the most effective results. One thing that thermage helps considerably is the eyelids, particularly droopy eyelids. Droopy eyelids are known to respond well to thermage. While results may take up to six months, the eyelids look considerably more energetic after the process.
Other popular procedures like botox injections can be explored as well for treatment. However, the above mentioned non-surgical anti-aging procedures in Sterling Heights can make a huge difference for patients seeking a renewed appearance and feel while getting older.