Dermabrasion is a cosmetic medical procedure in which the surface of the epidermis of the skin (the stratum corneum) is removed by abrasion (sanding). It is used to remove sun-damaged skin and to remove or lessen scars and dark spots on the skin and used for improvement of acne scarring. The procedure is very painful and usually requires a general anesthetic or twilight anesthesia, in which the patient is still partly conscious. Afterward, the skin is very red and raw-looking, and it takes several weeks for the skin to regrow and heal. Dermabrasion is useful for scar improvement when the scar is raised above the surrounding skin, but is less effective with sunken scars. Dermabrasion is done using a small, sterilized, electric sander in an outpatient surgery setting.
|
