Skin rejuvenation and regeneration

Whether your skin has changed as you age or due to a health condition, there are various skin treatments that can help rejuvenate your skin.

Read on to learn more about your options.

Definition

Skin rejuvenation includes various treatments aimed at restoring your skin from any damage. Skin damage can be a result of sun exposure, an underlying health condition, or a normal sign of aging.

Some treatment options are gentler than a total facelift and can also be used to treat specific areas. Some of the skin rejuvenation procedures include:

Contraindications and Risks

There are some risks that can occur with skin resurfacing. These include:

• Contamination
• Change in skin texture
• Scars
• Burns
• Allergic reactions
• Light or dark spots
• Delayed wound healing

In general, it’s important to check with your healthcare provider before taking a treatment to make sure it’s appropriate. It is very important for people who have a weak immune system, are prone to scarring, are known to have herpes, are pregnant or breastfeeding to consult their health care provider before choosing to have a skin rejuvenation treatment.

Types of skin rejuvenation treatments

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing—also known as lasabrasion, laser peeling, and laser vaporization—is known to reduce facial scarring, blemishes, and wrinkles.

Overall, this treatment can improve complexion, aged or sun damaged skin, acne scars, warts, fine lines, stretch marks and wrinkles around your forehead, mouth or under your eyes.

There are two types of lasers used during skin resurfacing procedures:

• Ablative lasers: When a person receives this treatment, the outer layers of sun-damaged or aged skin are removed. The laser stimulates collagen production in the underlying skin. This improves wrinkles. When the skin heals after the procedure, the new skin that grows is tighter and smoother.
• Nonablative lasers: This procedure uses heat energy to improve the appearance of scars, sun-damaged skin, wrinkles and age spots without injuring the surface of the skin.

Chemical Peels

A chemical peel is a treatment that resurfaces the skin by applying a solution that helps the outer layers of the skin peel away. Once the treatment is complete, the skin will have a smoother complexion.

Chemical peels are known to tighten, tone and lighten the skin. They also reduce or remove discoloration, age spots or blemishes.

Types of chemical peels include:

• Light chemical peeling: This treatment uses a mild solution such as an alpha hydroxy acid or fruit enzymes. This treatment only penetrates the outer layers of the skin.
• Deep chemical peeling: Deep chemical peels reach the deepest layers of the skin. Some of the treatments involve movement and may require anesthesia.

Microdermabrasion and Dermabrasion

Microdermabrasion and dermabrasion use the same technique but with different degrees of intensity:

• Microdermabrasion: This procedure can be used on the neck, hands, face or body. The treatment consists of an area being exfoliated using a cloud of abrasive particles. The exfoliated skin is then vacuumed away. This treatment is safe for all skin types and has minimal side effects. Microdermabrasion can minimize wrinkles and fine lines. It also reduces age spots and mild acne scars while brightening and improving skin tone. This treatment can be done in one session or over a series of appointments to get the best results.
• Dermabrasion: This treatment removes rough layers of skin and encourages new cell growth. When a person has a dermabrasion, an instrument is used to remove the skin from the treated area. This process reaches deep into the surface of the skin. Not recommended for all skin types as it may affect skin pigmentation. Some patients may need local or local anesthetic during the procedure. This treatment can minimize fine lines and wrinkles, smooth and balance the skin’s complexion, and improve the appearance of scars and other blemishes.

Microneedling

Microneedling is a treatment known to stimulate the production of elastin and collagen. The practitioner will use an instrument that has small, sharp, thin needles on the skin. It can be painful, so numbing cream can be applied for an hour before the treatment.

In a type called radiofrequency microneedling, radiofrequency energy is delivered through insulated needles into the skin.

Sometimes, substances are applied to the skin. These may include hyaluronic acid or ascorbic acid. This is applied before or after the treatment so that there is deep penetration into the skin.

IPL (intense pulsed light)

Intense pulsed light (IPL) helps to rejuvenate the skin and treat pigmentation problems. IPL uses a wide range of light wavelengths that briefly attack the skin. Light energy is absorbed by the pigment melanin to treat brown spots and by hemoglobin in red blood cells to treat broken blood vessels.

It also stimulates collagen production to improve overall skin tone. No skin is removed during this treatment.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are known to help restore volume and fullness to the face. They can also help you get rid of facial lines.

This treatment can help delay the signs of aging without the need for cosmetic surgery such as a face lift, brow lift or eye lift.

Some of the effects of this treatment include:

• The softening of wrinkles
• Improved appearance of scars
• The removal or reduction of the shadow of the lower eyelids

Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox) Treatments

Botox is a treatment known to weaken certain muscles by blocking nerves. In skin care, it can provide smoothing of facial wrinkles.

Most cosmetic Botox treatments last about three months. If a person has Botox treatments, some of the side effects may include:

• Bruises
• Pain
• Swelling at the injection site
• Heavy brow or drooping eyelid

People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not get Botox.

Treatments at home

There are options for home treatments.

For example, at-home microdermabrasion and chemical peels have lower concentrations of the same ingredients you’d get from a professional. There is also a range of ultrasound, laser, LED light and microneedling roller products that you can use at home.

These are great affordable treatments that can keep the skin rejuvenated and address minor blemishes. Before using a home remedy, ask a healthcare professional to make sure it’s the right choice. Read all instructions and risks.

A word from Verywell

When a person has a skin resurfacing treatment, the results will vary depending on the procedure and the person. It is important to talk with a health care provider about your goals, past and present medical history, and any concerns. Your doctor can help you find the best treatment and plan that will work for you.