Thanks to refinements of a number of dermatologic surgical techniques, there are several safe, effective procedures available today to improve facial scarring, including dermabrasion or scarabrasion. While more than 100 years old, dermabrasion has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity since the 1960's. The resurfacing technique has been further perfected over the last few decades. During dermabrasion, or surgical skin planing, the dermatologic surgeon freezes the patient's skin, scarred from acne, chicken pox or other causes. The new skin generally has a smoother and refreshed appearance.
Results are generally quite remarkable and long-lasting.
When dermabrasion was first developed, it was used predominantly to improve acne scars , chicken pox marks and scars resulting from accidents or disease. The treatment may also be applied to select areas of deformed skin. The conditions under which dermabrasion would not be effective include the presence of congenital skin defects, certain types of moles or pigmented birthmarks, and scars from burns. Before surgery, a complete medical history is taken and a careful examination is conducted in order to evaluate the general health of the patient. During the consultation, the dermatologic surgeon describes the types of anesthesia that may be used, the procedure, and what results might realistically be expected.