All of the facial tightening procedures such as browlifts, blephoplasty, facelift or necklift will only improve the heavier lines of an aging face. None will change significantlly the character of the skin itself. Many patients require both skin resurfacing and tightening. Resurfacing the skin is performed to give the skin a smoother texture and to remove lesions and scars.
For superficial or medium resurfacing, the laser can be limited to the epidermis and papillary dermis. For deeper resurfacing, the upper levels of the reticular dermis can also be removed. Varied penetration allows treatment of specific spots or wrinkles.
In addition, resurfacing can provide some skin tightening, thus giving the face a more youthful appearance. Thus, resurfacing is often recommended for patients who are not ready for a face lift. Practitioners have three main methods at their disposal: Dermabrasion, Chemical Peel, and CO2 laser, the latest and most promising in cosmetic resurfacing. While dermabrasion is a time-honored technique, it has significant disadvantages and limitations, and surgeons have moved to chemical peel, and most recently, CO2 laser.