Microdermabrasion effective for resurfacing.

• Position: Skin - Brief Article

Microdermabrasion, a skin-resurfacing technique, is effective and safe to improve the appearance of aged skin, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The technique is popular with both men and women and was performed on 870,000 Americans during 2000. The procedure, typically completed in less than one hour, is conducted with a fine sandblaster-type device that sprays tiny aluminum oxide particles across the face, combining gentle abrasion with suction to remove the dead outer layer of skin. Little or no recovery time is needed.

"Microdermabrasion is a fairly new skin-resurfacing technique that promises to firm the skin and decrease wrinkles, but few studies exist that illustrate these results after patient follow-up," explains James Chao, assistant professor of plastic surgery, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "[Our] study tracked a group of patients for four months after treatment and found promising...