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Dermabrasion is a surgical procedure that will give the facial skin a smoother appearance. It’s most often used to improve the look of facial skin left scarred by accidents or previous surgery, or to smooth out fine facial wrinkles or acne scars. It's especially important that you find a doctor (generally a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist) who is trained and experienced in the procedure.

The Surgery
Dermabrasion may be performed in a surgeon's office-based facility, an outpatient surgery center, or a hospital. It's usually done on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. A freezing spray is also sometimes used to help numb the area. The procedure can last a few minutes or up to 90 minutes depending on the area involved. A high speed rotating sanding wheel or wire brush is used to peel away rough skin surfaces. When the procedure is over, the skin looks like a red brush burn and is tender.

The Recovery
Immediately after treatment you may have some trouble eating and talking and you’ll feel as if you have a severe sunburn. Oozing and scabbing can last for up to a week, until a new skin layer forms. The redness in your skin can last several weeks or months, but can be covered up with post-operative cosmetics. You can expect to be back at work in about two weeks.

The Best Candidates for Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion can help people of all ages feel more confident about their appearance, but the procedure may not get rid of all scars or flaws. Your skin type, coloring and medical history will all play an important part. Most surgeons won’t perform dermabrasion during the active stages of acne or if you’ve had radiation treatment, a chemical peel or bad skin burn.

The Risks
The most common risk is a change in skin color. Dermabrasion can cause the skin that’s been treated to look darker or lighter that the surrounding skin. Some patients develop excessive scar tissue that is usually treated with steroid medications. You may also develop tiny whiteheads after the surgery, which can be treated or removed.