TRAVERSE CITY SKIN RESURFACING
Normal aging, as well as poor habits with alcohol and tobacco, can contribute to lackluster skin. You’ve seen it in your mirror: dull, dry, sometimes patchy skin that just doesn’t have the look of youth that you once took for granted. You can regain a much more youthful appearance at the hands of Dr. F. Matthew Smith in Traverse City, Michigan. Both men and women are rediscovering the beauty of their skin through various treatments, none of which involve surgery. Microdermabrasion, chemical peels and laser treatments are three of Dr. Smith’s most well-known weapons against skin aging.

MICRODERMABRASION FOR TRAVERSE CITY, MI MEN AND WOMEN
One of the first treatments we recommend for skin aging is a simple, 10-15 minute procedure called microdermabrasion. It’s almost like “buffing” the skin. However, it’s safer than using rough washcloths at home and much more effective. Scrubbing too hard with a washcloth or skin-buffing pad can actually damage your skin, as you don’t always know when “enough is enough!” We do and our precise techniques will make sure that your skin looks better and feels smoother, without you having to worry about damaging your tender skin surface.

The microdermabrasion handpiece removes the outer layer of your skin, essentially “polishing” the skin with tiny natural chips, and then vacuuming away the dead, dull skin cells. The result?  Fresher and much softer skin—you honestly will not believe how soft your skin is after having a short and inexpensive microdermabrasion treatment! Further, skin care products, such as your moisturizer and night cream, will penetrate faster and deeper to give you more effective results. Recovery is generally instantaneous unless your skin is extremely sensitive, in which case you might be slightly red for a day. It’s not painful and takes very little time. You can have repeated microdermabrasion treatments on a regular basis to maintain the glow of youthful skin! Microdermabrasion is best for fine, surface wrinkles, sun damaged skin and blemishes.

CHEMICAL PEELS AT DR. F. MATTHEW SMITH’S COSMETIC SURGERY PRACTICE
If your skin problems include large pores, wrinkling, discoloration and/or surface irregularities, a chemical peel can do a deeper job of uncovering fresh, young skin than microdermabrasion. We recommend this as the next “level” of skin resurfacing.

A chemical peel uses phenol or alpha-hydroxy-acids to chemically remove rough skin. The exact strength of the chemical used is determined after a thorough examination of your skin at your consultation with Dr. Smith in his Traverse City cosmetic surgery office. Though the word might sound a little scary, it’s really a very simple, minimally uncomfortable and safe way to trigger a deep exfoliation of the skin using a pre-determined amount of phenol or alpha-hydroxy acid in the chemical peel. Traverse City men and women come to us often for this option.

CO2 LASER SKIN RESURFACING FOR MEN AND WOMEN IN TRAVERSE CITY, MI

If you have significant facial lines and wrinkles, pre-cancerous areas of skin, photo damage, facial scars and/or uneven pigmentation, a CO2 laser skin resurfacing treatment may be just what you need to remove deeper layers of damaged skin to reveal the softer, smoother and younger-looking skin beneath. The CO2 laser has long been called the “Gold Standard” in skin lasering, because of its ability to treat deeper lines, creases and wrinkles. CO2 lasers use carbon dioxide laser light beams to, essentially, damage the skin so the skin will rebuild itself. The CO2 laser treatment gives you skin the best opportunity for age-defying results.

A CO2 laser treatment can be done over the entire face or just in the areas that bother you the most. A local anesthetic is injected to eliminate discomfort and you may be offered IV sedation as well. The laser removes damaged skin in layers and must be performed by Dr. Smith himself. Recovery will take about two weeks but Dr. Smith’s patients who have had the CO2 laser treatment say it’s worth it for the level of results they obtain.

Because some of Dr. Smith’s patients can’t take two weeks from work and social obligations, some of them opt to have what’s called a “fractional” CO2 laser treatment. Essentially, the fractional laser treatment requires several, shorter and less deep laser procedures to accomplish what could be done in one session of a full CO2 laser treatment. Recovery is a couple of days rather than a couple of weeks. What’s nice is that the choice is yours!

Both men and women come to Dr. Smith’s office in Traverse City, Michigan seeking these minor cosmetic procedures since there are a number of options from which to choose, depending on your needs. Call us today to schedule your own private consultation with Dr. F. Matthew Smith and find out what can be done to bring back the “young” in your skin!