What is dermabrasion?

Dermabrasion and dermaplaning help to "refinish" the skin's top layers through a method of controlled surgical scraping. The treatments soften the sharp edges of surface irregularities, giving the skin a smoother appearance.

Dermabrasion is most often used to improve the look of facial skin left scarred by accidents or previous surgery, or to smooth out fine facial wrinkles. It's also sometimes used to remove the pre-cancerous growths called keratoses. Dermaplaning is also commonly used to treat deep acne scars.

Both dermabrasion and dermaplaning can be performed on small areas of skin or on the entire face. They can be used alone or in conjunction with other procedures such as facelift, scar removal/revision or chemical peel.

If you're considering surgery to refinish the skin, this information will give you a basic understanding of the procedure – when it can help, how it's performed and what results you can expect. It cannot, however, answer all of your questions, as much depends on your individual circumstances. Please ask your doctor about anything you do not understand.

Common uses

Dermabrasion can be used to treat scars caused by acne or other injuries, fine wrinkles, sun-damaged skin, rhinophyma and precancerous skin patches.

Considering alternative procedures

If you're planning "surface repairs" on your face, you may also be considering chemical peel, an alternative method of surgically removing the top layer of skin. However, dermabrasion and dermaplaning use surgical instruments to remove the affected skin layers, while chemical peel uses a caustic solution.

Many plastic surgeons perform all three procedures, selecting one or a combination of procedures to suit the individual patient and the problem. Others prefer one technique for all surface repairs. In general, chemical peel is used more often to treat fine wrinkles, and dermabrasion and dermaplaning for deeper imperfections such as acne scars.

A non-chemical approach may also be preferred for individuals with slightly darker skin, especially when treating limited areas of the face since dermabrasion and dermaplaning are less likely to produce extreme changes and contrasts in skin color.

Also see information on microdermabrasion, a less invasive form of dermabrasion.