A Guide to Skin Rejuvenation: Options, Outcomes & More
Whether you are looking to fight off the effects of ageing, or find a solution for a different skin condition or aesthetic problem, you may already be interested in skin rejuvenation. But what does that even mean, and what are your options?
Skin rejuvenation actually incorporates a number of individual types of treatments, and it is important to understand the differences between them and their applications. It is also useful to understand the benefits of these procedures, and some other key considerations before you book your appointment. Use this guide to learn about the entire field of skin rejuvenation.
This article forms part of a series on Facial Rejuvenation by our medical experts, including: Photorejuvenation, IPL Skin Rejuvenation and Facial Rejuvenation. Learn more by visiting these article, voicing your opinions in the comment sections below or contacting us on 1300 788 800.
Different Options for Skin Rejuvenation
There are several types of skin rejuvenation treatments, although as you will see, there are a variety of sub classifications and groupings within this structure.
First, you have thermal energy treatments. Thermal energy treatments incorporate two sub-categories, radio and optical treatments.
Radio Frequency: Radio frequency devices induce a thermal heating effect on the skin using the radio band of energy waves. Radiofrequency devices produce tightening and rejuvenation of the skin. Devices differ from one another in the type of radiofrequencies utilised, as well as the number of “poles” incorporated, e.g., bipolar or tripolar energy.
Optical: Optical is also known as photo, i.e., photo-rejuvenation, because of visible light being used. Optical treatments can be broken down further into two more subsets of treatment:
Light: Intense pulsed light, or IPL technology is used with quick and noninvasive treatment. This is an affordable and convenient option, and it can work with a very wide range of conditions and outcomes.
Laser: Lasers utilise photothermolysis, and are able to selectively target tissue in a very specific bandwidth to go after the target area without causing damage to surrounding tissue. Laser skin resurfacing treatments may be either ablative, meaning they cause uniform injury to skin leading to the removal of targeted layers of skin (similar to a deeper chemical peel, see below), or non-ablative, which means that they use heat damage. Strong fractional lasers may be used to tighten skin to treat lines, wrinkles, scarring and other types of damage.
Chemical Treatments: The final category of skin rejuvenation procedures are chemical treatments, including chemical peels. There are of course a huge range of chemical peels, based on different types of active ingredients and applications. Chemical peels essentially work by causing dead and dry skin to slough off and “peel” away.
Of course, in the broadest sense, skin rejuvenation may also refer to cellulite treatments, active acne treatment or management, microdermabrasion, nonsurgical skin tightening, and more.
What Can Skin Rejuvenation Treat?
Skin rejuvenation is an extremely diverse and varied field. The best procedures can be used for an amazingly wide array of applications when it comes to the specific conditions or physical concerns they are treating. Of course, you will need to make a decision based upon what your own needs, circumstances and preferences are, and which treatment works best for that specific application.
Here are a few of the many different concerns and conditions for which skin rejuvenation can work wonders:
- Reducing and fighting off the effects of ageing, including wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots or sunspots
- Stretch mark removal
- Acne scarring and other shallow scars
- Reducing the appearance of broken capillaries and spider veins.
- Rosacea, melasma, hyperpigmentation, and other skin conditions
- Smoothing, brightening, and improving skin texture,
- And many more specific concerns
Why Thermal Energy is a Great Solution for Skin Rejuvenation
As described above, the group of thermal energy treatments incorporate numerous individual types of devices and avenues to produce a range of benefits and positive outcomes. There is a solution for nearly any specific condition within the group of thermal energy skin rejuvenation treatments. Very targeted results can be produced, because very specific wavelengths of energy can be selected, creating desired outcomes without causing damage or unwanted side effect.
Important Considerations
Most forms of skin rejuvenation can provide relatively long-lasting outcomes. However, none of the types of skin rejuvenation offer a permanent solution. That is because while they can reduce, remove or fight off the effects of ageing, they cannot stop the passage of time and the effect of gravity, age and time on your body. This means that Pigmentation, wrinkles and lines may one day form again, other spots may appear, and so forth. Even if we were able remove them in the first place, which we often can, we cannot control the underlying causes of those problems. While you will enjoy a more youthful appearance, you have to have realistic expectations about the longevity of the improvements, and consider whether you may want to have further treatments in the future as well.
Skin rejuvenation treatments are by and large relatively quick ‘in-office’ procedures, with little-to-no need for downtime or extended recovery. However, you will have to follow your clinicians advice in terms of at-home care in the days that follow, including potentially avoiding the sun or soaking in water.
Skin rejuvenation is not an effective treatment for the removal of cancerous tissue. It can be used to remove precancerous growths; however, skin rejuvenation is considered solely cosmetic.
Costs of Skin Rejuvenation
Different types of skin rejuvenation treatments have widely varying costs. Below are a few examples based on Advanced Dermatology’s research data of a variety of skin clinics in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane collected in 2013:
- Chemical Peels: $250-$550
- IPL Treatment cost: $350-$800.
- Laser skin Resurfacing cost: $1000-$2000 (nonablative-ablative)
- Fractional Resurfacing cost: $1000-$2000 (nonablative-ablative)
Keep in mind that the above figures only represent the fees quoted by the practice, and there may be other costs involved in your treatment as well. The costs above represent the cost of a single treatment, though certain types of skin rejuvenation will require multiple sessions and individual treatments. For instance, common IPL treatments actually involve an average of between three and six separate sessions, depending on the strength of the device and your own individual circumstances.
All types of skin rejuvenation are cosmetic, elective procedures, and as such will not be eligible for insurance coverage. However, many clinics offer clients flexible payment plans.
Choosing Your Clinic
Another very important area of concern is your choice of clinic or individual medical professional. With so many varieties of skin rejuvenation treatments, you want to find a clinic that offers the specific treatment that you are seeking. Certain clinics may offer a wide range of types of treatments, while others may focus on a more narrow range, or even an individual form of treatment and to the exclusion of others. Whomever you are working with should be able to answer all of your questions or concerns about how these treatments differ, and which option may or may not be the best fit for you individually.
It is important to discuss the outcomes and benefits that you are seeking, and how an individual treatment will get you to that end result. You should be comfortable with your doctor, and confident that together you have developed a complete course of treatment that has been designed specifically for you.
Do not be afraid to ask or look into your doctor’s or other skin professional’s qualifications, education and training. Online research in terms of reputation, and reviews from other patients and clients, is also a helpful tool.
Bottom Line
Skin rejuvenation is a wonderful solution for adults of all ages and backgrounds. It is especially effective, beneficial and common for individuals as they are ageing, to help offset that process, and help their inner vitality shine through into their outer appearance. With many different types of treatments, and an extensive array of benefits and positive outcomes, skin rejuvenation is a convenient and effective choice for many patients.
At Advanced Dermatology we utilises the industry’s “Gold Standard” in Skin Rejuvenation treatment in Sydney. We also provide treatments for Laser Skin Resurfacing, Sun Damage, Fractional Laser, Non-Surgical Facelifts and much more. To learn more about skin rejuvenation or discuss specific treatments that may be right for you, consult with a well-trained skin professional at Advanced Dermatology, contact us on 1300 788 800.