Summer means spending plenty of time catching some rays, whether you attend a backyard barbecue, participate in an adult sports league, or dance the day away at a music festival. Now that summer is winding down, however, you may be starting to notice accumulated sun damage from years past catching up to you. What can you do to restore your skin’s healthy glow without the need for surgery? At our Austin medical spa, we offer topical treatments and laser procedures that can be fully customized to your concerns and aesthetic goals.
What Is the TCA Peel?
Chemical peels that you can do at home can often provide some improvement in your complexion, but a medical-grade trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peel that is only offered in a clinical setting can provide stunning results that you can’t achieve at home.
TCA peels rejuvenate your complexion in two ways: by removing the top layer of skin, which contains dead cells that make the skin look dull and tired and by triggering the natural healing process, which involves producing new collagen and healthy skin cells. Getting a chemical peel can improve the look of sun-damaged skin and signs of premature aging, as well as common imperfections such as spider veins and acne scars. With a single treatment, you will notice a significant reduction in discoloration and other imperfections, and your skin will appear more youthful!
You can choose the strength of your peel based on the concerns you wish to address, as well your intended recovery time, which can range from e as little as 48 hours to up to a week for a deeper peel.
What Is Laser Skin Resurfacing?
When it comes to non-surgical skin rejuvenation treatments, fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers use the latest in medical technology to effectively “resurface” the skin. The CO2 laser has the longest wavelength of all the lasers available today, which makes it highly effective and safe for a wide range of skin tones.
Fractional CO2 lasers excel at turning back the clock on the discoloration, wrinkles, and uneven texture brought on by too much sun damage. This laser treatment can also address other concerns, such as scarring from acne or injuries. These lasers are gentle enough to use on the delicate skin around the eyes, yet powerful enough to visibly improve the quality of even thicker skin, such as that found in the neck and chest.
CO2 lasers are ablative lasers, which means they fully exfoliate the top layers of dull and damaged skin while stimulating the body to produce new collagen – a protein that serves as the skin’s support structure. The fractional nature of the treatment means the laser light gets broken up into thousands of tiny beams to treat only small sections within the targeted area, which minimizes recovery time after the procedure. As with peels, the depth of your laser treatment will be customized to your goals and will influence the time necessary for healing.
Fall and Winter Are Skin Resurfacing Season
Did you know the time of year when you plan your peel or ablative laser treatment makes a significant difference in how effective your results will be? Because your skin will be especially sensitive to the sun’s rays afterwards, fall or winter are the ideal seasons for these treatments.
Autumn and winter are also an excellent time of year to get either of these treatments because many people enjoy a slower schedule in the cooler months. You may find you have more wiggle room on your calendar to allow you to take some days off from work and social activities while you allow your skin to heal. You can stay home, indulge in some “me time” and curl up with that bestseller from your summer reading list you didn’t quite get around to. By the time next summer rolls around, you’ll be ready to put your best face forward for warm-weather occasions like outdoor weddings, family getaways, and pool parties. It will be your best summer ever!
Get Picture-Perfect Skin
Are you dreaming of having youthful, glowing skin? With customizable, non-surgical treatment options that can get rid of discolorations and premature aging, Dr. Malena Amato can help you make smooth, unblemished skin a reality. If you’re ready to look your best by erasing years of sun damage, call our Austin medical spa today at 512-501-1010 or contact us online.