Dermabrasion

Treatment Overview

Dermabrasion is a treatment to improve the look of the skin. It uses a wire brush or a diamond wheel with rough edges (called a burr or fraise) to remove the upper layers of the skin. The brush or burr spins quickly, taking off and leveling (abrading or planing) the top layers of the skin. This process injures or wounds the skin and causes it to bleed. As the wound heals, new skin grows to replace the damaged skin.

The face is the most common site for this treatment. But other areas of the skin can be treated this way too. Dermabrasion is used most often to improve the look of acne scars and fine lines around the mouth. It also may be used to treat an enlarged nose (rhinophyma ) caused by rosacea, a skin condition.

How it is done

The areas to be treated are cleaned and may be marked. A local or general anesthesia will be used. One small area at a time is treated. Then the area may be covered with ointment and a dressing.

Dermabrasion is almost always done in your doctor's office or on an outpatient basis.