Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

When it comes to improving dull skin, rough texture, hyperpigmentation, and acne, chemical peels and lasers remain the gold standard. Both help to reduce the appearance of pores and soften fine lines. Both entail relatively minimal downtime (a few days of redness, swelling, and peeling). And both can be exceptionally effective—in the right situations. Here, I’ll help you pin down which treatment is right for you.

How do they work?

First, let’s take a closer look at each treatment. A chemical peel uses various acids, such as lactic, salicylic, or trichloroacetic (TCA), to resurface the skin and remove surface pigmentation.

Which treatment is right for me?

Regardless of your skin type or the issue you want to address, both peels and lasers will require multiple treatments in order to achieve the best results. The total number can be as few as two, but it’s generally between three and six. 

With that in mind, if given a choice, a chemical peel is the better option if you’re on a budget. Its price depends on the strength and concentration of the peel, but the range is typically less than that of a fractionated laser treatment.

Both types of treatments can provide you with more radiant skin, though, if you have dark skin and you opt for a lower-energy fractionated laser, like Clear + Brilliant, you’ll want to make sure the treatment is done by someone who has a lot of experience using this laser on dark skin types. It’s considered safer than a stronger laser resurfacing procedure, but the results can vary in under-experienced hands.

For the most part, however, a chemical peel is the safer means to resurface and tighten dark skin. The heat of a fractionated laser can contribute to hyperpigmentation. (For everyone else, a laser is the clear choice for skin-tightening. The heat will spur the production of natural collagen and elastin, the basic building blocks of firmer skin.)

Some plastic surgeons will start with a peel and move to a laser if the results aren’t meeting their expectations. In those instances, they’ll use a lower-energy fractionated laser at low strength over a few treatments in order to avoid post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

A similar approach is often used when aiming to erase persistent patches of acne. A series of salicylic acid peels exfoliate the skin and penetrate the pores to unclog them. At which point, a long-pulse laser can shut down overactive sebaceous glands. It’s safe for dark skin because it won’t burn the upper layers.

If you want to learn more about our med-spa services and chemical peels. please contact us at info@daviscps.com and our team will be happy to help you and schedule a virtual consultation.

Here at Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery we do not lump Injectables into one big pile, even though their qualities and uses can vary significantly. One in particular that stands out for us is Sculptra because it’s made of poly-L-lactic acid (rather than hyaluronic acid) and it works with your body to regrow collagen, which is unique among wrinkle treatments.

Sculptra is approved by the FDA for filling wrinkles and reducing hollow, sunken cheeks and temples. Because it tasks your body with making collagen, it can take longer to see results than it does with hyaluronic acid fillers, but the effects will last much longer. Which also means that, as a side benefit, Sculptra tends to be less expensive overall than hyaluronic fillers for patients who need a lot of volume replenished.

“When applied correctly, Sculptra looks positively natural,” says Dr. Steven Davis. This is why it’s imperceptible. “Since it is slowly and steadily building support for your skin, no one would ever be able to tell you’ve had it injected.”

What’s the treatment like?

Sculptra injections are similar to just about every other kind of filler injection. There may be some mild discomfort, which can be mitigated with a topical numbing agent. After the injections are completed, your plastic surgeon will massage your face for a few minutes, to ensure the Sculptra is distributed evenly among the targeted areas.

Following the procedure, some mild swelling, bruising, and soreness around the injection sites is normal. But all of that should clear up fairly quickly. In the meantime, it shouldn’t be anything significant enough to keep you from your regular activities.

When will I see the results?

Most patients of DCPS tend to look great right after injections. But, gradually, those effects will wear off. And after a couple of days, you should look much like you did before the treatment. That doesn’t mean the treatment didn’t take. All the while, your skin is using the poly-L-lactic acid to produce new, natural collagen.

You should begin to notice a difference within a week or two of your treatment. Usually, it’ll take between four to eight weeks to see the full effects of your injections. And while that may sound like an eternity, consider the bigger picture: Those results will last for two to three years. 

If you’re on the fence about a facelift, Sculptra may prove to be the perfect bridge. Please consult the team at Davis Cosmetic Plastic Surgery for a consultation, or if you have any questions.