Comparing Skin Rejuvenation Options

Choosing between skin rejuvenation options is easier when you know which question each one answers. Lasers, peels, mechanical resurfacing and injectables overlap, and a good plan can tell you why one was picked over the rest.

This guide gives you a standard to measure the pitch against and a checklist for the conversation. For a first look at the laser side, the non-ablative laser rejuvenation page from a dermatologic surgery society shows how laser options are framed for patients.

What the standard says

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons states that laser resurfacing, mechanical resurfacing, chemical peels and injectable products can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles of the entire face or those that develop in specific regions of the face, such as the upper lip and around the eyes.

Two things follow from that. The options are recognized as a group, so a provider recommending one should be able to say why it beats the others for you. The target is also described by area, so the plan should name where on the face it is working.

A checklist for the consultation

• Which of the four approaches is being proposed, and which were set aside?
• Which area of the face is the plan aimed at?
• What will the finished result look like, and how will we judge it?
• What does the provider say about healing and results, and does it match published guidance?

Weigh the answers against independent reading. The plastic surgeons' blog on the most popular noninvasive cosmetic treatments is one way to see how a professional body compares common choices.

Where laser fits

If laser is on the table, check what it is being asked to treat. The dermatology academy keeps a page on skin conditions that lasers can treat, which helps you test whether a proposed laser matches your actual concern.

Settling on one option

Compare at least two options on paper before you commit to either, and take the checklist above with you. A licensed provider who has examined your skin is the one who confirms which option fits. For the full list of approaches in one place, the society's page on skin rejuvenation and resurfacing is the place to read first.