The combined effect of sun damage and intrinsic skin result in facial aging frequently with wrinkles and fine lines. Different surgical techniques are used for the reversal of the mechanism of aging. A facelift or blepharoplasty alone cannot remove wrinkles and are especially inadequate for the fine wrinkles around the mouth, eyes and forehead. The chemical peel, dermabrasion and laser skin resurfacing procedures are used in the peri operative period to minimize these surface irregularities.

All three procedures remove the outer sun damaged layer of the skin, attempting to leave the patient with a smoother and more youthful appearance. The chemical peel procedure consists of the application of a medical mixture to the treated skin, which creates a controlled chemical burn. TCA (Trichloroacetic acid) is usually used in different concentrations. In the dermabrasion procedure, the outer layer is mechanically removed with a bur in a "sanding" motion. In the newer methods of laser skin resurfacing, various lasers can be employed to vaporize the outer layer of skin and induce a tightening of the remaining skin.

The result of the treatment is a general tightening of the skin with obliteration of many of the fine wrinkles and scars while making the deeper wrinkles and scars less noticeable. In patients with excessive wrinkling or scarring, a repeat procedure may be desirable, but complete obliteration of all lines, wrinkles or acne marks will not be possible in any patient. The use of a proper skin care program in addition to the resurfacing yield a better and more lasting result.