SKIN CARE SOLUTIONS There are a variety of options available for people seeking smooth, healthy-looking facial skin.  Some treatments work best for fine lines, pigmentation changes, acne prone skin, dry aged thickened skin, or sun damaged skin; other procedures are better suited for deeper wrinkles, scars or other imperfections.  Many treatments require little or no "down time" for recovery or healing. Others may require more time for healing. Dr. Rasmussen, as a plastic surgeon, is a skin-care expert who has training and experience with a variety of skin revitalizing and resurfacing treatments. It may be that a combination of techniques rather than one single method will give you the best results.  Your face is the most visible part of your body - Dr Rasmussen will provide you with a medically supervised skin care program incorporating quality skin care products for daily home use, the services of her medically trained aestheticians for periodic enhancement, and laser treatments when indicated. The basis of many of Dr. Rasmussen's recommendations are skin resurfacing or "exfoliating" techniques - the deeper one treats the skin, the more dramatic the result, the longer lasting the result, but with greater risk and sequelle.  Therefore, topicals which enhance the exfoliation rate, such as physician strength glycolic acid, are considered "low level" skin resurfacing treatments; micropeels  and microdermabrasion  are more aggresive, but still "low level".  FRAXEL TM ,  a fractional photothermolysis laser, is a moderately aggresive exfoliating procedure, and the CO2 laser  is a very aggresive skin resurfacing procedure.    SKIN CARE OPTIONS Glycolic Acid Glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, is the basis for Dr. Rasmussen's skin care program.  Because of its small molecular size, glycolic acid has the greatest penetration potential  of all the alpha hydroxy acids.  Specifically, studies show that glycolic acid helps to loosen or break up the thick outer horny layer of the skin (stratum corneum) where excessive build-up of dead skin cells can be associated with many common skin conditions.  Simply put, it enhances the exfoliation rate of the skin to improve tone and texture of the skin, reduce photoaging  including fine wrinkles and pigmentation  changes, and improve acne prone skin . The product line Dr. Rasmussen prefers has a significantly higher glycolic acid concentration than any "over the counter"  product, and thereby attains significantly better results.  In addition, her glycolic acid product line is considerably more affordable than those purchased at the cosmetic counter.  Twice daily use is recommended. Click here for more information on Glycolic Acid   Bleaching Agents Topicals referred to as "bleaching agents" don't really "bleach" the skin...they make dormant your pigment cells.  These products take approximately one month before effects are visible; and if the products are stopped, the effects are generally reversed.  Hydroquinone is one of these products, and is available by prescription.  Dr. Rasmussen also offers a bleaching agent that includes a blend of ingredients when used together are helpful in reducing hyperpigmentation. Click here for more information on Hyperpigmentation   Aesthetician Services Dr. Rasmussen offers the services of medical aestheticians.   The aestheticians may make further recommendations to your initial physican strength glycolic acid home skin care program.  You may also benefit from aesthetician "revitalizing treatments", commonly referred to as "micropeels", all which have the same goal (smoother, fresher-looking facial skin) but which work in different ways.  Our medical aestheticians also perform facials and MegaPeel microdermabrasion. Click here for more information on our Aesthetician Services   Microdermabrasion This treatment is a type of superficial skin resurfacing technique designed to accelerate the exfoliation process by manually removing the dry, dead cells on the surface of the skin and allowing new cells to appear.  It has been demonstrated to reduce the effects of aging, sun damage and hyperpigmentation, and to improve acne and acne scarring.  A series of 4 - 6 every week or two is recommended, followed by monthly maintenance.  MegaPeel microdermabrasion is performed by our medical aestheticians. Click here for more information on Microdermabrasion   MORE AGGRESIVE SKIN RESURFACING TREATMENTS FRAXELTM FRAXELTM has recently been featured on The Today Show, The View, In Style Magazine, Self Magazine, and O, The Oprah Magazine.  Since 2006, Dr. Rasmussen has performed fractional photothermoloysis, also  known as FRAXELTM laser treatment.  FRAXELTM has been developed to achieve moderate resurfacing with fewer side effects.  FRAXELTM  is FDA approved for overall skin texture, treatment of fine wrinkles, treatment of discoloration of skin tone such as sun spots, age spots and melasma, and acne scars.  Different energy and treatment levels are selected based on the individual needs of a patient and a series of 3 to 5 treatments are generally recommended.  These are performed with the aid of topical anesthetic.  For your safety and ideal results, Dr. Rasmussen performs FRAXELTM herself,  not  an assistant. Click here for more information on FRAXELTM   CO2 Laser This procedure is helpful for the reduction of notably fine wrinkles such as cross-hatching of the lower eyelids but also deeper wrinkles, such as lines around the mouth.  The major advantage over most other skin resurfacing techniques is the effectiveness and predictability in removing sequential layers of skin precisely and cleanly.  Because it makes the skin "raw", healing is more prolonged, but the results are more dramatic and long lasting.  Since it is a deeper exfoliating skin resurfacing procedure, it carries more potential risks and sequelle.  It typically is performed under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia. Click here for more information on the CO2 Laser   Chemical Peel A deep chemical skin peel, or phenol peel, is the strongest of chemical peels, and is reserved for individuals with deep wrinkles from sun exposure or to treat skin wrinkling around the lips and chin area.  The procedure diminishes imperfections in sun-damage, unevenly pigmented, or coarsely wrinkled facial areas by peeling away the skin's top layers.  Dr. Rasmussen prefers the use of CO2 laser over the phenol peel for deeper treatment of wrinkles since, in her hands, the CO2 laser delivers a more predictable result.