Treatment for Acne Scars, Age Spots and Other Skin Concerns

By Ashlea Hoess, Medical Aesthetician, Spa Nouvelle at New York Group

Many women and men feel self-conscious about the appearance of their skin; some have facial scarring from teenage acne, others have more recently developed brown spots and discoloration on their face or hands from years of accumulated sun exposure. Many people are not aware that there are treatments designed to address these “skin texture” issues.

At Spa Nouvelle at New York Group, located within our Tarrytown plastic surgery office, we provide procedures that address a number of these skin issues, with a focus on improving skin tone and firmness (anti-aging); sensitive skin; visible capillaries; melasma (patchy brown discoloration); rosacea (redness) and stage I-IV acne. Procedures include:

Microdermabrasion:  A hand-held instrument gently but thoroughly removes the skin’s outermost layer, buffing off dead and loose skin cells and stimulating the growth of new, fresh skin. Microdermabrasion can eliminate many types of acne scars and dark skin patches (“sun spots”) and reduce fine lines, wrinkles and enlarged pores.

Chemical Peels:  A mild chemical solution is applied to the skin, left on for ten minutes, and then thoroughly washed off. The peel is customized to address uneven pigment; dryness; acne; or fine wrinkling. By removing the damaged outermost skin layer, skin is also thoroughly exfoliated and left with a healthier glow.

Facials: There are many types of facials that are customized for skin types, whether to treat acne or signs of aging or just refresh the skin. Facials are effective for deep surface hydration and exfoliation, and a special laser photofacial targets gentle pulses of light on the skin’s surface to help eliminate redness, broken capillaries, hyperpigmentation, sun damage and rosacea.  

It’s important to note that certain acne or other scars may not respond to treatment or can be made worse, so be sure to see only a trained medical aesthetician for a realistic assessment of what to expect from treatments and which to avoid.