Curious About Cosmetic Treatments? Start Here
COSMETIC EDUCATION: UNDERSTANDING THE TREATMENTS THAT TRANSFORM YOUR SKIN
Cosmetic skin treatments can feel confusing and overwhelming — there are so many options. How do you know which procedure is right for your specific concerns? This month’s newsletter is dedicated to cosmetic education. Here is a quick, dermatologist-guided breakdown to help you understand how various treatments and products address common signs of aging and support healthier, more radiant skin.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
Proven treatments for pigmentation, texture, volume loss, and fine lines
The science behind each procedure
Professional-grade skincare that enhances and maintains your results
PIGMENTATION & UNEVEN SKIN TONE
(Brown spots, redness, broken blood vessels, and discoloration)
Pigmentation irregularities are among the most common skin concerns we see. Whether caused by sun exposure, hormones, inflammation, or genetics, uneven skin tone can make the complexion appear dull or aged.
Procedures
IPL Laser (Intense Pulsed Light): This light-based treatment specifically targets brown spots and redness beneath the surface of the skin. IPL selectively breaks down pigmentation and visible capillaries, causing the brown spots to peel off and the blood vessels to be absorbed, revealing a clearer, more even complexion. Minimal downtime and a great treatment for the face, chest, hands, and arms.
Chemical Peels: Diffusely removes the outer layer of the skin removing pigmentation and the dull surface layer, giving the skin a more even, smooth, and glowing appearance. Good for melasma or sun damage.
ISDIN Melaclear Advanced: This brightening serum combines tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and glycolic acid to visibly reduce dark spots and uneven tone. It helps restore clarity and radiance for a more even, luminous complexion.
Ourself Correction Brightening Serum: This advanced formula uses bioengineered molecules to minimize the appearance of dark spots and redness while strengthening the skin barrier. It’s an ideal daily treatment for maintaining even tone post-laser or peel.
Epionce Lytic Tx: A refining treatment with salicylic acid and botanical extracts that smooths texture, clears pores, and balances oil production. Ideal for improving tone and clarity in combination or blemish-prone skin.
Key Takeaway: Uneven pigmentation makes the skin look aged and weathered. It is easy to treat with minimal downtime with a combination of in-office procedures and continued maintenance products. You will love having a more even, glowing complexion.
TEXTURE & COLLAGEN STIMULATION
(Fine lines, wrinkles, crepiness, and acne scarring)
Collagen production slows with age and also gets broken down from UV exposure. This causes the skin to lose its firmness and develop fine lines, wrinkles, and crepiness. Stimulating new collagen helps smooth fine lines, refine pores, and restore elasticity—leading to plumper, younger-looking skin.
Procedures
All treatments in this category make tiny holes in the skin, referred to as “micro-trauma”, that cause your skin to produce growth factors and other peptides that stimulate healing and produce more collagen and elastin. The main difference between these treatments is the source of the “micro-trauma” which varies from mechanical needles to other sources of heat and energy.
Microneedling: A Handheld device with multiple micro needles that physically pokes small holes in your skin to create small micro-channels.
The least aggressive skin resurfacing procedure
A great first treatment or entry point into skin resurfacing
A great maintenance treatment to slow the aging process.
Minimal downtime and easy to get done.
Recommend a series of 3 treatments every 4-6 weeks.
Example: SkinPen® (Available at SKN Dermatology)
Non-Ablativie Fractional Resurfacing: Devices that use different sources of light, heat, energy, and/or radiofrequency to create holes in the skin.
More aggressive than microneedling by causing more trauma to the deeper layers of skin to stimulate more tightening.
Great treatment for targeting fine lines and wrinkles.
More downtime, but still quick healing.
2-3 treatments are recommended.
Examples: Opus Plasma™ (available at SKN Dermatology), Halo®, Fraxel® Restore, Clear + Brilliant®, and Morpheus8®
Ablative Fractional Resurfacing: Devices that use CO₂ or Erbium, to vaporize deeper or wider channels into the skin.
Most aggressive resurfacing treatments cause the most trauma and the most tightening to the skin.
Best treatment for wrinkles, crepiness, and acne scarring.
Longer downtime with the best results.
Usually only requires one treatment (not a series).
Examples: Helix™ CO₂ (Coming to SKN Dermatology in December 2025!), and Fraxel® Repair
Alastin Restorative Skin Complex: A powerful daily serum that rebuilds volume and firmness while brightening dull, tired skin. It contains TriHex Technology® to clear out old collagen and elastin so new, healthy fibers can form.
Alastin Regenerating Skin Nectar: A must-have post resurfacing procedure product that enhances the benefits of collagen-stimulating treatments.
SkinBetter AlphaRet Overnight Cream: This award-winning nightly treatment combines a retinoid with lactic acid to improve the appearance of fine lines, uneven tone, and texture—delivering visible rejuvenation with minimal irritation.
Key Takeaway: Collagen regeneration is key to preventing and treating fine lines and crepiness of aging skin. Start now to reverse and slow skin aging. One of these categories of resurfacing procedures is good for any skin type and age.
VOLUME LOSS
(Under-eye hollowness, cheek deflation or sagging, smile lines, and marionette lines)
Loss of facial volume is a natural part of the aging process. This is due to decreased collagen, fat redistribution, and bone resorption. The result is a tired or sunken appearance.
Procedures
Dermal Fillers: Hyaluronic acid-based fillers are injected into specific locations of the face to restore lost volume in areas like the cheeks, temples, under-eyes, lips, and around the mouth.
At SKN Dermatology, all fillers are administered by our board-certified dermatologists.
We are conservative in our approach and use filler to replace volume in a natural way that enhances your features, rather than changing them.
Results last 18-24 months.
Examples: Juvéderm® and Restylane® products
Sculptra®: Unlike traditional fillers, Sculptra® works gradually to stimulate your body’s own collagen production. It improves overall facial firmness and restores youthful contours with results that can last up to two years.
Product Recommendations
Ourself Lip Filler: A topical plumping serum powered by subtopical lip technology to visibly enhance lip volume, smoothness, and definition—no injections required. It leaves lips hydrated, fuller-looking, and naturally glossy.
SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier: This serum supports in-office filler results by boosting the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid levels. It enhances hydration, smooths roughness, and amplifies the plumpness of the skin for a lifted, radiant finish.
Key Takeaway: Restoring volume is an important component of treating aging skin, however it does not need to make you look overfilled and fake. It can be done in a subtle way to soften lines and rebuild natural contours to give the face a healthy, youthful look.
DYNAMIC LINES
(Forehead lines, frown lines, crow’s feet, and expression wrinkles)
Repeated facial movements like frowning, squinting, and smiling cause the skin to fold over time, creating dynamic wrinkles. By relaxing these overactive muscles, the skin looks smoother, refreshed, and well-rested.
Procedures
Botox® & Dysport®: Neuromodulators work by temporarily relaxing the facial muscles that create wrinkles. Treatments are quick, require no downtime, and deliver smoother skin that still looks expressive and natural. Results typically last 3–4 months and can be easily maintained throughout the year. If started early and maintained, 2-3 times per year treatment can prevent the formation of lines and wrinkles.
SkinCeuticals P-Tiox: “Botox in a Bottle”. A topical peptide serum that targets the same neurotransmitter that Botox does. It relaxes the small muscles in the face and gives the skin a smooth glassy appearance. Great complement to Botox® or Dysport® treatments to use daily.
Ourself HA Replenishing Serum: This deeply hydrating serum delivers multi-weight hyaluronic acid and patent-pending subtopical technology to boost moisture, firmness, and smoothness for visibly plumper, more radiant skin.
Key Takeaway: The best cosmetic treatment for quick results with no downtime. It can be done to treat and prevent wrinkles and can be done in small amounts, “Baby Botox”, to maintain a very natural look while smoothing the skin. It’s hard not to love it if done correctly!
PREVENTATIVE TREATMENTS
(For patients interested in maintaining youthful skin early on)
Preventative skincare is one of the best long-term investments you can make. By starting early with subtle treatments and product additions, you can preserve collagen, prevent wrinkle formation, and maintain glowing, resilient skin for years to come.
Procedures
Microneedling: Encourages collagen production, smooths texture, and enhances overall skin health without altering your natural features.
Great to start early with a series once a year to slow and prevent the aging process.
Botox® & Dysport®: Small, targeted doses can prevent early expression lines from becoming deeper, permanent wrinkles.
The best time to start is when the wrinkle starts to linger after you relax the muscle, before it becomes etched in.
Prescription Tretinoin: The gold standard for skin renewal. Prescription tretinoin accelerates cell turnover, refines pores, smooths texture, and helps prevent fine lines before they form.
Alastin C-RADICAL Defense Antioxidant Serum: This powerful antioxidant serum protects against sun damage and environmental stress while brightening skin tone and supporting healthy collagen production.
This dynamic duo, Retinol or Tretinoin at night and Vitamin C in the morning, should be a part of anyone’s daily routine who is interested in slowing aging skin.
Key Takeaway: We cannot prevent aging, but we can do things to slow the process of aging skin, maintain a youthful appearance to our skin and age gracefully. It requires starting early, routine maintenance and consistency.
READY TO LEARN MORE?
Schedule a complimentary cosmetic consultation at SKN Dermatology.
Whether you’re looking to correct, refresh, or prevent, our team at SKN Dermatology can create a customized plan to help you achieve your goals. Every recommendation is made with your skin’s unique needs in mind, guided by our board-certified dermatologists, Dr. Ghiselli, Dr. Farahi, and Dr. Blackwood, and our expert aesthetic team, Ashli and Emily. At SKN Dermatology, you can feel confident knowing you’re receiving the highest level of personalized, expert care in a welcoming, patient-focused environment.