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Human skin is made of many different layers. These layers provide the body with strong protection from foreign objects and infections. The skin layers also perform different functions including thermoregulation. From a cosmetic point of view, the skin is an important feature of an individual's physical appearance. Skin texture is very important as this is a sign of the health of the individual. Generally speaking, healthy individuals tend to have soft, fresh looking skin whereas unhealthy individuals tend to have rough or dry skin which is easily prone to cracking and other forms of damage.

Dermabrasion is the process where the top layer of skin is scraped off using some form of mechanical scraping or by using a laser machine. The process of dermabrasion is used to improve the appearance of the skin. This improvement may occur as a result of the removal of some imperfection or blemish. This improvement may also occur as a result of the general improvement of the texture of the skin. A softer, less aggressive dermabrasion procedure is known as micro dermabrasion. This process is designed to remove the top layer of skin to make the skin appear fresh and bright.

Dermabrasion aftercare depends entirely on the type of dermabrasion procedure that has been performed. In general, one can say that there is minimal dermabrasion aftercare required for patients who undergo micro dermabrasion. Micro dermabrasion, particularly laser micro dermabrasion causes minimal dermabrasion after effects to the skin. This means that an individual can walk out of the clinic looking as fresh as new after a micro dermabrasion procedure. In most cases, micro dermabrasion aftercare involves the liberal use of sunscreen lotions on the treated area to ensure that sun damage does not occur immediately after the procedure. Dermabrasion aftercare for more aggressive procedures is far more complicated. In many cases, the procedure is extremely painful and leads to damage that needs to be taken care of at that very moment. In such a situation, dermabrasion aftercare involves regularly cleaning the wound and changing the dressing. Creams and ointments may be needed to ensure that the wound does not become infected in anyway. For this type of treatment, dermabrasion aftercare is completely in the hands of the doctor. The doctor will also inform the patient of the various steps needed to ensure that the skin is properly taken care of in the hours and days after the procedure. For more complicated dermabrasion procedures, dermabrasion aftercare may last for up to two weeks after the procedure.