Dr. Amy's Guide to Laser Treatments and Other Skin Smoothers

Think of your skin as an increasingly well-worn slipcover. Even if you've taken really good care of it, life happens -- skin texture has gotten rougher here, the color uneven there, and it all looks a little dull and drab. Honestly, it needs replacing.

That's what resurfacing techniques do. They remove the old, worn, upper layer of skin, and the healing process replaces it with a new layer of fresh, smooth skin. How? With strong lasers, chemicals, or a rapidly rotating wire brush.

It's a delicate process, so find an expert (consult at least two) in whatever method suits your needs. Your recovery time from the procedure will depend on the size and depth of the treated area, but the effect can be remarkable.

Resurfacing your entire face is not always necessary, and spot treatments can also be very effective. Or you may only need a laser that mainly evens out color irregularities or subtly tightens and refreshes the upper surface. Click through the list below to learn more about the options.