While cosmetic surgery can involve major operations, there is also certain skin treatments that are less invasive and most useful for removing scarring and certain types of wrinkles not always caused by age.

Chemical peel is a treatment that uses chemicals to peel the surface layer of the skin. This is not as horrible as it sounds, the amount peeled being so minute that it can hardly be seen, but it certainly improves the skin it has been damaged due to certain conditions.

Pre-cancerous keratoses is one condition that may improve with the use of the chemical peel. Irregular skin pigmentation is another. Wrinkles due to age or heredity or sun damage can be smoothed out and the skins tolerance to acne and external irritations can be increased.

Chemical peel treatments may be purchased over the counter, but if this course of action is followed, make sure you read the label carefully and start with the weakest mixture first. There is no point treating your skin harshly if its not necessary.

Dermabrasion is similar to chemical peeling in the results, but fine diamond tipped rotary instruments are used to sand the skin to a certain depth, much like a carpenter sands his new furniture smooth with glasspaper. After the skin is healed, fewer irregularities are found and the surface is much smoother. A surgeon must perform this procedure. A light sedative and local anaesthetic are used.

Sometimes dermabrasion in used in conjunction with chemical peeling in order to treat deeper wrinkles or scarring. Cold packs are often used before the dermabrasion and very little discomfort should be felt during the procedure, though the skin is often swollen and tender afterwards. Some redness may persist for several months, while small white dots can be a side effect, but will disappear shortly. Make-up can be used after about a week. Other side effects of the treatment may be a darkening or lightening of the skin. The darker areas can be successfully treated with special creams, while the lighter area is untreatable, but mostly hardly noticeable.

Laser resurfacing surgery is sometimes used to minimize facial wrinkles. A special beam of light energy can be used to make precise surgical incisions or to significantly improve the lines of the face. It is done under sedation and local anaesthesia and redness persists for several weeks, but make-up may be used to camouflage it seven to ten days.