Dermabrasion with rasps.

Abstract

Dermal abrasion for the treatment of postacne scarring and of rhinophyma is now being widely practiced by dermatologists. Most dermatologists use the revolving wirebrush technique with refrigeration analgesia as an office procedure. To a large extent this has superseded the sandpaper method, which was often carried out as a hospital procedure with general anesthesia. The purpose of this article is to present a simplified abrasive technique using rasps. The principles of abrasion therapy and its historical background have been well covered in recent articles. * Materials Instruments are simple and inexpensive rasps. The principal ones are forged steel sculpture tools having a central handle with variously shaped toothed working surfaces at the ends. They are available at most sculpture supply houses. More recently a stainless steel semicylindrical rasp with a plastic handle was added for the preliminary phase of the abrasion. This is marketed as a corn