Dermabrasion

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A cosmetic procedure that removes the outer layers of skin with a rotating abrasive tool to smooth scars, wrinkles or uneven texture
2. Skin treatment in which the top layer is sanded away mechanically so that fresher, smoother skin can grow back beneath it
3. The process of mechanically scraping or sanding the epidermis to improve the appearance of damaged or aging skin

Etymology: Dermabrasion is a compound of two parts, each with a clear Greek and Latin pedigree. The first element, "derm-", comes from the Greek "derma," meaning skin, which also gave English "dermatology" and "epidermis." The second part, "abrasion," comes from the Latin "abrasio," a scraping away, from "abradere," to scrape off. Put together, the word describes literally scraping off the skin's surface. The treatment itself is a deliberate use of that scraping: a rotating wire brush or fine abrasive wheel removes the outer layers of skin to smooth scars, wrinkles, or uneven pigmentation. Because the name is a plain technical coinage built from classical parts, its meaning stays transparent: anyone who knows "abrasion" can work out what the procedure does.

Synonyms: skin resurfacing, exfoliation