Laminar dermal reticulotomy and chemical face peeling in the black patient

The technique of surgical planing, or laminar dermal reticulotomy, is described with special attention to its use in the black patient population. Additionally, the use of chemical peels in this group is discussed. Possible complications including scarring, pigmentary changes, milia formation, and infection are evaluated. Finally, indications for this technique as well as full-face chemical peel using trichloroacetic acid or the Baker-Gordon phenol formula in blacks are noted, and two illustrative case reports are presented.