Microdermabrasion Treatment FAQs

During a microdermabrasion treatment, a pressurized stream of tiny aluminum oxide crystals is directed through a tube and hand piece that is placed against the skin. These crystals exfoliate the skin and the mild suction removes dead cells, debris, and used crystals.

Benefits of microdermabrasion:

• Virtually no side effects
• Creates an overall fresh, healthy-looking glow
• Non surgical, safe, and effective “lunch hour” procedure
• Effective on all skin colors and types
• No anesthetic required
• Excellent for skin that is sensitive to chemical procedures
• Normal activities can be resumed immediately

Individuals who don’t want to undergo the time, expense, discomfort, longer healing time, and possible side effects of alternative skin resurfacing treatments like chemical peels, or laser skin resurfacing and who have mild to moderate skin problems are likely candidates for microdermabrasion treatment.

You may be a candidate for microdermabrasion if you have:

• Oily skin
• Subtle wrinkles
• Blackheads or whiteheads
• Sun damaged skin
• Skin susceptible to acne
• Age spots
• Hyperpigmentation

Microdermabrasion is not for everyone. Let your care provider know if you have undiagnosed lesions, recent herpes outbreaks, warts, stage 3 or 4 acne, active rosacea, unstable diabetes, or auto-immune disorders.

Microdermabrasion has almost no pretreatment requirements. No medication is needed before treatment,but your doctor may ask you to stop using prescription blood thinners or products that contain aspirin for a short period of time prior to your appointment. If you are a smoker, quitting or cutting back a week or more before your appointment will help improve the circulation of blood to the skin.

If you are using Retin-A, Renova, Differin, and certain glycolic acid products on a daily basis, you should discontinue for about five days before your treatment. You should also avoid sunbathing, using sun beds, or waxing your skin for two weeks prior to your appointment.

Microdermabrasion treatment helps you produce thicker, healthier layers of skin. An additional five to twelve treatments spaced ten days to two weeks apart each are usually necessary to reap the full benefits of microdermabrasion.

Experienced estheticians, esthetic nurses, and physician associates in our office are trained to perform microdermabrasion.

After your first microdermabrasion treatment, your skin will have a fresh, radiant glow. Fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots become greatly diminished, and many patients report that their skin seems to be softer, smoother, and younger looking. Improvement will continue throughout the  treatment program, and most patients begin to notice visible results after the third treatment.

Microdermabrasion treatments last less than an hour .The treatment area will be cleaned and then a stream of pressurized, sterile micro-crystals will be used to gently exfoliate your skin. No topical anesthesia is needed as the treatment is pain free.

The machine’s pressure is adjusted for your comfort and desired results. Your clinician then moves the hand piece across the treatment area, delivering a precise stream of crystals onto the skin’s surface. The sloughed off skin cells and leftover crystals are then suctioned away to reveal the fresh, vibrant skin surface underneath.

After your treatment, the esthetician may choose to apply a light skin polishing agent or facial mask to optimize your results. After the first microdermabrasion treatment, patients’ complexions usually have a pink or light red appearance, which will typically fade after about a day. It’s important to follow all post-procedure instructions for best results, which include keeping your new skin clean and moisturized. Avoid sun exposure and makeup immediately after a microdermabrasion treatment to allow your skin to heal.

When microdermabrasion is performed by a certified skin care specialist, there are very few risks or negative side effects involved. Sensitive skin patients may have irritation. All patients must avoid the sun to prevent sun sensitivity complications such as sunburn or hyperpigmentation.

Following your microdermabrasion treatment, you should use moisturizers and sunscreens as recommended by Dr. Roche, and avoid sun exposure for a few days immediately following the procedure.

A typical microdermabrasion treatment on the face takes between 20 and 30 minutes. However, if you would like your neck, decolletage, or other parts of your body treated, it may last up to an hour.

Because microdermabrasion is non-invasive, it has a low risk of complications and is one of the safest skin rejuvenation procedures available. Some patients report mild redness or dryness after  treatment, but this is temporary. However, microdermabrasion equipment that is used incorrectly or at improper speeds can potentially cause hyperpigmentation, perforation, bleeding, or infection.

Microdermabrasion is an effective, painless substitute to chemical and laser treatments. However, the results may not be as quick as with other treatments, since it takes time to heal and regenerate new skin. This procedure is relatively painless, and is effective for all skin types.

Usually, benefits from microdermabrasion treatments are immediately apparent. However, optimal results will not be visible until all recommended treatments have been completed. The number of treatments required typically ranges from five to twelve sessions spaced a week or two apart.

Patients may be at risk of developing an infection if the microdermabrasion applicator and vacuum are not properly sanitized. If the machine is used at too high a strength, there is a risk that the patient’s skin may be perforated. When improperly applied, it is also possible for microdermabrasion crystals to enter a patient’s eye and cause irritation. This is why it’s so important for patients to receive this treatment at a medical office versus by an unlicensed provider.

The most relevant difference between microdermabrasion and chemical peels is that microdermabrasion is a non-chemical procedure and attacks imperfections by actually buffing flaws away from the skin’s surface.

However, treatment plans for microdermabrasion and mild chemical peels are similar, with up to eight procedures repeated at one to two week intervals. Depending on your goals and skin type, these two procedures may even be done at the same treatment session.

Another major difference between microdermabrasion and peels is that chemical peels will make your skin flaky and peel as you are recovering.