Microdermabrasion Treatment FAQs

During a microdermabrasion treatment, a 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 created by the microdermabrasion system removes the skin debris and crystals.

Microdermabrasion is a non-chemical, non-invasive procedure that removes the outermost layer of dry, dead skin cells to reveal younger, healthier-looking skin. Microdermabrasion treatment also encourages the production of a new layer of skin cells containing higher levels of collagen and elastin, both of which further improve your skin’s appearance.

Benefits of Microdermabrasion:

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

Individuals who don’t want to undergo the time, expense, discomfort, longer healing time, and possible side effects of alternative skin resurfacing treatments such as chemical peels, dermabrasion or laser skin resurfacing, and have fairly minor skin problems are likely candidates for Microdermabrasion treatment.

You are a candidate for Microdermabrasion if suffer from skin conditions such as:

• Oily Skin
• Subtle Wrinkles
• Blackheads/Whiteheads
• Sun damaged skin
• Skin susceptible to acne
• Age Spots
• Hyper pigmentation

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 pre-treatment requirements as such. No medication is required before microdermabrasion but your doctor may ask you to stop using products that contain aspirin. If you are a smoker, it would be better if you stopped smoking for a week before microdermabrasion, in order to 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, stop doing so for about five days before your micro dermabrasion appointment. You should also avoid sunbathing, using sun beds or waxing your skin for two weeks prior to treatment.

Microdermabrasion treatment helps produce thicker, healthier skin layers. An additional five to twelve treatments spaced ten days to two weeks apart will be necessary to reap full microdermabrasion benefits. These additional treatments are vital because they encourage the production of a new layer of skin cells that contains higher levels of collagen and elastin.

Microdermabrasion used to be performed only by trained physicians, however, estheticians and beauty specialists are now specially trained to perform this procedure.

After the first Microdermabrasion treatment the 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 Microdermabrasion treatment program, and you will begin to notice visible results after the third treatment.

Microdermabrasion treatments last less than an hour and are on an out-patient basis. Your treatment area will be cleaned, and then sterile micro-crystals will be used to gently exfoliate your skin. No anesthesia is needed. Microdermabrasion machine pressure is adjusted for your skin’s needs as its hand piece is moved across the treatment area delivering a precise stream of crystals onto the skin’s surface. The sloughed off skin cells and the left-over crystals are then suctioned off to reveal a fresh, vibrant skin surface.

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

When microdermabrasion is performed by a certified skin care technician, there are very minimal risks and negative side-effects involved. Most problems associated with Microdermabrasion are caused by improper application or unsterile conditions and by eye irritation due to crystals getting into unprotected eyes.

Following your Microdermabrasion treatment, you should use moisturizers and sunscreens, and avoid sun exposure for a few days immediately following the procedure.

A typical microdermabrasion face treatment takes between 20 and 30 minutes. However, if you want your neck or other parts of the 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 redness or dry feeling in their skin after a treatment, but this is temporary. Machines used at high power carry the potential risks of hyperpigmentation, perforation, bleeding, and infection.

Microdermabrasion is an effective, painless substitute to chemical and laser treatments. However, the results may not be as quick as with these other treatments. This procedure does not require anesthesia, is relatively painless, involves nominal risk 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.

When microdermabrasion is performed by a certified skin care technician, there are very minimal risks and negative side-effects involved. Most problems associated with Microdermabrasion are caused by improper application or unsterile conditions. Patients are at risk of contracting infections if the microdermabrasion applicator and vacuum are not properly sanitized. If the machine is improperly 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.

The most relevant difference between microdermabrasion and chemical peels is that microdermabrasion is a non-chemical procedure, and attacks imperfections by actually “sanding” flaws from the skin surface. Treatment plans for microdermabrasion and mild chemical peels like glycolic acid (AHA) chemical peels are similar, with up to eight procedures repeated at one to two week intervals, and may be done at he same treatment session. Deep chemical peels like the phenol peel also require much more recovery time than microdermabrasion and the more mild peels. Also unlike microdermabrasion, deep chemical peels change the actual pigmentation of the skin through bleaching. Therefore, microdermabrasion is more suitable for patients with naturally darker complexions.