Microdermabrasion

Who does it?
● Plastic Surgeon
● Cosmetic Doctor
● Cosmetic Dermatologist
● Cosmetic Nurse

AKA Mechanical Exfoliation, Micro-Resurfacing

What is it?
Young healthy skin renews itself regularly, which is why girls in their teens and twenties tend to have such sickeningly dewy, glowing skin.

As we move into our thirties and forties that process slows down, and dead skin cells hang around on the surface, causing our complexions to look grey and dull.

Microdermabrasion is a very powerful exfoliation treatment to remove those dead cells from the top layer of the skin, which produces a more even tone and texture, lessening some of the early signs of ageing.

Who is suitable?
Microdermabrasion is very safe and is suitable for most people. It’s a great introductory treatment for those who aren’t yet ready to try Muscle Relaxing Injections or Dermal Fillers, or as a super-facial to give you a glowing complexion for a special occasion. It can also help with acne scarring and sun damage.

There are a few conditions which could prevent you from having microdermabrasion – you should avoid treatment if you have active cold sores or acne, rosacea, psoriasis or eczema.

What’s the treatment like?
There is a wide range of different microdermabrasion systems, and most use abrasive crystals to exfoliate the skin, together with a suction device to remove the dead cells.

Your practitioner will cleanse your skin and you may be given goggles to wear, to protect your eyes from any stray crystals. The handpiece is then passed over the skin in several strong strokes over each area.

The treatment isn’t painful, but you might feel some warmth from the friction. It shouldn’t take longer than 30 minutes and no anaesthetic is necessary.

Some practitioners will follow the treatment with some red and blue light therapy (see Skin Rejuvenation – Energy Assisted) to encourage an immediate healthy glow.

What happens afterwards?
A course of treatments is usually recommended for optimum results, spaced about two weeks apart to allow the skin to recover in between.

There may be some redness immediately after the procedure, but this can easily be covered with Mineral Make-Up. Your practitioner will also probably apply some sunscreen to your face before allowing you to leave the clinic, as the new skin will be hyper-sensitive to the sun.

Will I have a scar?
There is no risk of scarring from microdermabrasion.

CS&AG editor Ruth Donnelly was one of the first people in the UK to try out the Hydrafacial...
The new Hydrafacial is a skin medical facial, incorporating a super-hydrating skin resurfacing procedure – known as Hydradermabrasion – which claims to give a visible reduction in fine lines and superficial brown spots as well as a dramatic increase in hydration and antioxidant levels after just one treatment.

Similar to microdermabrasion, this treatment exfoliates dead skin cells and extracts impurities, such as blackheads and congestion with a vacuum-based skin abrasion tip. The difference is that Hydradermabrasion simultaneously replenishes the skin by releasing active serums and antioxidant, pushing them into the skin, to cleanse, exfoliate and hydrate.

The whole experience takes less than half an hour and it feels more like being pampered at a luxury spa than having an aesthetic procedure. My skin was positively glowing when I left the salon, and I’ve been receiving compliments on my complexion ever since!

The treatment can be tailored to each patient, so you really feel like you're getting one-on-one care. For truly spectacular results or for serious problem skin, a course of six treatments at seven to ten day intervals is recommended, but one was certainly enough to boost my skin confidence.

For stockists visit www.skinbrands.co.uk