Med Spa California

What is Microdermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion is a popular skin rejuvenation procedure that gently removes the outer layers of skin on the face in order to improve texture and skin tone. Microdermabrasion is a safe, affordable, and minimally invasive procedure compared to many other skin rejuvenation procedures like laser skin resurfacing, plasma fibroblast therapy, pico laser treatments, etc. Additionally, this cosmetic procedure can benefit nearly all skin types and colors.

Microdermabrasion treatments target imperfections on the outer layer of skin, such as surface-level acne scarring and fine lines. Meanwhile, dermabrasion targets imperfections in the deeper layers of skin, such as deep scars. Dermabrasion is generally more painful, more invasive, and more expensive than microdermabrasion. Additionally, dermabrasion generally requires a longer recovery period, but in exchange, creates more dramatic results.

Types of Microdermabrasion

There are a few types of microdermabrasion treatments to choose from, and they are: crystal microdermabrasion, diamond microdermabrasion, and hydradermabrasion.

Crystal Microdermabrasion

In this type of microdermabrasion treatment, a licensed skin care professional will spray fine crystals – such as aluminum oxide, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and magnesium oxide – onto your face. These crystals create a gentle exfoliation of the outer layer of skin. Then, the skin care professional will use a handheld device to suction off dead skin cells.

Diamond Microdermabrasion

In this type of microdermabrasion, a dermatologist will use a handheld device that has a diamond tip in order to gently sand the imperfections off your skin. The device will also suction dead skin cells off your face.

Hydradermabrasion

Hydradermabrasion – also known as a hydrafacial – is one of the newest exfoliation methods. Not only does this procedure gently remove dead skin cells from the outer layer of skin, but it also cleanses and hydrates the skin. So this type of microdermabrasion can give you smooth skin and clear, extracted pores.

What Does Microdermabrasion Do?

A microdermabrasion procedure is designed to improve the skin’s appearance as a whole. For example, several treatments can improve the appearance of:

• Surface level acne scars
• Fine lines around the mouth
• Surface level wrinkles
• Acne spots
• Enlarged pores
• Age spots
• Dark spots
• Stretch marks
• Uneven skin tone
• Uneven skin texture
• Dull complexion
• Brown spots on the skin, also known as melasma
• Sun spots from sun damage

How Does Microdermabrasion Work?

Microdermabrasion is an outpatient, minimally invasive procedure that generally only lasts an hour. This is what you can expect when you make an appointment at the Bakersfield med spa at Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute.

Because microdermabrasion is quick and painless, you won’t need any anesthesia or numbing gel. When you come in for your appointment at our clinic, you’ll sit in a reclining chair while Dr. Daneshmand gently exfoliates your skin with either diamonds or crystals. Once this step is complete, he’ll moisturize your skin and apply sunscreen. Then, you can go home and resume your normal activities.

Is Microdermabrasion Effective?

A 2016 study found that microdermabrasion was mildly to moderately effective in improving the appearance of acne scars, melasma, and stretch marks. It’s important to remember that the effectiveness of this treatment depends on how many impurities a person’s skin has, how deep these impurities are in the skin, and how many treatments a person endures.

For example, if you struggle with lots of acne and acne scars, your results may be less dramatic than someone who has a few blemishes. Additionally, if you have lots of scars and blemishes but you only undergo one microdermabrasion treatment, you may not see dramatic results. That’s because this treatment exfoliates the top layer of skin, therefore allowing new skin cells to develop. It takes about a month for these new skin cells to form. That’s why many dermatologists recommend scheduling a microdermabrasion session every 3 to 4 weeks for the best results.

Is At-Home Microdermabrasion Effective?

Microdermabrasion procedures have become so popular over the last several years that you can now buy your own microdermabrasion kits for at-home skin exfoliation. But how effective are these kits compared to the real thing?

At-home kits are not as effective as the actual cosmetic procedure performed in a clinical setting, like a doctor’s office. Many of the kits are extremely effective at moisturizing – because many of the devices and creams include tiny crystals like crystal microdermabrasion does – however, these kits don’t include a suctioning device to remove all the dead skin. Therefore, your skin’s appearance, tone, and texture may not compare to a professional microdermabrasion treatment.