Microdermabrasion

About microdermabrasion skin treatment

Microdermabrasion is a skin treatment commonly used in spas, doctors’ clinics and plastic surgeons’ practices. It involves removing the outer layer of skin through light abrasion. This treatment is supposed to remove sun damage, lessen scarring and lighten dark spots on the skin. More recently, it has been used to limit the signs of aging, giving the appearance of a younger person in perfect physical health.

Sometimes, microdermabrasion is performed on medical advice to help reduce the appearance of raised scars or to treat acne, although the latter usually requires a series of periodical treatments to be effective.

A more severe form of this operation, called dermabrasion, is carried out under general anaesthetic.

Having a microdermabrasion skin treatment

Microdermabrasion is not painful and does not need to be performed under anaesthetic. Microdermabrasion devices are usually low-power machines; they are not designed to give harsh skin treatments. The treatment typically takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Different types of microdermabrasion skin treatment

A common form of this skin treatment is diamond microdermabrasion, which uses a diamond-tipped tool to rub away the outer skin. This practice is still common in health spas and is often promoted as part of a healthy lifestyle due to claims that it can remodel the collagen of the skin.

A similar treatment to diamond microdermabrasion is crystal microdermabrasion. This is the most traditional treatment, in which the skin is blasted with a stream of microcrystals to exfoliate the upper layer. With both treatments, however, the dead skins are rubbed away, often in multiple sessions.

A market has also arisen for home microdermabrasion. These treatments are considerably cheaper to use, and while they do not have the powerful effect of, for example, a diamond microdermabrasion, they can help to maintain the appearance of clinical treatments. A home microdermabrasion treatment may be used to assist in the creation of healthy skin after acne treatment, as well. Due to the popularity of home spa treatments, many big-name skin care and cosmetic labels have begun launching variations of the home microdermabrasion kit.