What is Microdermabrasion and what are the benefits?

Microdermabrasion is the application of small crystals that buff the top layer of skin away while the machine simultaneously vacuums the dead skin cells away from your face. It is a method of clearing away dead skin cells that are on the surface, that contribute to wrinkles, leaving it smoother and shinier. Microdermabrasion is a less costly and less invasive procedure of getting a facelift; as opposed to plastic surgery, or even Botox. It is finding mass appeal as an alternative procedure and gaining momentum.

The Science Behind it:

The skin has two main layers, the epidermis (the top layer) and the dermis (the lower layer). The top most layer on the epidermis is the stratum corneum, which acts as the barrier to the outer environment, safeguarding the inner layers of the skin and is made up of dead skin cells.

What microdermabrasion does is, is that it removes the top layer of these dead cells. Either in a professional setting or using any product at home, with microdermabrasion, the stratum corneum is broken up or removed. It causes slight swelling and/or redness and can last between 2 hours to up to 2 days, depending on skin type. This is because the body treats this procedure as an injury to the skin and the dead skin cells are replenished with new and healthy skin cells.

Many studies demonstrate that microdermabrasion was effective in removing fine wrinkles, dullness, pigmentation and large pores, and that skin significantly improved after the third treatment. Microdermabrasion is an ongoing process due to the nature of the treatment. Multiple sessions are recommended to get maximum results. One study followed individuals who received a series of 6 sessions. The participants received 1 session per week for 6 weeks. At the end of the 6 week study, all of the participants showed significant signs of improvement in skin texture and tone. This goes to show that multiple sessions indeed make a big difference.

The Benefits:

As the dead skin cells are removed from the top layer and replaced with new skin cells, the leave the skin looking fresher, softer and smoother. Sun damage, blemishes and wrinkles are all removed from the top skin layer, leaving behind cleaner skin overall.

Recommendations:

As the skin needs time to “heal” it is not recommended to immediately go one session after another. Once a week is most recommended as other wise, constantly going for this procedure might damage skin – instead of improving it. Most skincare professionals will play it save by not recommending microdermabrasion treatments more frequently than every 4-6 weeks, while some skincare professionals may take a more aggressive treatment plan by recommending the treatment every other week. Professional recommendations for frequency of treatments that are more frequent than once a month are less common; however, studies do show that you can receive this treatment once a month without causing harm to the epidermis.

The effects of microdermabrasion can be seen after the very first time, but for more profound results a noticeable change can be seen after the third session. For the best results, skin specialists believe that a person should go in for 6 sessions in all. Due to all the sun damage as well as blemishes that people now have, the skin needs time and repeated procedures for them to subside as well as for the new cells to repeatedly come up; so that the skin can maintain its vitality in future.

Scheduling your Treatment:

To schedule a complimentary microdermabrasion consultation, call us at 703-352-2800. Mention this blog post and receive 10% your next microdermabrasion treatment. Some exclusions may apply.