What is Microdermabrasion Treatment? – Overview
Having beautiful and healthy skin is something that most if not all people want. That is why cosmetic facial treatments like laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels are steadily gaining popularity.
If you are looking to rejuvenate your skin for a more radiant look, you may have considered microdermabrasion and that is quite understandable as the treatment exfoliates the skin and improves its general look and feel.
However, since microdermabrasion is gentler compared to other kinds of skin treatments, you may wonder whether it will deliver the results you are looking for.
Here then, is what you need to know about the treatment before you decide to pay for a session.
What is Microdermabrasion?
Most people will describe microdermabrasion as sanding off the skin and here’s why.
During the treatment, the specialist will use a special tool with a diamond tip over the surface of your facial skin. The tip of this tool gently scrapes the skin and in turn loosens dead cells on the skin surface.
Often, the procedure is performed over an hour or less and the discomfort level is minimal. According to most of the people who have had it, it feels like gentle scratching on the skin.
How Does It Benefit Your Skin?
As already mentioned, microdermabrasion works by exfoliating the skin and the level of exfoliation is much deeper when done by a professional compared to what you would get by using a DIY kit.
You see, when the surface of the skin has been scraped, the brain translates that as injury and while this sounds like a bad thing, it is a good thing for your skin because the brain signals your body to generate new and healthy cells to replace the injured ones.
By exfoliating, you also get better blood flow which in turn facilitates collagen production for skin renewal.
Enlarged pores, scarring, wrinkles, and dark spots are some of the skin issues that microdermabrasion addresses.
What Happens After?
Microdermabrasion is a minimally invasive procedure and you will be pleased to learn that there is close to no downtime involved.
The only thing you would probably have to worry about is a bit of tenderness and redness on the treated area for a day or two after the procedure.
That said, there are several things you should do after the treatment to protect your skin. This includes avoiding the sun and using sunscreen regardless of whether you go outside or not.
Is It for Everyone?
Just as with most cosmetic procedures, microdermabrasion is not suitable for everyone. For instance, if you are susceptible to rosacea or have sensitive skin, you may want to skip the treatment.
If you have swelling on your face, cold sores, sunburn, or an infection, you may want to wait until your skin is clear before getting the treatment.
How Does It Compare to Dermabrasion?
Dermabrasion is also another skin exfoliating treatment and you may be wondering what the difference between the two is.
Well, you can think of microdermabrasion as a milder version of dermabrasion. That is because dermabrasion is more penetrates the skin deeper and is, therefore, more invasive.
During dermabrasion, patients will often be under general anesthesia. You may also want to note that it takes longer to recover after a dermabrasion session.
Patients have been reported to take as much as two weeks to heal from the procedure.
Now, since dermabrasion penetrates deeper into the skin, you are likely to get more dramatic results with it compared to microdermabrasion.
Is It Worth It?
In the end, the question remains, is microdermabrasion worth it? The answer to that is relative depending on what you expect to get from the treatment and the time you are willing to give it.
This is because you may have to go through several sessions to get the results you want even though each session is short.
Moreover, because it is a minimally invasive treatment, it may not be as beneficial for people who want to eliminate fine lines and wrinkles on their skin.
Final Thoughts
If you have acne scars, dark spots, or have begun noticing signs of aging, you may want to consider microdermabrasion. However, you want to keep in mind that it is a mild procedure and may take time to deliver fast results.
If you want more dramatic and faster results, dermabrasion or micro needling may be a better choice.
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