When surgery seems too extreme for your needs, microdermabrasion may be your best choice to get smoother, healthier-looking skin and repair problems like fine lines, acne scarring, and "age spots" quickly.
Top Options in Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion works by prompting your body to produce a fresh layer of new, younger-looking skin naturally. Like other ablative treatments, microdermabrasion accomplishes this by rubbing away dead and damaged cells, but unlike some other options microdermabrasion does so very gently, with very limited damage to the tissues.
There are two main components to every microdermabrasion treatment:
• Removal – A special device is used to spray the skin with an extremely fine grain of crystals, which rub away unhealthy skin cells gently. This process not only helps "free up" skin from the burden of dead cells, but also helps rub away the buildup of damaged skin cells that sometimes occurs around wrinkles and facial folds.
• Replacement and Renewal – Removing the topmost layer of cells reveals the younger, smoother layer of skin beneath. At the same time, this process stimulates the body to fortify that new layer of skin from within, increasing collagen to create a much firmer and tighter surface. With the appropriate treatment regimen, this process can help stimulate the skin not only to look healthier, but also to do a better job of maintaining itself.
Each microdermabrasion treatment session is very fast – typically under half an hour. However, for maximum effect most patients will need multiple treatment sessions spaced a few weeks apart, with follow-up maintenance treatments every year or 6 months afterward.
Is It Right for You?
Microdermabrasion can be an excellent solution for surface-level texture and pigmentation problems like acne scars, crow's feet, frown lines, and "age spots." This treatment works on patients of any skin color, but the effects tend to last longer when the patient has relatively firm, elastic skin to start with.
You can expect to see some mild firming, tightening effects from your microdermabrasion treatment, but if tissue sagginess is a major concern for you, you might be better off looking into more intensive nonsurgical face lifts using laser skin rejuvenation, or even surgical options like face lift, brow lift, or neck lift.
Tips for Better Results
• Look for a treatment center that also offers consultations with a dermatologist. Pairing microdermabrasion with a light chemical peel and maintaining skin tone with a personalized skin regimen may help results look better and last longer.
• Understand the limitations. Microdermabrasion usually involves a small amount of discomfort and requires follow-up treatments, and while most patients are very comfortable making this tradeoff for better-looking skin, accurate expectations are still important.
• Stay out of the sun after your treatment. Microdermabrasion exposes a fresh new layer of skin, but this younger tissue is delicate at first, and needs to be protected to prevent it from developing the same signs of age that you had before. Keeping it out of the sun is the first and most important way for you to protect your investment -- and your fresh new look.
Top Options in Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion works by prompting your body to produce a fresh layer of new, younger-looking skin naturally. Like other ablative treatments, microdermabrasion accomplishes this by rubbing away dead and damaged cells, but unlike some other options microdermabrasion does so very gently, with very limited damage to the tissues.
There are two main components to every microdermabrasion treatment:
• Removal – A special device is used to spray the skin with an extremely fine grain of crystals, which rub away unhealthy skin cells gently. This process not only helps "free up" skin from the burden of dead cells, but also helps rub away the buildup of damaged skin cells that sometimes occurs around wrinkles and facial folds.
• Replacement and Renewal – Removing the topmost layer of cells reveals the younger, smoother layer of skin beneath. At the same time, this process stimulates the body to fortify that new layer of skin from within, increasing collagen to create a much firmer and tighter surface. With the appropriate treatment regimen, this process can help stimulate the skin not only to look healthier, but also to do a better job of maintaining itself.
Each microdermabrasion treatment session is very fast – typically under half an hour. However, for maximum effect most patients will need multiple treatment sessions spaced a few weeks apart, with follow-up maintenance treatments every year or 6 months afterward.
Is It Right for You?
Microdermabrasion can be an excellent solution for surface-level texture and pigmentation problems like acne scars, crow's feet, frown lines, and "age spots." This treatment works on patients of any skin color, but the effects tend to last longer when the patient has relatively firm, elastic skin to start with.
You can expect to see some mild firming, tightening effects from your microdermabrasion treatment, but if tissue sagginess is a major concern for you, you might be better off looking into more intensive nonsurgical face lifts using laser skin rejuvenation, or even surgical options like face lift, brow lift, or neck lift.
Tips for Better Results
• Look for a treatment center that also offers consultations with a dermatologist. Pairing microdermabrasion with a light chemical peel and maintaining skin tone with a personalized skin regimen may help results look better and last longer.
• Understand the limitations. Microdermabrasion usually involves a small amount of discomfort and requires follow-up treatments, and while most patients are very comfortable making this tradeoff for better-looking skin, accurate expectations are still important.
• Stay out of the sun after your treatment. Microdermabrasion exposes a fresh new layer of skin, but this younger tissue is delicate at first, and needs to be protected to prevent it from developing the same signs of age that you had before. Keeping it out of the sun is the first and most important way for you to protect your investment -- and your fresh new look.
