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Summer is on its way and you’re looking for one final way to blast the effects of a cold winter off of your face. If you want a natural glow for the summertime, one way is to try microdermabrasion. The treatment refreshes your skin without a long recovery time and without much discomfort. While microdermabrasion is often recommended for the colder months of the year, you can still have it performed in summer, as long as you take steps to protect your skin afterwards.
How to Prepare for Microdermabrasion
Before your microdermabrasion treatment, the medical professional or surgeon performing it will give you specific instructions as far as what products you can or can’t use on your face. For example, if you use a retinol cream or Retin-A on your skin, it’s usually recommended that you stop using the product for a few days before your microdermabrasion. The same is true for any product that exfoliates your skin, such as cleansers with alpha hydroxy acids or facial scrubs. The acids or scrubs make skin more sensitive and can increase your risk for irritation.
You might want to postpone microdermabrasion if you’ve had any other type of medical skincare treatment recently. For example, if you’ve had laser skin resurfacing in the past few months, microdermabrasion will be overkill. If you’ve received injections, wait a few weeks before scheduling your treatment, so that it doesn’t interfere with the fillers.
Treat your skin with care in the weeks or days leading up to the microdermabrasion. If you usually wax your brows or upper lip, refrain from doing so, as the waxing treatment increases sensitivity. Hold off on using a tanning product on the skin, too, as the treatment will just exfoliate it away.
Microdermabrasion: what to expect
Microdermabrasion can be performed in one of two ways. One method uses a device that blows micro-crystals across the surface of the skin. The tiny crystals exfoliate the skin, removing the top layer of dead skin cells. A small vacuum attached to the device removes the crystals and skin cells from the surface during treatment.
Quintessa Medical Spa uses a wand that has diamond chips on the end of it. The diamond tip moves across the skin, removing the top layer of cells. The loosened skin cells are then suctioned off the face using a small vacuum.
Typically, the whole process takes about 30 minutes. You don’t need an anesthetic or sedation during it, as discomfort is very minimal. Some people feel a slight scratching during the treatment as well as the vibrations from the wand and vacuum.
After the treatment, the provider will typically apply an emollient skin care product to the area. Products such as Oxy-Mist might be used to help the skin heal more quickly and to give the skin the nutrients it needs.
What does microdermabrasion do?
Microdermabrasion refreshes your skin in a number of ways. It’s an ideal treatment for mild acne scars, blackheads and uneven skin tone. It can also help reduce the look of fine lines and can make skin less oily. Since it’s more gentle than laser skin-resurfacing and other skin treatments, it’s better suited for people who are just beginning to have signs of aging.
How Often Should You Have It?
People who have microdermabrasion typically schedule a series of treatments every other week at the beginning. After the initial treatments, many people choose to have it once a month to maintain their look. It’s also possible to space the treatments out even more, such as having one a season or one every other month.
Caring for Skin After Treatment
While there’s no recovery time after microdermabrasion, you do want to take care of your skin right after treatment. Removing the top layer of skin will make your face more sensitive to the sun. You should always wear sunblock. Doing so becomes critical after microdermabrasion. You might also want to do your best to avoid the sun entirely for the first week or so after treatment.
Use gentle products to cleanse and moisturize your skin in the first week after the treatment. You’ll want to avoid products with alpha hydroxy acids, retinoids or benzyl peroxide for a few days, as these ingredients can irritate sensitive skin. Talk to your doctor about the products he recommends for post-microdermabrasion. When choosing skin-care products for after treatment, it’s best to stick with products that soothe the skin and help keep it smooth.
