Are you unsatisfied with the appearance of your skin? Do you want a fast, painless, and effective treatment to combat lifeless skin and reveal smooth, glowing skin that will leave you looking and feeling your best? If so, microdermabrasion may be the perfect solution for your skin concerns. This treatment is proudly offered by Spa Black Laser Lipo and Cellulite Therapy Med Spa in San Antonio, TX. Microdermabrasion gently resurfaces your skin to clear away dead skin cells, promote cell growth, and leaves your skin looking brand new. In this article, you’ll also learn more about the best microdermabrasion after care activities.
What Is Microdermabrasion?
Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive skin resurfacing treatment that uses exfoliation to gently remove the top layer of your skin and reveal a new layer. It’s an excellent choice for those concerned about a dull complexion, uneven skin tone or texture, age or dark spots, melasma, and current acne. The treatment itself is completely painless and requires zero downtime, making it an option that’s not only perfect for almost every skin type, but every schedule as well.
How Does It Work?
Our skin naturally grows a new outer layer approximately every 30 days, completely shedding old skin cells in the process. This regular cell turnover means that new skin is always just around the corner, but sometimes it feels like it doesn’t arrive quickly enough. For those struggling with skin concerns like acne, dark spots, or dry skin, a little extra help may be required to rejuvenate your skin and encourage a healthy, even complexion. Your will have brighter skin that makes you look radiant after this procedure.
That’s where microdermabrasion comes in. By manually exfoliating the top layer of your skin, your doctor can help you achieve the skin you’ve always wanted. This treatment uses a handheld exfoliating device to completely buff away the top layer of your skin, which is comprised of the dead skin cells that can make your skin appear dull. It’s a safe and painless way to help your skin increase cell turnover, which can accelerate healing and promote healthier skin in the process.
Personal treatment plans vary from patient to patient, but most patients find that a series of appointments helps them achieve their ideal results. It’s common to have between 5-16 appointments in a plan with maintenance treatments scheduled every few weeks after the plan is completed.
Consultation
Before you schedule your first appointment, you’ll sit down with your doctor to discuss the treatment, recovery instructions, and your ideal results. Your doctor will evaluate your skin to confirm that microdermabrasion will address your areas of concern. They’ll also recommend a personalized treatment plan, which usually consists of several appointments over a period of time to target issues like dark spots, age spots, and acne scars, which may take longer to resolve. There are some concerns for those with sensitive skin types, so we want to make sure we discuss this during your consultation.
This is a perfect time to ask your doctor any questions you may have about this treatment. You should disclose any medications you take regularly as well as your normal skincare routine. Your doctor will let you know if you should plan to stop using any skincare products or medicines before and after your appointments to ensure the best results. Once your consultation is over, you’re ready to schedule your first appointment and prepare for better skin. We will show you some dermabrasion before and after pictures for you to make a determination if this treatment is right for you.
Preparation
Because this treatment is designed to exfoliate your skin, you should avoid other exfoliating products like scrubs or Retin-A exfoliating cream for 2-3 days prior to your appointment. Clean your face with a gentle cleanser and keep it hydrated by applying a daily moisturizing cream and drinking a healthy amount of water.
You should refrain from hair removal treatments like waxing and threading, which can irritate your skin, for 3-4 weeks before your appointment. If you’ve recently taken Accutane or had laser surgery, your doctor may recommend that you wait a period of time before scheduling your first appointment. These treatments will remove layers of skin around where it has been treated, making a microdermabrasion burn more likely as your full skin layers are not present.
Avoiding the Sun
Over 90% of skin-related concerns, like premature wrinkles and fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer, can be attributed to harmful exposure to UV rays from the sun and tanning beds. Protect your skin by wearing sunscreen every day and foregoing traditional tanning methods for skin-friendly self-tanner creams or sprays.
You should avoid this treatment until your skin heals if you have a fresh tan or sunburn. You should also avoid this treatment directly after using self-tanning methods, as the exfoliation may result in a faded or uneven tan.
Treatment
You should arrive to your appointment with a bare face. You may also choose to bring a headband to hold your hair out of your face. Your doctor will begin by cleaning your skin. They’ll use a handheld device to begin the process of buffing your skin. This may feel like sandpaper rubbing gently on your skin, but causes no discomfort. Exfoliation of your face generally takes between 30-40 minutes, while neck exfoliation takes about 20 minutes.
At the end of your appointment, your doctor will apply a moisturizer and give you any specific instructions to follow during recovery. You may notice that your skin is pink and more sensitive than usual directly after your appointment. These symptoms will fade over the next couple of days, and you’ll be able to return to your normal routine immediately after treatment.
Microdermabrasion After Care
Because you’ll have a brand new layer of skin at the end of your first appointment, it’s crucial that you follow your doctor’s instructions as your skin heals. This is the ideal microdermabrasion after care process. You’ll see the best results when you protect your new skin and encourage a quick and healthy healing process. Your microderm face will be clear of clogged pores and you might have sensitive skin after your procedure.
Don’t Forget Sunscreen
For the first 3 days after your appointment, plan to stay out of direct sunlight and wear plenty of sunscreen to shield your new skin from harmful UV rays. This step can promote healthier skin in the long run as it helps prevent signs of aging, uneven skin tone and spots, and even skin cancer. Always start your day with a layer of sunscreen and reapply every 4 hours if you’re spending an extended time outdoors.
Avoid Irritation
As your skin heals, you should use gentle, non-irritating products. Don’t use any other exfoliating products for about three days after your appointment. You should avoid touching, rubbing, or picking your skin, which can slow the healing process. Finally, don’t use products with glycolic acid, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, or topical acne treatments for 24-48 hours. You should check with your doctor to confirm that your normal products are safe to use on your skin after treatment. Use cleanser before or after shaving if you are a man to help sooth the area.
Moisturize More
One of the best parts of this treatment is how it transforms your skin. You’ll walk out of your appointment with the softest skin of your life, and one way to keep it soft and smooth is by moisturizing often.
Your new layer of skin is more receptive to moisture and will need more moisturizer than normal to aid in the healing process. Failing to moisturize your skin can result in the recurrence of issues like dull patches or cracked, flaking skin. Moisturize your skin in the morning, at night, and throughout the day as needed if it begins to feel dry.
Cut Down on Caffeine
Coffee and tea are a staple in many busy lives, but the truth is that the caffeine they contain is one of the main offenders when it comes to dehydrated skin. The rule of thumb is to consume the same amount of water as your regular coffee or tea intake on top of the water you should drink daily. If you’re unable to drink more water, you should consider cutting down on caffeine to avoid drying out your skin.
Wait to Workout
During the first few days after your appointment, your skin will be more sensitive. You may want to avoid heavy workouts that cause you to sweat for 48 hours after treatment so as to prevent irritation. If you do choose to workout, it’s perfectly safe; you can wear a headband to soak up most of the sweat before it comes into contact with your skin and wash your face immediately after your workout is over.
Avoid Alcohol and Blood-Thinning Pain Relievers
Alcohol and blood-thinning pain relievers can prolong the healing process. Don’t drink any alcoholic beverages for 48 hours after your appointment and don’t take pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen for about a week after your appointment to promote quick healing.
Results
Like any other skin-resurfacing treatment, this process can’t give you permanent results. Your skin naturally resurfaces itself about once a month, which means that no skin treatment will last forever. However, if you follow your doctor’s recommended treatment plan, you can see visible changes in your skin that can be maintained through a healthy skincare regimen and future appointments as needed.
After your first appointment, your skin should feel incredibly soft and have a healthy glow thanks to the new layer of skin the treatment revealed. You should care for this skin according to your doctor’s instructions until your next appointment, which is usually about a week later.
Most patients receive between 5-16 treatments to achieve their ideal results, which can include fading dark spots and age spots, combatting acne, and decreasing the appearance of dull skin. At the end of your treatment plan, your skin will be refreshed and look brighter, which will leave you feeling more confident in your appearance.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
This treatment is effective on every skin type and skin color and is most often recommended for men and women between the ages of 12-65. It’s able to address common skin concerns like dull, lifeless skin, dry patches, dark spots, and acne by refreshing your top layer of skin. Best of all, it requires zero downtime and has an easy recovery process when compared to other facial treatment options.
This treatment may not be ideal for those with deep scarring in the sub-layers of the skin, which cannot be addressed by top layer resurfacing. It also cannot correct age-related wrinkles and fine lines. Finally, those with severe or cystic acne may not be ideal candidates. You should talk to your doctor to determine if this treatment is right for you and your unique skin concerns. As with other treatments you should always followmicrodermabrasion after care.
Get Skin You Love
Living with skin that appears lifeless can make you feel self-conscious and wishing for a way to rejuvenate your skin. Microdermabrasion can help you correct common skin concerns by resurfacing your skin. It’s an excellent option for those wanting to reveal fresh, soft skin and promote overall health and healing. With a personalized treatment plan, you can see your skin come back to life, and, by maintaining results with regular appointments, you can continue to look your best for years to come.
If you’re ready to learn more about how this treatment can transform your skin, contact the professionals at Spa Black Laser Lipo and Cellulite Therapy Spa in San Antonio, TX to schedule an initial consultation. We look forward to helping you achieve your skin goals!