We actually exfoliate every time we wash our skin. We do it more aggressively with a loofah pad or washcloth. We can do it chemically with glycolic acid, or we can do it mechanically with microdermabrasion. Let's make this perfectly clear: Microdermabrasion cleans your skin (that's a good thing). But don't do it if you believe those signs in the salon windows that say it removes wrinkles and scars. It can't; it simply exfoliates and sucks out the oils and dirt from your pores. (It's a facial without the soft music and aromatherapy.) Microdermabrasion either blasts the skin with salt or sand particles or rubs the skin with diamond crystals. A vacuum then cleans your pores. Your skin feels smoother and cleaner. Acne, blackheads, and whiteheads are reduced. Do it every two to four weeks to keep your face as clean as possible. Microdermabrasion is harmless unless the operator goes too deep, creating "macrodermabrasion." That's the procedure that plastic surgeons use to smooth wrinkles and scars, and that's a surgical procedure. Trained aestheticians or nurses can safely perform microdermabrasion.
Microdermabrasion
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredSee All 3 Answers
Microdermabrasion blasts away the outermost layer of your skin cells to give you smoother skin and help with acne scars. A small device sprays your face with aluminum oxide crystals and then vacuums them up.
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredSee All 2 Answers
Although microdermabrasion kits are sold in retail stores, you should always check with your doctor before getting such a treatment. To be on the safe side, make sure you have no underlying medical condition that would make this at-home procedure dangerous.
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Dr. Arthur W. Perry, MD , Cosmetic Surgery, answeredSee All 4 AnswersMicrodermabrasion "sandblasts" the skin with aluminum oxide crystals that are immediately suctioned up by the microdermabrasion machine. The crystals exfoliate by knocking off the upper layers of skin. The suction removes the crystals and unclogs oils and dirt from the pores. Clean, smooth-feeling skin results. The crystals are so effective that they are able to completely strip off the upper layers of the skin. But errant crystals can escape the suction system and cause a corneal injury to the eye. They enter the room air and can be breathed in by the patient and the person performing the procedure.
Newer machines have been designed that use common table-salt crystals. Although safer, they can clump and clog the machine.
Many thought the sandblasting concept was not really necessary. Abrasive diamonds were embedded in the handpiece and rubbed across the skin, simultaneously vacuuming debris from pores. Since the purpose of the sandblasting was exfoliation, this safer and simpler method eliminated the crystal spray.
Other new machines use liquids to lubricate the skin while abrading and suctioning. Various medicines, such as the pigment reducer hydroquinone and the acne drug salicylic acid, are sprayed on the skin. Whether or not this makes a difference is anyone's guess. In the world of microdermabrasion, as in so much of this field, scientific studies are few and far between.
Another version of microdermabrasion does not use crystals or suctioning at all. The Vibraderm machine simply vibrates on the surface of the skin, causing exfoliation. We've come full circle from that one-dollar loofah pad. -
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HealthyWomen answeredSee All 5 AnswersMicrodermabrasion uses crystals or a diamond tip to lightly smooth the top layer of your skin. It is a more superficial form of dermabrasion. It is used for fine lines, crow's feet, age spots and superficial acne scars.
Microdermabrasion takes about 30 minutes and requires no anesthesia. For best results, many people start with a microdermabrasion treatment every two weeks and then move to one per month as maintenance. Each session costs about $154. Microdermabrasion may be performed by aestheticians, licensed cosmetologists, plastic surgeons or dermatologists. Complications are rare. -
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Dr. Doris Day, MD , Dermatology, answeredMicrodermabrasion is a procedure in which fine crystals are blasted at the skin and then vacuumed back away from the skin. These two components help clean out the pores temporarily and make the skin feel smoother. Usually a series of five to seven microdermabrasion treatments are done to get optimal results, followed by maintenance treatments every 6 to 8 weeks. No really good studies exist showing the benefits of microdermabrasion; however, plenty of anecdotal evidence suggests that it does help in the treatment of acne. -
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredA home microdermabrasion kit may work for you, depending on your skin type and condition. Talk to a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in treating skin, nail, and hair conditions) before using a home microdermabrasion kit. Microdermabrasion kits use natural remedies such as papaya and baking soda to gently remove dead skin cells. The kits can help treat mild and moderate acne and reduce acne scars. Ingredients in the products vary, so ask your dermatologist to recommend a product that may work best for you. Follow the directions carefully.
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Dr. Arthur W. Perry, MD , Cosmetic Surgery, answeredOver a million microdermabrasion procedures were performed in plastic surgeons' offices alone in 2005. No one knows how many additional procedures were performed in spas and salons. With all the hype about microdermabrasion (touted as a noninvasive wrinkle reducer), very few studies show that it does anything at all. In the best study, after eight consecutive weekly treatments, there appeared to be mild improvements in skin quality. But this tiny seventeen-patient study did not compare microdermabrasion to other exfoliant techniques such as the loofah pad. The evaluation was performed immediately after the final treatment, when some temporary swelling would be expected. I would like to have seen if there was a difference a month after the treatments. I would guess not, since there is absolutely no science involved.
The procedure really can't do anything other than exfoliate, clean the pores, and cause mild, temporary swelling. Although microdermabrasion claims to improve scars, the claim is controversial. Beyond transient swelling around the scar, most doctors feel there is no benefit. Any pigment that can be removed is at the very surface of the skin, pigment that would have rubbed off with any exfoliation technique, including a washcloth.
Zein Obagi, M.D., a Beverly Hills dermatologist comments, "To correct wrinkles and scars with any rejuvenation procedure, the dermal layer must be reached; exfoliation procedures that penetrate only to the epidermis will not work." That says it all. Microdermabrasion, by definition, cannot treat wrinkles or scars. -
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Dr. Arthur W. Perry, MD , Cosmetic Surgery, answeredI am a big believer in microdermabrasion. But let's be honest: the procedure is simply a very good facial. It exfoliates. Exfoliation makes the skin look better, but has no real medical benefit. In fact, exfoliation defies the function of the skin -- to be a barrier to the outside world. The thicker the outside layer, the better the protection. But a thick outside layer is unattractive. Perhaps the best benefit of microdermabrasion is the deep cleaning of pores. After the dead skin is removed from the skin, oils and dirt are literally sucked out. Pores that have been held open by this debris stay large for a while, then shrink down.
Microdermabrasion is basically a high-tech facial. It cleans the skin and decreases acne in adults and adolescents. It allows creams and peels to penetrate more effectively. When the skin is pretreated with microdermabrasion, a 35% glycolic acid peel penetrates like a 70% peel. The result is dramatic.