Beauty Doc Blog

Microdermabrasion is growing in popularity, especially in the medical spa setting.

What is microdermabrasion? It is a cosmetic procedure in which the dead outermost surface of the skin is either partially or completely removed through a process of light abrasion. This can be through mechanical abrasion of jets of zinc oxide or aluminum oxide crystals, fine organic particles or a roughened surface. The particles will be removed  through use of a vacuum that is a part of the wand device used for application.

Microdermabrasion Removes Age Spots and Sun Damaged Skin

Microdermabrasion removes skin that is damaged by the sun or age, and will lesson or remove age spots, pigmentation disorders or scarring. When the scar rises above the surrounding skin it can be very effective in scar removal. The procedure is not painful for the patient. While it should not be used on patients who have had the medication Accutane in the past year, it is very good at stimulating collagen formation and as a treatment for acne. There are also many machines and mechanical devices utilized these days to perform microdermabrasion in addition to the wand method.

The European Roots of Microdermabrasion

New to the United Sates, microdermabrasion came here in the late 1990’s after becoming quite popular in European spas.  It became quite popular in Europe for the treatment of stretch marks, wrinkles and acne as well as other skin condition.

Dermabrasion Is Not The Same

Microdermabrasion is a cousin to another procedure, dermabrasion, that is more invasive and requires either local or general anesthetic. Dermabrasion goes deeper and usually requires a patient to avoid sun exposure after the procedure for an extended period of time, if not for life.

Techniques Used In Microdermabrasion

Techniques used in microdermabrasion include peeling, which utilizes debris leeching microcrystal. The result is a comfortable feeling akin to deep tissue massage. Techniques  number two uses corundum crystal machines. These are very good materials for cutting and abrading due to their corrosive nature and uneven surfaces, and the fact that they are second only to diamonds in hardness. Next comes other crystal machines using sodium chloride crystals, sodium bicarbonate crystals or magnesium oxide crystals. The cost of these crystals is lower reducing the cost. They are not as effective as corundum crystals but they are effective. The final step is crystal free. This requires use of diamond tipped devices that abrade the skin. Many people believe the crystal free approach to be less painful, as well as better for the overall health.