Microdermabrasion is a commonly used skin resurfacing technique that helps in restoring damaged facial skin due to aging or sunlight. Whether performed by your dermatologist or in the comfert of your own home with a machine like Timepeel, it has the least risk but fast recovery as compared to other techniques such as standard dermabrasion, laser resurfacing and chemical peeling.
Advantages – Microdermabrasion can treat rough skin texture, age spots, uneven skin pigmentation and some types of scarring. It can also help eliminate whiteheads, blackheads, fine wrinkles and some stretch marks. Since microdermabrasion eliminates surface skin layers, new skin cells will eventually grow. The process itself is brief, simple and uncomplicated, and can be done repeatedly at short intervals depending on the extent of the problem. It doesn’t even require anesthesia, in fact it is almost painless. More importantly, facial redness is only minimal and doesn’t interrupt the daily life of the patient much.
Treatment – Generally, an in office or home microdermabrasion treatment lasts only from 15 to 30 minutes. The skin is cleansed from make-ups and oils prior to the treatment. Throughout the procedure, the patient uses goggles in order to shield the eyes from tiny crystals that are sprayed all over the face. Then using a small handheld device, these crystals are suctioned up into the machine together with loosened dead skin. It’s actually pretty simple and straightforward.
Recovery – The recovery time is as quick as the time it takes to finish the procedure. Although the skin is a bit pink right after the procedure (even if you use a diamond microdermabrasion machine), it will turn lighter after a few hours. In fact, women can put on their makeup and resume their normal activities right after the treatment.
Side Effects – The best part of microdermabrasion is it doesn’t have significant complications. During its early use, there are reports of eye redness and other eye related problems but these have been addressed to by using eye protection. Although scarring is a possibility, it has not been considered as significant since the skin injury of the process is only superficial.