Microdermabrasion is commonly used to treat sun damaged skin and is proven to improve skin texture, large pores, blackheads/whiteheads, and hyperpigmentation such as melasma and solar lentigo. It also improves fine lines and superficial acne scarring. Microdermabrasion devices use crystals or diamond tips as the abrasive element . Negative pressure draws the skin to the hand-piece tip then the crystals or diamond tips superficially abrade the skin's surface as they pass across the epidermis. Used crystals and cellular debris are aspirated and collected in a sterile container to be disposed after each treament. Each pass of the hand piece removes approximately 15 μm of skin, and two passes of most microdermabrasion devices fully removed the stratum corneum. The depth of resurfacing achieved with microdermabrasion is the same as superficial chemical peels however microdermabrasion offers minimal discomfort and has generally no downtime hence it’s usually called “lunch time peel”.
Recent advances in microdermabrasion technology includes “Hydrafacial” and “Silk Peel” which combines exfoliation with dermal infusion . During this process, topical products like hyaluronic acid or salicylic acid, etc. are delivered into the skin at while doing exfoliation. These systems take advantage of the transient disruption to the epidermal barrier that occurs with removal of the stratum corneum to better deliver medications into the deeper dermal layers. Dermal infusion can enhance results for conditions such as dehydration, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and rosacea depending on the products used.
Microdermabrasion treatments are most commonly performed on the face, neck and chest. It is usually done in 6-8 treatments every 2-4 weeks. Single treatment is not enough to see results therefore follow up is normally recommended depending on the skin problem. It is usually combined with other treatments such as IPL skin rejuvenation or lasers for better results. Patients typically experience redness or superficial skin peeling after the procedure. Moisturizer as well as sunscreen protection with SPF 30 or greater is recommended after each procedure. It is best to talk to your skin care practitioner so you will be better informed about this treatment.