If you are looking to put an end to acne-related skin issues or are fed up of wasting money on expensive creams that promise (but never deliver) to reverse your signs of aging, microdermabrasion is what you need.
Having suffered from mild acne scars for a long time, I found that a well-scheduled microdermabrasion treatment was the only thing that helped me.
A very safe procedure, microdermabrasion guarantees great results if done at the right frequency. But exactly how often should you do microdermabrasion? Read on to put an end to your skin problems for good.
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Identifying Your Problems
Before answering how often you must do microdermabrasion, it is very important to understand the process and if you need it. It is a relatively new procedure that was a hot choice amongst Hollywood stars before it became publicly popular.
Prior to microdermabrasion, majority of skin troubles would require either comprehensive plastic surgery or painful procedures like Dermabrasion.
Microdermabrasion can prove very beneficial for people with dull skin, mild acne, fine wrinkles, acne discoloration and pick marks.
If you suffer from any of these and have been advised by your dermatologist to go for plastic surgery or Dermbrasion, you probably should get a second opinion since microdermabrasion is well-equipped to handle these issues.
However, if you suffer from deeper acne scars, you may want to go with more intensive treatments like Dermbrasion or Laser Resurfacing.
I say this because microdermabrasion works by exfoliating only the top surface of your skin (stratum corneum).
Once this layer is artificially removed, your body interprets this as an injury and rushes in to replace the lost cells with fresh skin cells.
Check out this video to understand the process clearly
Where to get Microdermabrasion done?
For maximum benefit, I recommend that you approach your dermatologist for getting the treatment done.
There are several microdermabrasion creams and lotions easily available in the market, but I find they are not quite as effective as their clinical counterpart.
Dermatologists use a specialized tool that uses a vacuum pump to blast the skin with a high-pressure stream of non-reactive crystals which erode the top skin cells.
The tool then sucks up these lost cells and the used crystals. Soothing creams may be applied to moisturize the skin after the procedure. Typical sessions may last anywhere from five minutes to one hour.
- Another important thing to remember to notify your dermatologist of any current illnesses or medical issues you are suffering from.
- Microdermabrasion is a generally safe procedure but sometimes not recommended to people suffering conditions such as Diabetes Mellitus, Eczema, Warts,
Dermatitis, etc. For a complete list of such conditions, please click here.
If there is no microdermabrasion facility near where you live, or you would like to first try in-home treatments, some popular products that you can use include :
How Often Should You Do Microdermabrasion?
As with most medical procedures, there is no one answer that fits all. The frequency that will suit you depends on several factors like your skin type, the problem you are facing and how your skin reacts to the treatment (tolerance).
Your dermatologist or skin care expert will be able to provide you with an exact schedule taking into account all these factors.
Do not expect to see great results at the end of your first session itself. It usually takes multiple sessions of microdermabrasion to see significant improvement.
Your dermatologist may set up a plan, depending on desired cosmetic effects, which may include sessions every week or as far apart as once in eight weeks.
However, one of the most common microdermabrasion regimes followed includes 3 - 4 weekly sessions (at the end of which you may see visual results) followed by monthly sessions.
The number of total sessions can vary from 6 – 12. A minimum of 6 sessions is most definitely required to see considerable improvement in the skin condition, regardless of your skin type.
Regime for Highly Acne-Prone Skin
Someone with skin that is highly acne-prone and tougher to treat will usually require more frequent sessions for the microdermabrasion to be effective.
This is because human skin regenerates approximately every 30 days which makes the results of the treatment temporary. But if your skin type is sensitive and clear, your prescribed schedule will include more breathing space.
If you are thinking of opting for home-based microdermabrasion treatments that involve use of creams or scrubs, you can decide the frequency of treatment yourself.
You can do this by monitoring how your skin reacts to the product you are using and creating a regime that strikes a balance between your skin’s tolerance levels and the desired cosmetic results.
Once you apply the product to your skin, it may cause symptoms such as redness or swelling which is normal. You need to carefully observe how long it takes your skin to recover from these symptoms.
Once the symptoms disappear, repeat the same cycle. Do this until you see significant improvement in your skin’s condition, after which you can space out the future treatments.
Before You Choose a Product
However, before choosing any cream of scrub to start your own in-home microdermabrasion treatment, I highly recommended that you contact your dermatologist or skin care expert to help you choose the right product.
Anything too harsh can result in you harming your skin further, and anything too mild can too long to achieve desired cosmetic results.
A rookie mistake most people make (I plead guilty, too) when resorting to in-home microdermabrasion is that they try to speed up results by applying creams too frequently and scrubbing too hard.
You need to avoid these mistakes at all costs as they can easily result in painful swelling and even worse, skin discoloration. Patience is most definitely prescribed.
Maximize the Results
Irrespective of how often you take the treatment, each session will most usually result in some redness of the skin.
But this is no cause for panic (unless you have a date – you should schedule your activities better) as the redness will disappear within two days.
But there are few things you can do to help your skin heal better.
- Always keep the new skin moisturized and clean.
- No matter how tempted you feel to scratch the affected area, please don’t.
- It can also help to avoid exposing the new skin to sunlight for about a week as UV rays can decrease the efficiency of the treatment.
- Lastly, drink plenty of water and eats lots of fruits and vegetables (in case you were looking for a reason to do so, this is it!).
Conclusion
Microdermabrasion is a great pain-free and non-invasive way to tackle most common skin issues.
If you are considering microdermabrasion to treat your skin issues, remember that :
- At least 6 -12 sessions are recommended for considerable skin rejuvenation.
- Your skin care expert may start with weekly session and follow up with monthly session later.
I would love to hear any questions you may want to ask or experiences you may want to share about microdermabrasion.
Leave a comment for me in the comment section!
Stacey says
I have been using the home trophy skin system twice a week and getting awesome results! My skin had never looked so good!