Kellie Mosley-Mendez, DO

A european facial is a great way to maintain healthy skin. This kind of treatment is ideal for all skin types and can address the minor concerns such as dry skin, lack of radiance, and black heads. Extractions are minimal in European facials, so if you are trying to clear up acne, a different type of treatment may suit your skin better. When the aesthetician analyzes your skin, they will be able to gear you towards the correct treatment for your skin. If a european facial is ideal for your skin, the result you can expect are brighter, more moisturized skin. The pores should be free of mild blackheads, and you should feel relaxed. If you are looking to correct sun damage, acne scarring, brown spots, or fine lines, there are a variety of other more aggresive treatments that will help to minimize these problems all while making the skin more healthy.

Being a physician dealing with the skin, I have had the chance to work with both traditional Microdermabrasion, and the "wet" Microdermabrasion. There is a difference. Traditional Microdermabrasion uses crystals that are specially shaped to remove the dead layers of the skin without being invasive. The amount of crystals and the amount of pressure they hit the skin are all controlled by the technician. This gives the technician the ability to go as deep or as superficial as needed. There is also suction that sucks all of the dead particles of skin into the machine. The treatment can leave your skin smooth, and with a series of treatments, you can achieve a more even skin tone, and texture. The suction can also help to stimulate blood flow in the skin.

The "wet" Microdermabrasion is the same process of exfoliation, however, instead of crystals hitting the skin with pressure, the machine uses a diamond head tip that exfoliates as you pass the tip across the skin. It is called "wet" Microdermabrasion because the machine also uses special serums that are being pushed into the deeper layers of the skin while the exfoliation process is going on. You will experience both suction, exfoliation, and wetness from the serums. The result is often the same, except you leave with less redness, irritation, and your skin will feel hydrated. Something the traditional microdermabrasion can not do. There is also added benefit to the "wet" Microdermabrasion because of the special serums. The technician is able to choose specific serums that address Acne, Hyperpigmentation, and Anti aging or hydration.

With regard to the use of either type of Microdermabrasion, you should allow your skin to heal at least 7-10 days. Every patient is different in the healing process, and healing time can also depend on how aggressive the laser treatment was. I would make sure that the skin is completely healed before doing any type of exfoliation. Inflammation causes Hyperpigmentation in the skin, so doing too many treatments to close together can make a difference in the result you achieve. I would always consult with both the laser technician, and the Microdermabrasion technician to make sure the time between treatments is sufficient for your specific skin.