HYDRAFACIAL

Pros

• RealSelf members who have reviewed HydraFacial give it a 96% Worth It Rating, citing benefits such as glowing, soft skin, with fewer acne breakouts. 
• It’s fast—one session usually takes 30 minutes or less.  
• There’s typically no irritation or even redness following a HydraFacial.  
• It doesn’t use steam, which can dilate blood vessels and cause redness in sensitive skin.  
• The vacuum extractions don’t hurt and shouldn’t leave skin looking red and inflamed. 
• You can tell this facial is working while you’re having it. “You can actually see all the gunk coming out of the pores,” says Dr. Rita Rakus, a physician in London.  
• It’s safe for all skin tones and effective for people of all ages. A teenager with acne and a woman in her 50s trying to erase the signs of sun damage will both benefit.  

Cons

• Some RealSelf members reported red, blotchy, and inflamed skin after their treatment. This can be a side effect for people with sensitive skin, but it should resolve on its own within a few days. 
• Most people need a series of monthly treatments to see real improvements in texture and sun damage.  
• The cost of a standard treatment is comparable to other professional facials, but it can quickly escalate due to pricey add-ons such as LED light therapy or radiofrequency treatments. 
• You’ll need to stop any retinoids, retinols, or tretinoin creams two weeks before your treatment.  

RealSelf Tip: While there are typically no major reactions, Dr. Rakus suggests that brides or anyone preparing for a big event should schedule the treatment at least 10 days before the big day—especially if it’s your first.

• Average Cost:
• $206

• Range:
• $116 - $320

Your HydraFacial price will depend on your dermatologist or aesthetician's level of experience and their practice location. 

The cost also goes up when boosters are added (ranging from $40 to $100 per booster) or the facial is combined with treatments like LED light therapy or microneedling, though your provider might charge less for a combination of procedures than they would for each one separately.

Cosmetic procedures like this one are not covered by insurance.

See our complete guide to HydraFacial costs

The Hydrafacial photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

This gentle treatment is well-tolerated and safe, but there are a few contraindications. If you have cancer, active herpes, or severe cystic acne, you should not have a HydraFacial. 

If you’re currently on Accutane, wait six months after you finish before having a HydraFacial. “Accutane will greatly thin your skin. Performing anything even remotely considered aggressive while on Accutane can lead to scarring and more skin problems,” explains Dr. Kevin Sadati, a plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, California. “In our practice, our paramedical aesthetician custom tailors a variety of facial treatments for people that are undergoing Accutane therapies.”

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, tell your provider. “Pregnancy and nursing are both contraindications for receiving the HydraFacial due to the chemicals used in some of the solutions,” says Dr. Kenneth Pechman, a physician in Appleton, Wisconsin. “The treatment can be altered to be safely administered while nursing or pregnant. It’s still great, but it will not be the same as the full array of solutions.”

RealSelf Tip: Dr. Rakus recommends VISIA skin analysis prior to the treatment, to record a baseline measurement of your skin health. “That way, you can see the improvement at the end of a course of treatments.”

You’d need a more intense treatment (like a deep chemical peel, laser resurfacing, or even a mini lift) to remove deep wrinkles and folds. That said, a series of HydraFacial treatments can improve the look of fine lines and more superficial wrinkles. Dr. Rakus usually suggests a monthly facial for three to six months followed by maintenance treatments every three months.

In a small study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, women who underwent a series of six hydradermabrasion facials using an antioxidant serum showed an increase in their skin’s elastin and collagen and a decrease in fine lines, pore size, and hyperpigmentation. Their skin also had elevated levels of antioxidants, which protect your cells against free radical damage.

You may hear HydraFacial referred to as hydradermabrasion or wet microdermabrasion. It’s similar to microdermabrasion in that it exfoliates and opens up pores.  

“Microdermabrasion is a very effective exfoliation treatment,” says Austin, Texas plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey W. Hall. “The goal is to remove all three layers of the stratum corneum so the serums can penetrate deeper.” 

Unlike microdermabrasion, HydraFacial doesn’t use abrasive crystals to slough off dead skin—it uses a suctioning device and a light chemical peel to gently exfoliate. Because of this, it’s suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin, while microdermabrasion can be too rough for fragile complexions.

Cleanse & Peel

It starts off much like any other professional facial does, with a deep cleansing of your pores—but it goes much deeper than a topical application. The cleansing process includes a mix of botanical cleansers and hydrating, soothing ingredients. The pen-like HydraPeel tip whisks away makeup and dirt. 

Next is the exfoliation phase, which uses a mix of glycolic and salicylic acids to help shed the dead top layer of skin cells and uncover a more radiant-looking complexion. As with any chemical exfoliating treatment, you may feel a bit of tingling, but because it’s a mild peel, you shouldn’t feel it sting or burn. 

“The aim is to remove the three layers of the epidermis, getting rid of any dead layers, which delivers the serums deeper and enhances the end result,” says Dr. Rakus. 

Extract

Then a vacuum-like tip called the vortex-extraction nozzle suctions out blackheads and any remaining impurities from deep within your pores. This vacuum step stimulates lymphatic drainage, helping boost circulation while removing excess fluid and waste. 

Depending on your level of sensitivity or your desired results, your aesthetician can choose one of six different tips for the device that range from gentle to more aggressive. 

Hydrate

Next, your facial infuses a targeted serum—a customized cocktail that includes hydrating ingredients, antioxidants, peptides, and collagen. 

There are 11 different boosters available that can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, energize and brighten the skin, improve firmness, or target other concerns. Ingredients include stem cells, growth factors, peptides, and acids, as well as botanical extracts.

Protect

Before you go, your provider will apply moisturizer and sunscreen.

Despite all the deep cleaning, peeling, exfoliating, and extracting, many RealSelf members say the treatment actually feels pleasant. RealSelf member msmelissajoy described it as “relaxing, cleansing, and refreshing.”

“Our patients really enjoy the entire session, and the best ‘wow’ factor afterwards is when we get to show them all the debris that was extracted during the session,” says Dr. Madnani. “It reinforces the benefit of this skin treatment and makes for some interesting social media posts.”

RealSelf Tip: Some treatments pair especially well with a HydraFacial, including a photofacial with LED light therapy to kill any breakout-causing bacteria (blue light) or help reduce fine lines and wrinkles (red light). 

Providers also commonly recommend combining it with a radiofrequency (RF) treatment like Pellevé, or with microneedling to boost collagen production and increase firmness over time. “The HydraFacial preps the skin by clearing out pores and removing dead skin cells before a microneedling procedure,” explains Dr. Mike Majmundar, a plastic surgeon in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Many people have injectables like Botox during the same appointment. The key is to do them in the appropriate order. 

Dr. Madnani also sees this skin treatment as ideal preparation for injectables. “We schedule most of our injectable patients to get HydraFacials first, then proceed with the fillers or Botox.”

“Often times these procedures are performed on the same day, as long as the HydraFacial is performed first,” says Dr. P. Craig Hobar, a plastic surgeon in Dallas, Texas. “If you have already received filler and Botox and want to schedule a HydraFacial, I would recommend waiting two weeks.”

Most people can go back to their normal routine immediately with no side effects, but your skin may look a bit blotchy. If you have very sensitive skin or allergies, you might need a day or two of downtime for the redness to subside, before you go back to work.

RealSelf members have reported acne breakouts following a HydraFacial, but there’s less of a chance of that happening with this treatment than with other facials, says Dr. Rakus. Instead, your skin should look hydrated and radiant, with a more even skin tone (especially if you’ve opted for an add-on designed to address hyperpigmentation). 

Some RealSelf members have reported drying and flaking skin, most likely because of the peel component. To avoid peeling and excessive dryness, “Keep your skin hydrated and make sure you are not using a retinol, retin-A or other skin exfoliant before or after treatments,” says Dr. Shalini Gupta, a physician in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

If you experience peeling, tell your esthetician so they can make an adjustment next time, using a lower percentage of AHA/BHA acids or omitting the peel altogether.

Your HydraFacial results—deeply hydrated, glowing skin and a more even complexion—should last at least five to seven days. 

Longer-lasting results can be achieved through a series of monthly HydraFacials and maintenance treatments.

“You will see an improvement even after one treatment, since the HydraFacial lightens the skin overall,” says Dr. Rakus. “However, if you use the speciality booster Britenol, which is specifically for dark spots, you will get better results. You may still see improvement after one treatment, but if you do a full course of treatments, you’ll get much better results."

The treatment is considered very safe, but it’s important to find an experienced provider. 

The HydraFacial machine does most of the work, but an untrained technician may not choose the right settings or serum. They could also apply too much suction for your skin type, which can give you poor results or irritation.

In early 2020, HydraFacial launched a scalp and hair follicle health treatment called Keravive. Intended for people with dry scalp, clogged follicles, and thin-looking hair, Keravive uses a solution to cleanse and exfoliate (Beta HD), then a proprietary peptide serum (the Keravive Peptide Complex) made with a blend of growth factors and protein to stimulate growth, nourish existing hair and hydrate the scalp. 

Like the HydraFacial treatment, Keravive has multiple steps and is applied through the company’s trademarked device. Arrive with clean, dry hair (no product), and the in-office treatment starts with cleansing and exfoliation through the HydraPeel blue tip device, followed by a second step to stimulate and nourish HydraPeel yellow tip. A take-home spray extends your results and enhances your hair health. 

HydraFacial recommends a series of three monthly Keravive in-office treatments and continuous use of the take-home spray for optimal results.

Related: I Tried a HydraFacial Treatment for My Scalp, and It Was a Game Changer for My Excessive Dandruff

	Microdermabrasion nonsurgical	Chemical Peel nonsurgical	Clear + Brilliant nonsurgical
Worth It Rating	95%	85%	83%
Average Cost	$173	$429	$1180
Downtime	No downtime	Up to 2 weeks of downtime	No downtime
Anesthesia	No anesthesia	No anesthesia	Topical anesthesia (if needed)

• HydraFacial is often compared to microdermabrasion because they’re both skin resurfacing treatments, but microdermabrasion uses an abrasive tool to slough off dead skin, while HydraFacial uses water and a vacuum-tipped device. The main difference is that microdermabrasion completely resurfaces the skin by removing the outer layers to reveal fresh, new skin. HydraFacial is much gentler, and it infuses the skin with hydrating serums and peptides while it exfoliates.
• Chemical peels can range from light, superficial peels using glycolic acid to deeper, once-in-a-lifetime, phenol-based peels to address acne scars, age spots, signs of aging, crow’s feet, hyperpigmentation, rough or uneven texture, sun damage, and wrinkles.  Depending on the strength of your peel, you can expect redness and flaking for a few days to a few weeks afterward. As with HydraFacials, you’ll often need a series of the light or superficial chemical peels to see the full results.
• Clear + Brilliant, another noninvasive skin rejuvenation treatment, uses a laser to even out tone, shrink pores, and combat fine lines. It’s not as gentle as the HydraFacial because it makes microinjuries that trigger the body’s healing process and create new collagen, but it is considerably kinder than laser treatments that completely remove the skin’s outer layer. Clear + Brilliant should leave your skin refreshed and radiant, but you won’t have the hydration aspect you get with a HydraFacial. 

Freedman, Bruce M. “Hydradermabrasion: an Innovative Modality for Nonablative Facial Rejuvenation.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2008.