A HydraFacial is a multistep facial that involves cleansing, exfoliation, pore extractions, and the infusion of customized serums into the skin, for deep hydration and antioxidant protection. This gentle facial rejuvenation treatment is safe for all skin types and tones.Â
During the treatment, a provider uses different âHydraPeelâ attachments on a handheld device to vacuum out dead skin cells and other pore-clogging debris, deliver a mild peel, and infuse skin with soothing, hydrating, and anti-aging ingredients like antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and peptides.
The treatment can be customized for your skin concerns and level of sensitivity. âIf you have blackheads and oily skin, weâll focus more on cleansing. For texture issues, we can focus more on peeling, with a more aggressive glycolic acid,â says Dr. Rita Rakus, a physician in London.
With a series of treatments, HydraFacial benefits include a more even tone, reduced fine lines and wrinkles, smaller pores, and clearer skin, with less acne.Â
âHydraFacials have become an integral part of our aesthetic care plans,â says Dr. Dilip Madnani, a facial plastic surgeon in New York City. âBetween good skin care, laser or IPL skin treatments, and chemical peels that we perform after our surgical services, HydaFacials really assist our patients in maintaining their results for a long time to come. We have many of our laser skin resurfacing patients get HydraFacials between treatments, and they feel it further enhances those results.â
Pros
Cons
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 dayâespecially if itâs your first.
Your HydraFacial price will depend on your dermatologist or aesthetician's level of experience and their practice location.Â
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.
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.Â
If youâre currently on Accutane, wait six months after you finish before having a HydraFacial. âAccutane will greatly thin your skin. Performing anything even remotely considered aggressive while on Accutane can lead to scarring and more skin problems,â explains Dr. Kevin Sadati, a plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, California. âIn our practice, our paramedical aesthetician custom tailors a variety of facial treatments for people that are undergoing Accutane therapies.â
If youâre pregnant or breastfeeding, tell your provider. âPregnancy and nursing are both contraindications for receiving the HydraFacial due to the chemicals used in some of the solutions,â says Dr. Kenneth Pechman, a physician in Appleton, Wisconsin. âThe treatment can be altered to be safely administered while nursing or pregnant. Itâs still great, but it will not be the same as the full array of solutions.â
RealSelf Tip: Dr. Rakus recommends VISIA skin analysis prior to the treatment, to record a baseline measurement of your skin health. âThat way, you can see the improvement at the end of a course of treatments.â
Youâd 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 skinâs 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. Itâs similar to microdermabrasion in that it exfoliates and opens up pores. Â
âMicrodermabrasion is a very effective exfoliation treatment,â says Austin, Texas plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey W. Hall. âThe goal is to remove all three layers of the stratum corneum so the serums can penetrate deeper.âÂ
Unlike microdermabrasion, HydraFacial doesnât use abrasive crystals to slough off dead skinâit uses a suctioning device and a light chemical peel to gently exfoliate. Because of this, itâs 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 poresâbut 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.Â
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 itâs a mild peel, you shouldnât feel it sting or burn.Â
âThe 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,â says Dr. Rakus.Â
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.Â
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.Â
Hydrate
Next, your facial infuses a targeted serumâa customized cocktail that includes hydrating ingredients, antioxidants, peptides, and collagen.Â
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 ârelaxing, cleansing, and refreshing.â
âOur patients really enjoy the entire session, and the best âwowâ factor afterwards is when we get to show them all the debris that was extracted during the session,â says Dr. Madnani. âIt reinforces the benefit of this skin treatment and makes for some interesting social media posts.â
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).Â
Providers also commonly recommend combining it with a radiofrequency (RF) treatment like PellevĂ©, or with microneedling to boost collagen production and increase firmness over time. âThe HydraFacial preps the skin by clearing out pores and removing dead skin cells before a microneedling procedure,â 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.Â
Dr. Madnani also sees this skin treatment as ideal preparation for injectables. âWe schedule most of our injectable patients to get HydraFacials first, then proceed with the fillers or Botox.â
âOften times these procedures are performed on the same day, as long as the HydraFacial is performed first,â says Dr. P. Craig Hobar, a plastic surgeon in Dallas, Texas. âIf you have already received filler and Botox and want to schedule a HydraFacial, I would recommend waiting two weeks.â
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 thereâs 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 youâve opted for an add-on designed to address hyperpigmentation).Â
Some RealSelf members have reported drying and flaking skin, most likely because of the peel component. To avoid peeling and excessive dryness, âKeep your skin hydrated and make sure you are not using a retinol, retin-A or other skin exfoliant before or after treatments,â says Dr. Shalini Gupta, a physician in Cincinnati, Ohio.Â
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 resultsâdeeply hydrated, glowing skin and a more even complexionâshould last at least five to seven days.Â
Longer-lasting results can be achieved through a series of monthly HydraFacials and maintenance treatments.
âYou will see an improvement even after one treatment, since the HydraFacial lightens the skin overall,â says Dr. Rakus. âHowever, 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, youâll get much better results."
The treatment is considered very safe, but itâs important to find an experienced provider.Â
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.Â
Like the HydraFacial treatment, Keravive has multiple steps and is applied through the companyâs 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.Â
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
Updated August 14, 2023