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10 Reasons to Get a Facial

gloved hands performing microdermabrasion on womans face

1. Skin Analysis by our Esthetician Experts

Wherever you go to purchase your skin care products, chances are they see your face with your make up on. The benefits of getting your skin analyzed through professional facials are that the esthetician will see you without makeup to reveal your true skin type. This allows our esthetician to see what your unique needs are through professional treatments and suggest the best products for your home care routine. Our esthetician also works with your skin for over an hour so they will achieve a proper analysis of what skin type you have. This is exposure that a consultant in a department store may not offer.

2. Professional Strength Exfoliation

Our facial treatments include a form of exfoliation using microdermabrasion, two different types of enzyme peals and a scrub. Some of the exfoliating ingredients can be found in your skin care products but during a facial you will experience the treatment at our professional strength. The facial exfoliation is specifically catered towards your skin type so that it will leave you with results that include smooth skin, decreased skin discoloration and increase cellular growth.

3. Clean Blackheads and Clogged Pores

With proper facial exfoliation preparation and skin softening techniques, our esthetician will use a skilled method to extract clogged pores, blackheads, and impurities without causing irritation or harm to your skin. People usually have a hard time eliminating blackheads at home, because home care products can only help to reduce clogged pores. However, it takes a professional esthetician to properly prepare the skin before manual extractions can take place in a safe and effective way.

4. Hydration

Every skin type no matter the difference needs hydration. It does not matter if you have oily, acne prone skin, or dry and flakey skin, your skin cells need to be hydrated to survive. In order to maintain healthy skin, it is imperative to keep it topically hydrated. With oilier skin types, the face tends to produce more oil when moisture is lacking, which is the opposite of your intention and need. Oily skin needs moisture, but the moisture it’s seeking is water, not oil. Hydrated skin is healthy skin and a facial will help to regulate the proper moisture level for whatever skin type you may be.

5. Increase Circulation to Enhance Your Natural Glow

When blood circulation slows, the skin’s health and appearance is impaired. Slowed circulation is a negative aspect of aging, which results in dull, wrinkled, tired looking skin. One important benefit of a facial is a massage to the face and with warm steam, both processes help to increase blood flow bringing nutrients to the skin. This will encourage a youthful radiance and glow to surface in the face.

6. A Review for Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is becoming a more apparent problem in our society so it is very important to regularly check your skin for changes to moles and to look out for abnormal skin growths. Usually these changes are so small and develop at a slow pace so over time that you may not notice it is happening. A benefit of having our esthetician work with your skin is that he or she will analyze your skin and bring to your attention any potential abnormalities that they feel you should check out with your doctor. Our esthetician can be seen as a new set of eyes that may notice skin imperfections that you have not seen, over time.

7. Stress Relief

A facial can offer a vast amount of benefits with the skin and also can be a relaxing technique and can improve the level of stress you are dealing with. Imagine a room with dim lighting, soft music, and a warm, comfy bed. Then add on a face, neck, and shoulder massage. This is the environment you will experience here at Precision Wellness to completely relax and unwind. Studies show that stress can lead to unhealthy skin, so a facial can eliminate stress to promote healing skin.

8. Problem Solving

Whether it’s dry skin, brown spots, redness, irritation, or inflamed acne, a good facial is always customized by our esthetician to focus on what your skin needs. Facials are focused on problem solving and our estheticians are geared to giving you the solution you desire from your facial. By using the right combination of ingredients, our estheticians can improve your skin’s appearance to achieve the greatest possible complexion for you.

9. Our Professional Advice

During a facial, you are with our esthetician for over an hour. This time creates an opportunity for our esthetician to give you their professional advice, skin tips and tricks and plenty of time to ask questions that you may have been curious about. Also, when getting a facial you are receiving a lesson from our expert on how to care for your skin properly. This lesson includes, what your skin type is exactly, which products will work best for your skin type, how your skin interacts with products and how to care for your skin at home so you can maintain the results of your facial.

10. Because You Deserve It

Humans tend to spend a great amount of time caring for other people in their lives. While this can be rewarding, at times it can be mentally and emotionally tiring. When taking a couple of hours to yourself to receive a facial, you wont have to worry or care for anyone but yourself. A facial is for you and gives you the time you need to re-energize, reset and clear your mind.

Benefits of TMJ Massage Therapy

massage-therapist-massaging-a-clients-tmj

TMJ Disorder or Syndrome is a term used to describe temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which happen as a result of problems with the jaw, the joint, and the surrounding facial muscles that control moving the jaw and chewing. The temporomandibular joint is the hinge joint that connects the lower jaw to the temporal bone of the skull. This bone is located in front of the ear on each side of the head. When working correctly, the joints are flexible, which allows the jaw to move smoothly side to side and up and down, also enabling one to chew, talk and yawn. Muscles attached to and surround the jaw joint to control the position and movement of the jaw.

People with TMJ disorder experience severe discomfort and pain that can be temporary, or it may last for many years. More women than men experience TMJ and this disorder is seen most commonly in people between the ages of 20 and 40.

Massage therapy is a healing technique that has been around for thousands of years and is practiced all over the world. It has been proven to help alleviate a variety of medical conditions, including TMJ disorder.

What Causes TMJ Disorder?

Asymmetry of the muscles of mastication, which is also known as chewing, tightness of the back of the neck, forward head posture, and many myofascial trigger points can cause TMJ disorder problems. Injury to the jaw, the temporomandibular joint, or muscles of the head and neck can cause TMJ disorder. However, something as simple as grinding or clenching the teeth puts a lot of pressure on the TMJ and can cause TMJ disorder. Also, the jaw is a ball and socket joint, and dislocation of the cushion between the ball and socket can result in TMJ disorder. Finally, TMJ disorder can result from inflammation caused by another illness, stress, which can cause a person to tighten facial and jaw muscles or clench the teeth.

What Are the Symptoms of TMJ Disorder?

There are several symptoms that are indicators one is experiencing temporomandibular joint disorder, including:

Pain or tenderness in the face, jaw joint area, neck and shoulders, and in or around the ear when chewing, speaking, or opening the mouth wide
Difficulty chewing as if the upper and lower teeth are not fitting together properly
Jaws that get “locked” in the open- or closed-mouth position
Limited motion to open the mouth wide
Clicking, grating sounds or popping in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth

What Happens at a Precision Wellness Massage Therapy Session for TMJ Disorder?

While treating TMJ, our massage therapist will focus treatment on the reduction of tension in the masticatory (chewing) muscles, eliminating trigger points—the painful “knots” felt in the muscle that refer to pain elsewhere—and releasing tension in the fascia tissue around the jaw area. Fascia is the tough, dense connective tissue that surrounds every muscle, nerve, bone, blood vessel, and organ of the body. Some of the common massages that our massage therapist will use when treating TMJ include:

Swedish Massage – While this is the most common and well-known massage, it has a number of benefits; a primary one being that of relaxation. Our massage therapist are experts in providing relaxation through a full-body Swedish massage can have a huge impact in reducing jaw tension, as stress contributes greatly to TMJ disorders.
Neuromuscular Therapy – This technique involves our therapist applying pressure to trigger points in the jaw muscles to help relieve tension and return muscles to a relaxed state.

How Will Massage Help With TMJ Pain?

Massage is the manual or mechanical application to alleviate pain or induce relaxation in the muscles and other soft tissue of the body. The term massage therapy covers a group of techniques that we at Precision Wellness practice. In all of the techniques, our therapists press, rub, and otherwise manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body, often varying in movement and pressure to satisfy each individual’s needs. Usually, the intent is to relax muscles, increase blood and oxygen to areas, and decrease pain.

How Often To Receive a Facial

Spa treatment. Beautiful woman with facial mask at beauty salon.

Understand Timing of Facials

Thinking of scheduling a facial after receiving one should be part of everyone’s custom skin care management plan, but figuring out when is the best time for you depends on a variety of skin care factors. Benefits of a facial at Precision Wellness included warm steam, a hydrating masque, and a gentle massage. After your treatment is done, most feel and see glowing skin, but deciding when to schedule a next appointment may be more complicated than anticipated. Surprisingly, there is not a cycle that everyone uniformly should follow when it comes to facials because a facial is determined by skin type, age, lifestyle and the environment you are in.

Precision Wellness Recommendation

It is the general rule that most people should receive a facial about every three to four weeks. This is because it is how long your skin takes to move through skin cell growth and natural exfoliation, but a facial can do this quicker and more effectively. Facials at Precision Wellness incorporate skin care techniques that will keep your skin clean, hydrated and glowing for upwards of four weeks.

Acne Prone Skin

Oily skin can cause more breakouts to occur, so it is recommended to receive facials more often when breakouts are high. When acne is flaring there is an excess amount of moisture your skin is creating and touching your face, which everyone unconsciously does, leads to clogged pores and breakouts. Once the skin returns to a peaceful place and the acne starts to go away, the need for facials frequently becomes lessened.

Infrequent Facials

Even with the best mindset and healthy skin habits, it is common for budget and personal problems to get in the way of receiving a facial every month. If it is unlikely that you can come in every month, it is highly recommended to come in at least when the seasons are changing. Because of the moisture in the summer and the cold in the winter, your skin is more prone to breakouts or dehydration. Seeing our esthetician at least four times a year will help will help guard your skin from seasonal changes.

Frequent Facials

On the other side of things, too many facials can be a bad thing as well as not enough. If you are following a skin care regimen, then the need to see our estheticians are lessened to every month. Unless you are experiencing a breakout or dehydration, seeing our esthetician can be negative on your skin because of the constant extractions and exfoliation that are incorporated within a facial. With every facial, our esthetician will hydrate and exfoliate your skin and will follow up with advice on skin treatment plans to follow and how to maintain the results you experienced.

Benefits of Thai Massage Therapy

In comparison with Swedish Massage, which generally focuses on the physical aspect of kneading the muscles, Thai Massage therapy focuses on combining aspects and techniques that focus on trigger points, neuromuscular therapy, manual therapy and myofascial treatments. Thai Massage therapy is made up of physical aspects as well as energetic which allows a full body and deep treatment that starts at the feet and progresses up to the head. Throughout a Thai Massage, there are gentle and flowing movements by moving the body and stretching the joints as well as the muscles. This type of massage is very unique in the way that it focuses on the flow of energy in the body by applying acupressure on the sen energy lines, which allow the body to harmonize and energize.

The traditional Thai Massage is authentic and sticks to its traditional ruts which go back to 2000 years ago. It is a healing art form of therapy throughout the body and was developed by people who used this massage therapy as not only to maintain health and wellness but also to treat illness. It combines the stretching of yoga, exercise movement and focuses on the reflexes while also focusing on the calmness of meditation.

Some of the physical benefits are helping detoxification of the body, increase circulation and lower blood pressure, increase flexibility and improve breathing, improves posture and balance, helps with arthritis and back pain, slows the aging process and prevents illnesses.

Some of the mental benefits include improving your outlook towards life, building an emotional balance, calming your mind and helping you gain creative and mental clarity.

Some of the psychological benefits are reducing and relieving stress and anxiety, help boost energy levels, develop self control, increase stamina and health and vitality.

Benefits Received Through Facials

While you may enjoy the relaxation you feel when receiving a facial, there are many other benefits that can create healthy glowing skin. Choosing the type of facial you want depends on what results and benefits you are specifically looking for. Some facials are designed to deep-clean the skin, others offer moisturizing benefits, and some help to relieve stress, which can often cause acne. Throughout the many benefits of receiving a facial, cleansing, increased circulation, emotional benefits and anti-aging are the ones we will discuss.

Cleansing

Facials, aromatherapy facials, face packs and massage with facial creams help cleanse the skin, removing toxins caused by dirt and pollution found in your everyday environment. Such facials help to reduce an increased amount of sebum, which is a natural substance that moisturizes the skin. Too much production of sebum can cause skin problems, including blackheads and acne. Cleansing facials open the pores of the skin, remove toxins and dead skin, and cleanse the surface of the skin through exfoliation that will tighten and firm the skin.

Increased Circulation

Facial treatments help to improve and possibly restore circulation to facial skin layers, increasing the flow of blood to skin cells. This rush of blood to the skin gives your skin a healthy glow and increases the size of skin cells with vital nutrients and water, which reduce the appearance of dry and or wrinkled skin. Nutrients such as vitamins and minerals found within the blood, along with adequate hydration, help maintain and develop new skin cells that are essential for a youthful, healthy appearance.

Emotional Benefits

Facial treatments feel good to receive, offering relaxation. Facial massage treatments increase circulation and the flow of blood. They also include a variety of creams, aromatherapy and oils that moisturize the skin, which smell nice, and relieve stress as well as encourage peace of mind.

Anti-Aging

While there is no way to stop the aging process, facials may help slow the skin-aging process and offer you more youthful skin. Intense pulsed light, or IPL, laser treatments remove dead skin cells and increase collagen, cell growth, and development. Examples of common skin laser treatments include DermaWand, OxyLight and Baby Quasar. Each can be used to aid in anti-aging by removing dead and damaged skin and increasing production of collagen, which is essential for healthy skin cells.

Pain Management Through Massage Therapy

An increasing amount of research shows massage therapy can be a very efficient part of pain management and possibly relief. The data that was collected and the knowledge from patients that the doctors received should encourage them to advise the use of pain specialists to incorporate massage therapy into their pain management programs.

Throughout the data collected, one source stated that “massage is effective for providing long-lasting relief for patients suffering from chronic low back pain.” The next source stated that work done by Quinn, Chandler and Moraska “showed muscle-specific massage therapy is effective for reducing the incidence of chronic tension headaches.” Another source stated that “Recent studies have confirmed the findings and others indicate positive effects for massage in decreasing pain intensity among cancer patients.” The vast amount of information gathered regarding pain management in relation to massage therapy has shown that it is very effective and helpful for patients.

Massage therapy works in a direct and simple strategy: working from external sources, outer workings of pain to the primary root cause in each individual patient. Massage therapists use a holistic approach, as opposed to a traditional approach, focusing on the entire body and its relationship to tissue. With a traditional approach a doctor or caregiver would focus only on the site of the pain.

Another benefit of massage therapy is how it helps patient’s awareness of their bodies and familiarize them with the pain they experience in a different way using human touch. Human touch is especially pronounced for women facing mastectomies because they are losing soft tissue that can be painful but massage therapy can help them feel comfortable with their bodies. The comfort level they experience with their massage therapist improves their confidence and allows them to better deal with pain. There are various other forms of massage that focus on lymph drainage and muscle pain, as well as other pain management therapies. With individual patient’s pain becoming harder to treat, people are finding relief in massage therapy through the human touch and understanding of the human body by massage therapists.

Ten Winter Skin Care Tips

For many people, the cold clear days of winter bring more than just a rosy glow to the cheeks. They also bring uncomfortable dryness to the skin of the face, hands, and feet. For some people, the problem is worse than just a general tight, dry feeling. They get skin so dry it results in flaking, cracking, even eczema (in which the skin becomes inflamed). Here are ten Winter Skin Care facial tips to help get you through the harsh winter:

1. Seek a Specialist

If you go to your local drugstore, you’ll be hard put to find a salesperson who can give you good advice. That’s why going to an esthetician or dermatologist even once is a good investment. Such a specialist can analyze your skin type, troubleshoot your current skin care regimen, and give you advice on the skin care products you should be using.

2. Moisturize More

You may have found a moisturizer that works just fine in spring and summer. But as weather conditions change, so, too, should your skin care routine. Find an “ointment” moisturizer that’s oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion. (Hint: Many lotions labeled as “night creams” are oil-based.)But choose your oils with care because not all oils are appropriate for the face.

Instead, look for “nonclogging” oils, like AVOCADO OIL, mineral oil, primrose oil, or almond oil. Shea oil — or butter — is controversial, because it can clog facial pores. And vegetable shortening is a really bad idea. It just sits on the skin and would be really greasy.

3. Slather on the Sunscreen

No, sunscreen isn’t just for summertime. Winter sun — combined with snow glare — can still damage your skin. Try applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your face and your hands (if they’re exposed) about 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply frequently if you stay outside a long time.

4. Give Your Hands a Hand

The skin on your hands is thinner than on most parts of the body and has fewer oil glands. That means it’s harder to keep your hands moist, especially in cold, dry weather. This can lead to itchiness and cracking. Wear gloves when you go outside; if you need to wear wool to keep your hands warm, slip on a thin cotton glove first, to avoid any irritation the wool might cause.

5. Avoid Wet Gloves and Socks

Wet socks and gloves can irritate your skin and cause itching, cracking, sores, or even a flare-up of eczema.

6. Hook Up the Humidifier

Central heating systems (as well as space heaters) blast hot dry air throughout our homes and offices. Humidifiers get more moisture in the air, which helps prevent your skin from drying out. Place several small humidifiers throughout your home. They help disperse the moisture more evenly.

7. Hydrate for Your Health, Not for Your Skin

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Drinking water helps your skin stay young looking. In fact, it’s a myth. Water is good for your overall health and the skin of someone who is severely dehydrated will benefit from fluids. But the average person’s skin does not reflect the amount of water being drunk in one day.

8. Grease Up Your Feet

Yes, those minty foot lotions are lovely in the hot summer months, but during the winter, your feet need stronger stuff. Try finding lotions that contain petroleum jelly or glycerine instead. And use exfoliants to get the dead skin off periodically; that helps any moisturizers you use to sink in faster and deeper.

9. Pace the Peels

If your facial skin is uncomfortably dry, avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners or astringents, all of which can strip vital oil from your skin. Instead, find a cleansing milk or mild foaming cleanser, a toner with no alcohol, and masks that are “deeply hydrating,” rather than clay-based, which tends to draw moisture out of the face. And use them a little less often.

10. Ban Superhot Baths

Sure, soaking in a burning-hot bath feels great after frolicking out in the cold. But the intense heat of a hot shower or bath actually breaks down the lipid barriers in the skin, which can lead to a loss of moisture.

A lukewarm bath with oatmeal or baking soda can help relieve skin that is so dry it has become itchy So, too, can periodically reapplying your moisturizer. If those techniques don’t work, go see a dermatologist. You may need a prescription lotion to combat the dry skin.

Does Massage Help with Weight Loss?

You may be surprised but the answer is YES! Scientists now confirm what massage therapists have always known: massage can be a powerful and effective weight-loss tool. By improving your body’s resilience, aiding muscle nutrition and flexibility, and supporting your mental and emotional well-being, massage can take your weight-loss plan to a whole new level.

Massage on its own can’t help you lose the pounds but with exercise and diet massage can boost the results you see. The relationship between massage and weight loss is the result of many things working together, including better injury prevention and healing. Massage helps in breaking down scar tissue and other adhesions. This aids in recovery time and over all muscular health. Massage therapists also work to improve your flexibility and range of motion. This makes you less likely to hurt yourself, meaning more productive and pain-free hours in the gym. But the benefits don’t end there.

When you receive a massage, you’re directly impacting the circulatory system. By constantly moving blood to body tissues, your massage therapist increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients your muscles receive. Recovery is just as important as the work you put in.

Make It Work For You
We all know losing weight isn’t easy. But, it can be easy to incorporate massage into the healthy lifestyle you’re building. Make sure your massage therapist about your new goals and fitness plan so that treatments can be customized to your body’s specific needs. The more information you can provide to your therapist the better off you will be. A lot of this will be covered during the intake process with questions about your medical history, injury and any medications you may be on. This only aids your therapist in tailoring a treatment just for you.
Weekly massages are ideal, but you can reap plenty of benefits from monthly visits, too. Your massage therapist will work with you to set a specific schedule of appointments that fits with your workout routine, as well as your finances. Don’t be concerned if your MT wants to see you more often at the beginning of your plan–this is normal, and helps him or her to get to know your body’s way of handling stress and exertion.

It’s Ok to be a little self-conscious
While, it’s natural for anyone to feel a little self-conscious at first about undressing for a massage. If you’ve put off massage therapy because you’re embarrassed about your body shape, take heart: massage therapists are sensitive to your concerns and don’t want you to feel ashamed. They are used to seeing all shapes, sizes, and conditions of the body. A well-trained massage therapist has an entirely clinical perspective, no different than any other health-care worker.
Throughout the course of a massage, clients are discretely draped under a sheet, with the therapist only uncovering the body part being worked on. Of course, you can always wear swim attire or undergarments during your massage, it’s all about what makes you feel comfortable. Although, some undergarments can hamper the therapist’s ability to treat curtain muscle groups. Remember, rest easy in the knowledge that your massage therapist has been trained to nurture and help you without passing judgment. It is there job to make you comfortable and to address any issues you may have.

The Power of Touch

It’s easy to overlook your emotional health when planning a new diet and exercise regimen, it’s the primary factor determining your weight-loss success. Massage is a way to stay mentally on track as a reward and as a tool to keep your body healthy. Your massage therapist can also act as a cheerleader who celebrates your victories with you and helps keep you positive and committed.

Regular massage is all about connecting your mind with your body. As you continue to get massage you’ll naturally become more aware of your body’s needs and more motivated to meet them.

Adding massage to your routine is one way to treat yourself while still staying on track.

Alleviate Chronic Pain With Massage

man-rubbing-his-shoulder-with-a-look-of-pain-on-his-face

Massage therapy can help clients manage a variety of health conditions, from arthritis to chronic pain.

Dealing with these conditions, however, requires you not only to understand the health condition and its symptoms but also what information you might need to tell your therapist to make the massage session more effective.

Massage and Chronic Pain

More and more research is confirming the benefits massage therapy offers people dealing with chronic pain, whether because of injury or as a symptom of another condition. Some people who are looking to use massage to help manage pain can only come in once they’ve been cleared for massage therapy by their physician. It’s best to openly communicate any chronic pain issues with your therapist including fibromyalgia, chronic myofascial pain syndrome, and arthritis, to name just a few.

Fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain syndrome (CMPS)

According to the National Fibromyalgia Research Association, more than six million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia—90 percent of whom are women. Fibromyalgia is often characterized by numbness in the upper and lower body, joint stiffness in several areas of the body, and widespread musculoskeletal pain. The condition is diagnosed when 11 out of 18 tender points are painful to the touch, and some clients might also experience other symptoms, including headaches, anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to environmental stimulation such as bright lights, loud noises, and strong odors. Massage can help. It reduces stress, helps relieve pain, decreases feelings of anxiety, and increases general overall well-being, all of which are great for people with fibromyalgia

CMPS (Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome) typically occurs when a muscle has been contracted repetitively, often due to repetitive motions (usually from a job or hobby) or stress-related muscle tension. Those with CMPS tend to have a persistent, deep aching pain in their muscles and may have difficulty sleeping. Unlike fibromyalgia, CMPS tends to affect both genders equally. Neuromuscular therapy and Myofascial release are just some of the massage techniques that have been proven to be effective in treating CMPS.

Arthritis

Arthritis is characterized by an inflammation of one or more joints. The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, so understanding your client’s individual pain is essential. Massage can ease your arthritis symptoms. Recent studies on the effects of massage for arthritis symptoms have shown regular use of massage therapy led to improvements in pain, stiffness, range of motion, handgrip strength, and overall function of the joints.

Whatever your chronic pain issue may be massage can be a useful tool in helping manage and reduce the day-to-day symptoms that can stop you from doing the things you enjoy.

The Science Behind Microdermabrasion

esthetician-prepping-clients-skin-for-microdermabrasion

The Basics

Microdermabrasion is a general term for the application of tiny rough grains to buff away the surface layer of skin. Many different products and treatments use this method, including medical procedures, salon treatments, and creams and scrubs that you apply yourself at home. It’s usually done to the face, chest, neck, arms, or hands. Before we can understand how microdermabrasion does what it does, it’s important to understand how the skin works.

Your skin is made up of two main layers, the epidermis, and the dermis. The epidermis is the layer closest to the outside world. It’s a set of dead skin cells on top of another layer of cells that are in the process of maturing. The topmost layer is called the stratum corneum. The stratum corneum mostly acts as a barrier between the outside world and the lower skin layers. It keeps all but the smallest molecules from getting through.

When you put lotions or creams on your skin, some of the moisture passes through the stratum corneum, but not all of it. This layer is home to many minor skin imperfections like fine wrinkle lines and blemishes.

All of the action in microdermabrasion takes place at the level of the stratum corneum. Since it only really targets the epidermis (and not the dermis), it is more accurate to call it micro-epi-dermabrasion. Affecting deeper layers of skin would be painful and harmful, and it would risk permanently embedding the tiny grains into the skin.

Microdermabrasion Effects

Whether done with a product at home or in a professional setting with a specialized tool, the principle of microdermabrasion is the same. The idea is that if you remove or break up the stratum corneum, the body interprets that as a mild injury and rushes to replace the lost skin cells with new and healthy ones. In the first hour after treatment, this causes mild edema (swelling) and erythema (redness). Depending on the individual, these side effects can last anywhere from an hour to two days.

This process has a few beneficial effects. With the stratum corneum gone, the skin’s surface is improved. The healing process brings with it newer skin cells that look and feel smoother. Some of the skin’s visible imperfections, like sun damage, blemishes, and fine lines, are removed. Also, without the stratum corneum acting as a barrier, medicinal creams and lotions are more effective because more of their active ingredients and moisture can find their way down to the lower layers of skin. As microdermabrasion temporarily removes some moisture from the skin, it is always followed by the application of moisturizing creams.

Early studies suggest that repeated microdermabrasion treatment at regular intervals may influence the way the lower layers of skin grow, as well, removing deeper blemishes over time. Some evidence seems to indicate that the rapid loss of skin moisture may be what triggers the lower skin layers to work overtime in speeding healthy cells up to the surface.

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