Gently removing the top layer of facial skin is a highly effective yet non-invasive way to reduce the appearance of fine lines, rough patches, and uneven skin tone. At the office of Dr. Michael I. Jacobs in New York, NY, we perform microdermabrasion to improve the skin’s texture and overall appearance. If you are wondering how often you would need this treatment to achieve optimal results, keep reading.
How Often Should You Get Microdermabrasion?
Microdermabrasion is a very thorough exfoliating treatment that goes deeper into the skin than a typical exfoliation you would do at home. For this reason, treatments cannot be done every day as you might with your own do-it-yourself regimen.
Space Out Exfoliating Treatments for Best Results
Ideally, professional sessions should be spaced out by 2 to 3 weeks. Having an in-office exfoliating treatment more often than this could cause unnecessary irritation, but waiting too long before your next session will allow too many dead skin cells to build up, resulting in a dull complexion. Maintaining a consistent treatment schedule is the best way to achieve the best results possible.
Skin’s Life Cycle
Human skin regenerates itself on average every 25-30 days. In younger people, this regeneration process takes place more quickly, and significantly slows down with age. Since skin cells are continuously dying off, they tend to build up quickly on the skin’s surface, resulting in a dull, dry appearance that accentuates fine lines and wrinkles. This is why regular exfoliation is so important.
Excellent but Temporary Results
Given the life cycle of skin cells, which are constantly building up and dying off, the effects of even a professional exfoliation are always going to be quite temporary. Your skin will feel very smooth and positively glow for the first week after a treatment, but by week two or three, it is likely that your skin will start to look the way it did prior to your first treatment. This is why keeping to a regular treatment schedule is important if you want to maintain your results.
Can You Get More Than One Treatment in a Week?
Some patients do ask for back-to-back session to jump start the exfoliating process. While we generally recommend that sessions be spaced out by 2 to 3 weeks (particularly if you have sensitive skin), we may consider an extra session to initially speed up results. This will of course depend on your skin type. Thicker, oilier skin can handle more exfoliation than can thinner or more sensitive skin.
If you are a good candidate for more frequent sessions, we can start you off on a twice-per-week treatment schedule and then move you to a more spaced-out schedule when you see results that you are happy with.
When You Will See the Optimal Outcome
Patients find that they look great after their first session, but notice progressively enhanced results with each subsequent treatment. Since microdermabrasion is a more gentle approach to skin resurfacing than dermaplaning, chemical peels, or laser treatments, it can take several sessions before patients notice a more dramatic outcome.
Generally, by your fifth or sixth appointment, you should be able to see the maximum result that can be achieved with this treatment. If you are anxious to achieve a more noticeable result in a shorter timeframe, you may wish to consider a slightly more invasive approach. Options for skin rejuvenation can be discussed at your consultation.
What Results To Expect with Microdermabrasion
While this type of skin rejuvenating treatment is less invasive than many other cosmetic therapies, addressing the uppermost layer of skin only, it is still possible to achieve a very noticeable outcome when patients stick to a regular treatment schedule. The key is consistency. If you schedule your next appointment before too much dead skin has had a chance to build back up, you can expect to achieve the outcomes noted below.
Reduction in Fine Lines and Wrinkles
While deeper wrinkles will likely benefit from a slightly more invasive approach, a thorough exfoliation is very effective at reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that have not been allowed to progress too far. Mild to moderate wrinkles can be improved significantly if a regular treatment schedule is adhered to. It is also possible to combine this treatment with other non-invasive options, such as fillers or Botox, to achieve optimal results.
Improved Skin Tone
Uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation can result from sun exposure, genetics, and long-term use of some medications. Even certain habits, such as drinking red wine or smoking, can affect skin tone. Regular exfoliation can significantly even out red, patchy skin and reverse some of the effects of sun damage, leaving you with a more even complexion that requires less makeup.
Smoother Skin Texture
If your skin is rough or bumpy to the touch, you could definitely benefit from a thorough exfoliating treatment. Even after just one session, you will immediately notice that your skin feels much smoother and that your makeup goes on very nicely. As you’ve probably noticed, using foundation and powder over rough spots makes them even more noticeable — removing the top layer of dead skin is an easy solution to this problem.
Smaller Pores
When pores are clogged with oil and dead skin, they become larger and more visible to the naked eye. Deep exfoliation resolves this issue by sloughing off the materials that are clogging pores, resulting is a cleaner, brighter complexion. Washing your face, no matter how thoroughly, is not enough to purge the residue that gets trapped inside pores. This is another reason why microdermabrasion is an excellent addition to any skin care routine.
Fewer Blackheads and Whiteheads
The same exfoliating action that makes pores look smaller will also help to irradicate stubborn blackheads and whiteheads that can mar many complexions. Even the cleanest skin can develop these unsightly blemishes, which often turn into acne if left untreated.
Reduction in Sun Damage and Scarring
By a certain age, most of us have visible signs of sun damage, and possibly some mild scarring left behind by acne, stitches, or chicken pox. Microdermabrasion is very effective at reducing the appearance of mild-to-moderate skin imperfections.
Better Product Absorption
Having a layer of flaky, dead skin in place makes it much more difficult for your lotions and serums to do their job properly. If you are applying these products on skin that hasn’t been thoroughly exfoliated, you might be wasting your money because the active ingredients cannot effectively sink into the skin and get to the cells where they are needed most.
Glowing Skin
Keeping the skin well exfoliated creates a rosy, glowing appearance that simply can’t be matched with any skin care product alone. The only way to create a truly refreshed and radiant appearance is to remove the dead skin cells that dull the complexion.
Preparing for Your Treatment
There are two different techniques for performing microdermabrasion – one uses crystals and the other uses a diamond-tipped wand. Both are very effective at breaking up the surface layer of skin and revealing the fresh, glowing skin beneath. A session typically takes 30-40 minutes. It is completely painless – you will only feel a slight tingling sensation as the exfoliating tool moves over your face.
Will There Be Any Downtime?
Patients like the fact that there is absolutely downtime required by this treatment. You can go right back to work after your session and no one will be the wiser! Your skin might appear a little pinker than usual, but there is otherwise no indication that any work has been done.
Your At-Home Routine
While patients do not need to do anything special in terms of at-home care following their appointment, it is of course a good idea to always keep your face moisturized and to avoid sun exposure as much as possible. Your skin might feel a little more sensitive than usual for a day or two after your treatment, so keeping your face out of the sun and avoiding any abrasive products is a good idea. Using a high-quality moisturizer under your makeup and before you go to bed is a must.
Ready To Reveal More Vibrant, Glowing Skin?
If you would like to find out more about microdermabrasion or any of our other skin rejuvenating treatments, we are here to answer your questions. Contact us today at the office of Dr. Michael I. Jacobs in New York, NY so that we can schedule a consultation. Your skin will thank you!