Want an option to costly professional microdermabrasion? Numerous companies are now marketing microdermabrasion products for use in your own house. Standard microdermabrasion is an in-office process for which the client is required to visit a day spa, dermatologist’s office or microdermabrasion center, where the process is carried out by a skilled technician.

During this office visit, the client’s skin is exfoliated by being sprayed with abrasive “micro crystals”, typically of aluminum oxide, by a piece of equipment like a tiny sandblaster with a suction mechanism connected. Dead skin cells are removed, and are vacuumed away together with the crystals. Microdermabrasion is a really innovative skin care technique, having been shown to lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, perk up surface skin texture, and even encourage the formation of new skin cells in the deepest layers of the skin.

But what about the cost? The price for this process is typically around $200 per treatment, not counting the pricey post microdermabrasion products that must be used after the treatment. Additionally, experts suggest repeating the process once a month for 6-10 months, then tapering off to once every 2 months. And that’s not exactly economical.

Recently, on the other hand, there has been a great increase in the number of home microdermabrasion products accessible for sale. Nutrogena, Mary Kay, DermaNew, and countless other companies are offering home microdermabrasion systems that claim to be able to offer many of the same benefits as in-office microdermabrasion. These systems usually consist of an exfoliating cream containing abrasive micro-crystals which is applied to the skin by a hand held oscillatory device.

The cream is loaded onto the device’s sponge applicator and pressed softly onto the skin. The applicator spins very quickly, exfoliating and massaging the skin, getting rid of dead surface skin cells and increasing circulation. Thanks to this treatment, there is more even skin texture, a warm, healthy glow, and a more refined appearance. These home microdermabrasion products sell for about 30-100 dollars, depending on the brand name.

Chemical Microdermabrasion Products

For consumers who would rather not mechanically exfoliate their facial skin, companies such as Olay and Philosophy are advertising lines of chemical microdermabrasion products. Rather than abrasive crystals, these products use chemical exfoliants such as glycolic or lactic acid to do away with dead skin cells. The result is analogous to that of a chemical peel. The creams are applied to the face and left on for a few minutes, then washed away. These chemical microdermabrasion products claim to be able to noticeably recover skin tone and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Be Sociable, Share!

•