What You Need to Know About Microdermabrasion
At the Valley View clinic in Salem, our team of skincare experts help our patients achieve the healthy, radiant skin they want with a variety of advanced treatment options. Of course, unless you’re already familiar with the different types of treatments we provide, it can be hard to know what differentiates microdermabrasion from dermabrasion, laser hair removal, or any of the other procedures we provide.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at one of the specialty treatments we offer at our Salem office: microdermabrasion.
What is microdermabrasion?
To get a better understanding of microdermabrasion, it’s helpful to know how it differs from dermabrasion.
With dermabrasion, a dermatologist “sands” down your skin using a specialized instrument. By removing the old, dead skin cells that form the outer layer of your skin, dermabrasion helps to create a new, smoother layer that replaces what was once on top.
By comparison, instead of using a specially designed instrument to exfoliate, microdermabrasion uses tiny exfoliating crystals. These crystals are sprayed directly onto the skin being treated. The crystals are then gently rubbed into the treated skin to remove old and dead skin cells. This type of treatment works best on problems like age spot, brown spots and to revitalize dull skin.
When are these treatments used?
At the Dermatology Clinic in Salem, we can use microdermabrasion on all different skin types and complexions. One of the biggest draws to this type of treatment is that it makes only subtle changes, causing no scarring or changes to skin color. However, microdermabrasion does not work to help treat deeper skin care problems such as deep acne scars, stretch marks or wrinkles.
Conversely, dermabrasion was first developed to help treat acne scars, pox marks and deep tissues scars. So while dermabrasion works well when making dramatic changes, it is not an effective treatment for issues like moles, skin defects, burn scars and pigmented birthmarks. Additionally, dermabrasion only works safely on patients with fair skin. Patients with a darker skin complexion could become scarred or have their skin discolored by using this technique.
What type of recovery can I expect post-treatment?
Following dermabrasion, your skin will feel pretty red, raw and swollen. Depending on the treated area, you may experience difficulties speaking and eating. Most patients report feeling a slight burning, tingling or aching sensation. Fortunately, any discomfort you experience can be controlled with the prescription medications provided by your dermatologist. Any swelling you experience will begin to go down within a few days to a week.
By comparison, microdermabrasion is a quick out-patient procedure that has very little recovery time needed. The treatment takes less than an hour to complete and results in only a slightly pink skin that will quickly fade within a few hours. You can even apply makeup following the procedure to cover up any slight discoloration to your skin. Microdermabrasion ranks as one of the least invasive facial treatments available today.
Before Scheduling Your Next Dermatology Clinic in Salem Appointment
Before you can receive either type of treatment, you will need to consult with one of our dermatologists who will perform the procedure. When talking about dermabrasion, you will discuss your goals with the dermatologist, talk over the risks versus the benefits and agree on the type of anesthesia that will be used. You’ll also receive instructions on before and after care.
With dermabrasion, the consultation is similar but requires going into fewer details. There will be less talk about risk or anesthesia since the procedure is completed quickly and with minimal invasion.
If you want to know more about microdermabrasion at our dermatology clinic in Salem, make sure to contact our office to schedule your next appointment.