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MY FIRST MICRODERMABRASION EXPERIENCE
Microdermabrasion is one of those words you see in magazine articles on skin repair or in beauty ads. It sounds very high tech and a little intimidating, and for many of us it also presses those “don't try to sell me another miracle cure” buttons. I was never tempted to look into it until I ran into an old school friend named Cherie.
Cherie had been running beauty salons for years and was a big fan of microdermabrasion. I listened to her success stories with half an ear, my usual skepticism rising to the fore as she spoke about this
supposedly remarkable treatment. She picked up on my attitude – must have been the frequent eye-rolling and occasional raised eyebrow – and surprised me with her response. “Why don't you try it?” she asked. “On the house.”
I've never been one to turn down a free anything, but I did hesitate with this one. “Will it hurt?” I said, in an embarrassingly whimpering tone. Cherie assured me it wouldn't.
I still wasn't convinced. “But can it damage my skin?” I countered. “No,” She replied. “In the hands of a poorly trained therapist, the most negative result you might get is no improvement at all.” This I could live with, so I bit the bullet and made an appointment.
When I walked into Cherie's salon, the first thing I noticed was the size of the microdermabrasion machine. It was small – the size of a printer/fax combo. Cherie explained it was a portable model, but assured me it was one of the best on the market.
I disrobed and wrapped a towel around me, then climbed onto the massage bed. Cherie cleansed my face and did a thorough examination of my skin. She then applied some glycolic acid, which she claimed would enhance the microdermabrasion
process. I was feeling very relaxed and pampered by the time she switched on the machine.
The microdermabrasion machine sounds a little like a quiet vacuum cleaner, which in a sense it is, particularly in the first phase when Cherie vacuumed my skin to stimulate the blood flow and cell renewal. It felt like some Lilliputian creature was gently pulling my skin away from the muscle, one millimeter at a time. Interesting, but not unpleasant.
Phase two of the microdermabrasion process is the actual abrasion of the skin. After 10 minutes or so of vacuuming, Cherie switched the machine to abrade mode. This was a different experience and less relaxing than the vacuuming. The microdermabrasion machine blows fine crystals onto
the surface of the skin to remove dead cells and ultimately repair skin damage. It felt like someone – the same Lilliputian, no doubt – was lightly nicking my skin with a paper cutter. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't my favorite sensation either. Other microdermabrasion clients have described this sensation as “scratchy” or “prickly”.
At the end of this process, Cherie switched back to vacuum mode to remove any crystal and dead cell debris from the skin. This was followed by a thorough cleanse to pick up any debris the vacuum may have missed.
Finally, she applied a specially formulated cream to cool and calm my skin, followed by a 10-minute nourishing mask and moisturizer.
I
floated up from the table and slowly got dressed. My skin felt clean and alive. Cherie gave me the usual post-microdermabrasion instructions – no sun baking, no swimming (pools), no make-up and no exercise for 24 hours; no waxing or exfoliation for 7 days – then we discussed the condition of my skin and how it might benefit from microdermabrasion.
Will
I have another session? You bet. The usual recommendation is 4-6 treatments so I would never attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of microdermabrasion based on one session. That would be equivalent to starting an exercise program to tone your muscles and then making a judgment after the first session.
Some skin conditions such as acne can see a result after just one session, but for others, it takes a series of microdermabrasion treatments to produce visible changes. So I'm willing to see the process through, now that I know there's really
nothing to fear – and some real benefits to gain.
For more information on microdermabrasion, click on microdermabrasion benefits.
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