Exfoliation vs. Dermabrasion
July 6th, 2016 | Posted in: Beauty Tips |
Exfoliation vs. Dermabrasion: Which is Best for You?
Have you been looking for a way to get softer, smoother, more youthful-looking skin? Have you purchased countless over-the-counter products with no results? Are you wondering if a trip to a medical spa will give you the appearance you are wanting?
Here’s a quick look at the differences between at home exfoliation and non-surgical dermabrasion:
Exfoliation
While regular skin cleansing is beneficial, exfoliating on a regular basis can enhance the results of your cleaning regimen. Exfoliation removes the top layer of dead skin cells, which helps the skin rejuvenate itself quickly. Once the skin is rid of those dry, dull and unsightly cells, you will see a smoother, healthier complexion.
Exfoliation can be used on all skin types, including dry, normal, oily, and even for those with sensitive skin. Depending on your specific needs, some people benefit from a once or twice-a-week mild exfoliation while others may do a once or twice-a-month intense treatment. Pairing your normal cleansing routine with a scheduled exfoliation treatment can reduce the number of clogged pores you experience and can give your skin a refreshed and clean feeling.
Some of the other benefits of exfoliation are:
- Smoother skin
- Reduce or eliminate breakouts on your neck, chest, or other areas of the body
- Reduce the appearance of dark spots or age spots
- Minimize the appearance of pores
- Help eliminate dry skin and flakiness
- Get smoother elbows and knees
- Allow your moisturizer to work better and penetrate more deeply
- Help prevent ingrown hairs and make hair removal easier
- Smooth razor bumps
- Help increase circulation to the skin, nourishing from the inside out
- Reduce stress
The key to exfoliating is using the right products. You are not going to want to use products designed to exfoliate your body and feet on your face because the ingredients in these products will be damaging to the extremely sensitive facial skin. Let’s take a look at the types of exfoliants:
Physical exfoliants: These products come in the form of a body wash infused with scrubbing beads, a wash cloth and/or a loofah. They work to remove dead skin cells through friction.
Chemical exfoliants: These are often found in facial and body cleansers and are mild acids (such as salicylic acid) that work to gently remove dead skin cells.
Dermabrasion
While exfoliation can help to eliminate dead skin cells on the surface, it cannot help with the more intense skin conditions such as sun spots, age spots and acne. Over-the-counter products cannot give you the deep cleansing that is needed to really attack these issues.
Dermabrasion is an exfoliating technique that uses a rotating instrument to remove the outer layers of skin on your face. During the procedure, your doctor will give you a local anesthesia before using a device called a dermabrader, a small motorized device with a rough surface, on your skin to remove the damaged outer layers. This procedure exposes new layers of skin that give you a youthful and vibrant appearance.
Dermabrasion is good for treating:
- Acne scars
- Age spots
- Fine wrinkles
- Precancerous skin patches
- Rhinophyma (redness and thick skin on the nose)
- Scars from surgery or injury
- Sun damage
- Tattoos
- Uneven skin tones
Just like many cosmetic surgery procedures, you will experience some recovery time. Your skin will be pink and swollen, giving you the appearance of a sunburn. The skin may also have a mild tingling or burning sensation. It can take up to three months for your skin to fully heal and for the pink coloration to subside.
Schedule an Appointment
While exfoliating your skin at home can go a long way to helping your skin appear smoother and more youthful, it can’t help always help with deeper skin problems. For those deeper problems, you should consider dermabrasion therapy. However, before you book an appointment to receive dermabrasion therapy, you should schedule a consultation with a knowledgeable doctor.
Book a consultation with Dr. Gabriel Chiu today so that he can help you make the right decision about whether or not dermabrasion therapy is the best choice for your skin. With years of experience in his field, he has the expertise to answer any questions or concerns that you may have about the dermabrasion procedure.
