Anything that contains the word abrasion might sound unpleasant, but microdermabrasion is different. This treatment delivers non-invasive, quick, and gentle results to give you a more vibrant appearance. When you come to OneLife Health & Performance in Palm Beach Gardens, FL for treatment, you get the added bonus of a caring and compassionate team.

Are Microdermabrasion Result Permanent?

Results of this treatment are not permanent, but they can be long-lasting if you follow proper skincare recommendations. Your skin will be slightly more sensitive than usual because we’ve sloughed away dead cells and brought new ones to the surface. To protect your skin and maintain the effects of treatment, we recommend simple but effective home guidelines.

Exfoliate

This treatment effectively rejuvenates skin by exfoliating much more deeply than at-home care. In truth, it can remove years of grime that’s become deeply embedded in your pores. It also improves circulation to facial tissues, delivering high levels of oxygen to keep tissues strong and plump.

It’s tempting to forego exfoliation after a treatment because your face feels so clean and fresh. But, if you neglect this important step at home, your skin will return to its pre-treatment state. We therefore recommend that you continue to exfoliate twice a week with a very gentle scrub. This will help to maintain your even complexion and clear pores.

Cleanse

Cleansing is another step that cannot be skipped. Keep in mind the skin is your body’s largest organ, and because of the constant assault it endures every day from toxins and weather, it needs continual maintenance. Cleansing twice a day helps your skin to breathe, removing the repeated accumulation of dirt caused by makeup and air pollutants.

Protect Against the Sun

No cosmetic treatment can protect you from the sun. Without the daily use of sunscreen, pigmented spots can return and undo the investment you made in your skin with treatment. Sun exposure can also lead to early signs of aging, including the development of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging.

One of the kindest things you can do for your skin is to apply sunscreen every day, even when the sun doesn’t look like it’s shining. UV rays reach the earth every day, and standard fluorescent lights can also have damaging effects on the skin. Sunscreen provides the protection you need whether you’re in the backyard or at the office.

Moisturize

Moisturizing doesn’t get the attention it deserves, but it’s important for all skin types. If you have oily skin, we know what you’re thinking – moisturizing seems counterintuitive. But it’s still a necessary step because it protects your skin’s natural barrier, allowing this organ to fight against viruses, bacteria, and toxins. The key is in finding the moisturizer that works with oily skin; a light formula that contains hyaluronic acid may be the best option.

In short, all skin types need to be moisturized, and this step should follow after every cleansing. If you need help in selecting a moisturizer, let our staff know. We may be able to make recommendations based on your skin type or the nutrients your skin appears to be lacking.

Drink Water

The habit of drinking water is one of the healthiest you can adopt. It nourishes tissues from within to restore moisture commonly lost to natural processes like sweating. By drinking at least eight glasses of water per day, you will extend the results of your microdermabrasion treatment and ensure a smooth, healthy complexion. Fruits and vegetables with high water content can help ramp up hydration levels as well.

Watch Your Diet

What you put into your body is just as important as what you put on it. Healthy foods, such as those with omega-3 fatty acids, can safeguard your collagen production. While you hear a lot about collagen in mainstream media these days, it’s hard to identify its exact function in the body.

Specifically, this protein forms your skin’s support network, like the foundation of a house. Eating a diet that regularly includes olive oil, nuts, and fish keeps collagen strong so skin is, in turn, firm and supple. Other foods that promote healthy skin include:

• Leafy greens
• Walnuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Red and green bell peppers

Foods and Beverages To Avoid

There’s a balance to everything, and just as you should take care to eat certain foods for skin health, you should also avoid some choices that can diminish collagen, inflame acne breakouts, and cause dehydration. Alcohol is one of these, known to dry the skin and cause premature lines. Likewise, deep fried foods promote excessive oil production. They also reduce blood flow and cause puffiness.

Candy contributes to inflammation, chips and other salty snacks cause water retention, and white bread is linked to inflammation. Additional foods and beverages to avoid include:

• Donuts
• Soda
• Energy drinks
• Bagels
• Milk chocolate
• Bakery sweets

What Does This Microdermabrasion Therapy Do?

Now is a good time to look at the details of microdermabrasion. When you break down the word, you see it essentially means light exfoliation, and because it’s performed by our professionally-trained staff, results are always more profound than what you can achieve at home. We incorporate a vacuum with a diamond tip that gently but effectively rubs away and then sucks up dead skin cells.

As a light exfoliation, this therapy removes cells on or near the skin’s surface. This is slightly difference from a medium exfoliation that goes slightly deeper, reaching between the dermis and epidermis layers. A deep exfoliation goes even further, penetrating to underlying tissues and causing some bleeding.

A Focus on the Surface

Thanks to very fine crystals on the tips of our handheld device, we’re able to lightly buff the skin’s top layer. This is where damage occurs that causes the complexion to look dull and tired. As we continue to buff, the used crystals and dead cells are vacuumed up. In turn, the underlying layer of skin that is fresh and healthy is allowed to grow.

Additional benefits of treatment include:

• Improved skin elasticity
• Faster cell production
• Stimulated blood flow
• Reduced appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
• Correction to sun damage and skin discoloration
• Minimized acne scars
• Smaller pores
• Removal of blackheads
• Elimination of stretch marks

When Do Microdermabrasion Results Show?

You’ll see visible improvements to your skin immediately after microdermabrasion treatment. As collagen and elastin production increase in the coming weeks and months, changes will continue to develop. For instance, you’ll notice that skin grows firmer, plumper, and more hydrated. Even better, these improvements will last as long as collagen levels stay high

But, as we said earlier, results are not permanent. The skin is designed to regenerate every 30 days or so to allow new cells to continually emerge. For this reason, treatment will need to be repeated so you can see the most benefit. A series of sessions, delivered in bi-weekly or monthly intervals, will help to fully correct those concerns listed above. Then, at the end of these sessions, you’ll enjoy a smoother and more youthful appearance.

How Many Treatments Will Be Needed?

With its deep exfoliation, this treatment targets both skin texture and tone. Just one session can help your skin feel smoother. The total number of treatments you need will depend on the severity of your concerns. Many times, a series of six sessions delivered over three months can yield the desired results. We then recommend regular maintenance sessions.

Guidelines for Before and After Treatment

You can prepare for treatment by following guidelines that will protect your skin and help extend your results. It’s important to stop using exfoliating creams, including those with Retina-A, one to three days prior. Sunburns, tanning beds, and topical tanning sprays or creams should also be stopped about a week before. Within this same timeframe, you should avoid waxing and shaving to ensure pores don’t become infected.

A few weeks before treatment, it’s important that you skip other therapies like chemical peels or dermal fillers. Skin can become irritated if you mix treatments too closely together, and fillers or other injectables can be inadvertently moved during microdermabrasion. Last but not least, stop smoking a few weeks before so blood can flow freely to your face and assist with healing.

After Treatment

On the day of your appointment, you should arrive to our office with clean skin. Once treatment is completed, you should avoid scratching or picking your face. Continue refraining from products that contain harsh chemicals and don’t tan.

As stated earlier, you need to use a moisturizer as part of your skincare routine, and this is never more true than in the first week following treatment. A thicker moisturizer than normal may be necessary, in addition to a gentle cleanser. Stay out of the sun – or use a sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 – and discontinue retinoid prescription products until our staff advises you otherwise.

How This Compares To Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is often likened to “sanding,” in that a rotating instrument is used to resurface the skin at high speeds. It is slightly abrasive but works well at revealing new skin layers. This delivers a more refreshed appearance free of common aging signs and scars.

The trade-off for more flawless skin is the downtime needed for recovery after the treatment; you would likely need time away from work to allow skin to heal. A week should be sufficient, during which time your face will develop a layer of crust and be more red than normal.

The Finer Points

The primary difference between these treatments is in resurfacing intensity. Dermabrasion is a more acute version of microdermabrasion in palm beach, forcibly removing more skin layers because it penetrates deeper. It removes dermis layers that are alive to correct skin concerns well below the surface; microdermabrasion, on the other hand, removes skin cells that are either dead or in the process of dying to reveal a smoother complexion.

Dermabrasion can benefit patients grappling with more severe conditions, like:

• Intense pigmentation
• Deep folds and wrinkles
• Scars caused by acne and/or surgery

Treatment Benefits

We’ve already touched on this slightly, but we wanted to provide a few more important benefits, including:

• Reduced breakouts, including acne and blackheads
• More even skin tone for improved clarity
• Restoration of plumpness and vibrancy for a younger appearance

Treatment also restores that inner glow people so covet as they get older. Dull skin, which becomes increasingly common over the age of 30, is the result of dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your face. Skin is designed to exfoliate itself, but this process slows with each year that passes. Treatment manually reveals those new cells that are just waiting to emerge. This, then, is how you see a more radiant complexion.

A Gentle Resurfacing Option

Safe for most patients, and skin types, this treatment can correct any number of skin concerns. It is safe, gentle, and effective, requiring little to no downtime and delivering a nearly complete rejuvenation. Call us today at OneLife Health & Performance in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, to schedule your appointment.