Microdermabrasion or Chemical Peel?

Rejuvenating skin treatments are very popular but misunderstood by the general population.

If Chemical peels work so well why do we need to exfoliate using Microdermabrasion?

How are they different and to what extent they work synergistic?

We went over Chemical peels in our prior blog so lets spend some time understanding Microdermabrasion.
The philosophy behind microdermabrasion is similar to chemical peels: we need to resurface the superficial layers of the skin and exfoliate to regenerate the texture of the skin.
While chemical peels are based on acid-induced(and a ph change ) reaction at the epidermis or dermis, microdermabrasion uses mechanical forces to abrade dead skin cells and stimulate collagen formation with a final refreshed, glow skin look.
As chemical peels can be light, medium and deep, so is microdermabrasion: according to the type of machine the vacuum power that suctions away the crystals and or debris/dead skin cells, can vary from minimal to  very strong in medical grade machines. The crystals most popular are aluminum oxide and the microdiamond tips come in different sizes according to the texture of the skin: fine, medium or coarse.
Resurfacing the skin by either chemical peels, microdermabrasion or both is a very simple beauty trick that can be incorporated with a facial treatment for better and consistent results.

Even though your skin is naturally younger with just one treatment, repeated serial treatments are mandatory for the best possible results. So buying a package when offered a discount is the way to go!


Any side effects?


A well done professional Chemical peel or Microdermabrasion should not encounter serious side effects, other than mild redness, scaling and flaking.


What are the contraindications to Microdermabrasion?

If you experience Rosacea, swelling, large surface of broken capilaries, dermatitis, you are not a good candidate for Microdermabrasion or any other mechanical abrasive device. You can still benefit from a professional chemical peel but choose your practitioner wisely.


I suffer from acne scars: should I have a chemical peel or microdermabrasion?


Depending on the type of the scar, there are a variety of treatments available. Blemished skin with active acne and with mild scaring can benefit from glycolic peels, TCA peels, Salicilic acid( Jessner, VI peel). As long as your acne is active and not completely healed you are not a good candidate for microdermabrasion, as the salt/diamond tips can irritate and aggravate your acne.
 

At Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa we had amazing results with just one application of glycolic peel followed by Thalgodermyl mask.
If your acne is healed and in the healing process there was some scarring, depending on how deep the scars are a chemical peel with or without the microdermabrasion  is still the number one treatment. It does not mean microdermabrasion does not help but the depth of the treatment is given by the type and concentration of the chemical peel.

Chemical peel should be done at least 3 times/year with increasing concentration or depth if treating a skin condition( scars, wrinkles), or every other month light peels for maintenance. You can add microdermabrasion to a facial or a chemical as long as you are not exposed to intense sunlight for better results. Microdermabrasion does not substitute for a chemical peel, unless you have a contraindication to it or you have known allergies.

ImageDerm Microdermbrasion is a medical grade very powerful tool in experienced, trained hands. Your skin will not only be resurfaced with no downtime, but will continue to show improvement for long time after the treatment.
Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa uses only professional grade systems and skin care products and with a little application only we achieve great results that save your time and money on deeper, invasive resurfacing (laser) treatments.