New skin care products seem to appear every few months. With each release there appears to be a new type of 'magic' ingredient or 'specially developed' technique. Usually these new products are just that little more expensive than the previous. 'Microdermabrasion' seems to be the most popular word, for the time being, in relation to skin care creams.



The skin care treatment, known as microdermabrasion, works by blasting the skin with tiny crystals which remove the top layer of skin and other debris to expose newer skin which appears younger and healthier. This non invasive cosmetic procedure works by removing the top layer of skin cells with the use of a microdermabrasion machine. The machine blows fine, clinical grade, crystals onto the skin and then sucks them back up along with the dead skin cells and other material which the crystals have removed.

Being one of the most popular skin care treatments of the day most clinics and spas offer microdermabrasion treatments. Although the treatment was only introduced into America a few years ago the word seems to pop up everywhere these days. Even some skin care creams claim to offer microdermabrasion but, in nearly all cases, they are really only offering strong exfoliation.

In the world of microdermabrasion competition is often ruthless and every clinic fights to add you to their clientele. As with any business these days most places have web sites or other forms of Internet advertising. Unfortunately some disreputable businesses make exaggerated claims about their successes.

Most web sites show photographs of their products and in skin care most show before and after photographs to show improvements. When viewing such images it is important to study them closely as they have, sometimes, been manipulated to show increased benefits. The most common trick is to use slightly different lighting and make-up which enhances the look of the person in the after photograph. Ideally the conditions must be the same in both images to give a true picture of the result. A popular trick in microdermabrasion photographs is to have the model screw her face up for the before shot and then stretch the face for the after shot thus showing less wrinkles etc. Sometimes such instances may be purely by accident but you need to be aware.

Basing your decision on only an establishments before and after microdermabrasion photographs would be rather foolish. Sometimes it might be the site's designer that messed things up and the place might have an excellent reputation. Ask your family and friends if they know anyone who has been there or if they have heard anything about them. You should also ask for any customer testimonials or further before and after photos that they may have.

Microdermabrasion is considered a, non invasive, cosmetic treatment and it is therefore extremely important that you investigate any clinic, salon or spa in which you plan to have your microdermabrasion treatments. It is common for qualified personnel to have any certificates, that they have earned, openly on display. They are usually on the wall so it should be easy enough to look at them closely to check if they are relevant. The person performing the treatment will, in most cases, have been trained on it's correct usage.

You will be happy to know that mostly all spas, clinics or salons that include microdermabrasion in their list of services employ highly trained and vastly experienced technicians or surgeons. A respectable reputation means everything with such establishments to try their best to make sure you get the best possible results. Before any treatment is carried out you will need to attend a short consultation during which you will have your skin examined to determine it's type. Before and after treatments will be discussed and it will also be explained to you what would be the most likely outcome of the treatment in your case. Once everything is sorted and it is clear what to expect you can go ahead and book your first session of microdermabrasion.