There are close to 120 different microdermabrasion machines available on the market today. However, because it is still a novel technique, there have been no manufacturing performance standards specified for these machines. The FDA classified the machines as Class 1 devices which can be sold without clinical efficacy evidence, and the machines can be used without medical supervision. This just shows how important it is to choose a professional clinic for your microdermabrasion needs before you go ahead and try it out for yourself at home.

The precursor to microdermabrasion was dermabrasion, and this is a more invasive technique. There are many problems with dermabrasion, firstly it is more painful than microdermabrasion, so it has to be performed with anaesthesia. Second, the recovery period is long, and it takes weeks for the top layers of skin to heal. Third, there is scarring, which is not apparent with microdermabrasion, so scars will eventually develop with continued, repetitive use. Fourthly, infection is a bit of a problem and could lead to dermatitis and septicaemia in the worst of cases. So all in all, it is not a very skin friendly technique.

Before this, in Germany around the 1900s, a man by the name of Kromayer used turning wheels and other devices to remove the upper layers of skin, but because these were man powered machines, they were complicated to use and were phased out pretty quickly.

The whole idea of removing the upper-most layer of skin was conceptualized ages ago, as far as 1500BC in Egypt. They used a type of sandpaper to smooth the skin- and this obviously must have been quite painful and side-effect plentiful. This is not a surprise though, and it isnt a surprise either that the Egyptians were the first to create this beautifying technique.

Currently, microdermabrasion is the norm, and it is one of the top 3 aesthetic procedures performed in the world. The incidence of its use is also increasing each year, both in America and Europe. There was an increase of 24% from 2003 to 2005 in its use in America. Its use will spread to the bigger markets in Asia in due time, and I predict that because of its many benefits and efficacy over other skin-care procedures, will develop to become the most popular procedure among health-care professionals.

Who knows, one day nano-dermabrasion may take over micro-dermabrasion in the human quest for ever-improving beautifying procedures!