What is Microdermabrasion – and does it still hold a place in the modern beauty world?

There are plenty of products out there that you can incorporate into your skincare regime to get baby soft skin, but sometimes it takes a more powerful tool to really rejuvenate it. This is where microdermabrasion comes in, a clever little treatment that has got a little lost over the last few years in a sea of lasers, resurfacing tools and needling. It still most definitely has its place though, and microdermabrasion delivery systems have come ahead in leaps and bounds after the somewhat aggressive versions that first hit the market almost twenty years ago.
If you take the word apart, micro means small; derm is short for dermis and means skin; and abrasion means the process of scraping away. Put together, it literally means the process in which you use instruments to create microscopic abrasions in the skin to remove its top layer. And although it’s quick and effective standalone treatment, if your skin is looking dull or the texture a little bumpy, a course of microdermabrasion sessions will leave it glowing in no time, and better able to absorb the good stuff that you apply afterwards.
A key player in may facials and treatments, a thorough bout of microdermabrasion, which essentially sandblasts your skin smooth, will clear away dead cells making way for any masks, serums or moisturizer to sink in more effectively afterward. It comes in several forms, the first being crystal microdermabrasion - where cell exfoliation occurs by implementing a gentle flow of ultra-fine crystals (usually made from inert materials like aluminium oxide) targeting the face. The system also includes a tiny vacuum that optimizes surface contact and removes any residual microcrystals. Diamond microdermabrasion is where dead/dry skin cell exfoliation occurs via a wand tipped with a laser-cut diamond, and both techniques are equally effective and are usually recommended as a series of treatments to optimise the results. Some experts say that crystal dermabrasion can be considered as "sandblasting," while the diamond can be thought of as "sandpapering."
People with fine facial lines or wrinkles, sun damage, uneven hyperpigmentation, clogged pores, skin texture problems, blackheads/whiteheads, superficial age spots, and minor scars can all benefit from microdermabrasion, and although the early versions of microdermabrasion were not recommended to patients with active inflammatory conditions like rosacea, active acne or fragile capillaries, that has all changed in the hands of great therapists wielding new, improved tools.
I recently had a microdermabrasion session at Lovely by skin institute at Commercial Bay, who offer everything from express microdermabrasion to cleansing and advanced treatments followed by a mask. You can add on your neck and décollatage, as well as the hands for a really good rejuvenation of ones of the first areas to show signs of ageing.
Things to avoid before a session include using retinoids, acids, or peels too close to a microdermabrasion, as it will cause redness and in some cases, scarring. It’s also a good idea to tell your therapist if you have cold sore breakouts or if you tend to scar easily as a precautionary step.
Now that you have everything you need to know about microdermabrasion, I reckon give it a go. It still definitely has a place in the modern beauty world, and comes highly recommended.

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