Microdermabrasion

Hello lovelies!

I have rather acne prone - lucky me I know! I was just wondering if anyone has tried microdermabrasion and what their experiences were with it?

was it worth it, did it hurt, how many sessions do you need to see results etc?

i am really interested in getting it done but slightly skeptical... Would love to hear all of your opinions!!

I'm a beauty therapist and was working up one of the top clinics in NZ for a long time (I'm a PA now haha needed a change) so I stronly advise against microdermabrasion if you have active acne (as in pustluar or cystic. Anything inflammed where there is infection present) as it can exacerbate it a) a aggrivating already irritated skin b) it is an intense physical exfoliation which means it is going to pick up skin and the nozzel moves around the face, which means it can rupture pustutes which can cause scarring (naturally, we're not meant to pop pimples!) and also spread infected tissue. REALLY not a good idea for acne. If your skin is just congested, as in little bumps and blackheads, then yes, microdermabrasion is brilliant. it's also fabulous for scrring or ust generally brightening up and smoothing out the skin. Even though I'm not working as a BT anymore, I'm still a huge advocatr and I get them once a month because my skin gets congested. It really helps unclog the pores and refine them. I can't see your skin so I can't prescribe a treatment, but for active acne, don't go for MDA (mircodermabrasion) and any beauty therapist worth their salt will tell you the same thing. It's common sense. My best advise would be to go into somewhere like the CACI clinic (that's where I worked) and get their advise. Don' physically exfoliate for active acne at home, either. Use clay masks and exfoliate with BHAs

Thank you so much for that!! I was pretty wary of getting it done but I had heard several takes on it from different sources. Is there anything you could recommend to remove acne from underneath the skin? I have so many unwanted bumps that are just ruining my life (not really but it is just so depressing) and I want them gone. Nothing I am trying at home seems to be helping me :(

If it's just bumpiness and not acne (is in sore/inflamed? ) mda could help. But to start with a really good cleanser such as murad's time release acne cleanser, $57 from caci or murad.co nz is a brilliant one. It's a non foaming cream-gel which time releases salicylic acid into your skin. That's done wonders for my skin. I also use antipides juliet cleanser in the am and as a first cleanse. I pop a clay mask on such as skinfood's rotorua mud mask about twice a week. As my moisturiser I use Avene cleanense gel-creme (from the pharmacy) as it's really exfoliating and oil free. Beware as it xan feel a bit stingy. I also use murad skin perfecting lotion ), $70- it's brilliant!
I always use a toner, jurlique rosewater balancing mist, $65ish or kosmea hydrating rosewater mist, $25, both from hardys, are both great. If you're gettibg oily or blocked, hydration is really important to balance the oil flow. Those two can be used as toners as well as re hydrating mists throughout the day (even over makeup!).
A really good serum is murad's t-zone pore refining gel, $69. It has both glycolic and salicylic acid. You use it under your moisturiser. It's balancing and also really antioxidant so it's fantastic fir congestion and breakouts as well as general skin health.
Things to avoid: sodium lauryl or laureth sulphate (petrochemicals wgich dehydrate your skin. When your dkin dehydrates it cannot produce more water so it produces more oil to compensate. Hydration is key!), alcoholic toners, physical exfoliates whenever you have an active break out (even if you're not breaking out, the roughest you should use is something like jojoba beads- Oasis tropical smoothie is a great one for blocked skin). Nothing like saint ives apricot scrub, please!! Be gentle with your skin.

Oh, and a good quality manuka honey is a brilliant home treatment. It's hydrating, exfoliating, and antimicrobial. It also helps to calm redness.
you also want to avoid cheap makeupror anything that contains mineral oil (i would actually recommend going totally oil free for make up and moisturiser if you can. Even things like jojoba and argan oil will block your pores) talc or bismuth oxychloride. Learn to read your make up ingredients!

 A few weeks back I had two MDA treatments at a reputable skin clinic. I did have awful breakouts beforehand from using old expired foundation. So actually I did postphone my appointment till the pimples were smaller and mostly healed. I had an expiry date on the voucher I bought over Treat Me so I couldn't postpone it further otherwise I would've.
  I did one the first treatment and then a second treatment after two weeks as your skin needs at least two weeks down time to heal. Results wise two treatments did help a bit with bumps under your skin that aren't pimples but don't go away and did smooth things out a bit but I think I wanted more visible results I would need more treatments more often or would have to look at a different treatment.

Tanny girl is right, there. I used to recommend my clients get one treatment a week for 6 weeks. That allows for the maximum cell turnover, and with each treatment you pull the congestion closer and closer to the surface to polish away. One treatment will leave your skin smooth, but a course is what gives results. I then recommend doing one treatment every 4-6 weeks for maintainence.

Great advice Kate! Very informative :-)

You are amazing! Thank you so much for your help.
I am definitely going to look into those products because I need to start a good skincare routine.

As far as facials and things go, I think i'm just going to go to a Beauty Therapist down here in Dunedin and ask for their opinion as they will be able to see my skin and make a decision from here.

Nothing I am try seems to be working but i'm looking forward to trying  some of these products

You are amazing! Thank you so much for your help.
I am definitely going to look into those products because I need to start a good skincare routine.

As far as facials and things go, I think i'm just going to go to a Beauty Therapist down here in Dunedin and ask for their opinion as they will be able to see my skin and make a decision from here.

Nothing I am try seems to be working but i'm looking forward to trying  some of these products

I've always wondered how effective microdermabrasion is for pigmentation? I found IPL to be ok, but not worth the big expense.

   I was told by the therapist at the skin clinic that microdermabrasion doesn't really make a difference to hyperpigmentation. I actually was a bit misguided prior the appointment and actually went to the appointment  with a camera in my purse. I was going to take before and after under the bright lighting to see how much it lessened my light tan colored sunspots after two treatments. She told me there's really no difference in regards to that but my skin would be a bit smoother and if my skin was congested it would help and possibly lessen future breakouts.

Microdermabrasion can only help hyperpigmentation in conjunction with IPL/VPL as the pulsed light brings the pigment to the surface and the mda can slough it away, but it's not going to do anyhing when used alone. It will make your skin brighter and improve the appearance purely because it will even out the texture, but hyperpigmentaion occurs in the dermal layers of the skin, so exfoliation alone, even intense exfoliation like microdermabrasion, will not remove it. Try using vitamin C day and night,  as well as a course of VPL/IPL treatments- I usually recommend 5 at 4 weekly intervils over autumn/winter. You can also use home glycolics, but you need to give yourself a couple of weeks break after doing VPL/IPL before using a glycolic.The other product you can use for fading hyperpigmentation is hydroquinone, but that's presciption only in NZ, however you can buy it over the counter in some other contries. hydroquinone is only to be used at night time, and you must be religious with your spf 30+ as it can cause sunlight sensitivity. Hope that helps.

Kate -- re: hydroquinone, I've got a tube of John Plunkett's Superfade Cream which has 20mg/g hydroquinone (2%) along with 15mg/g of salicylic acid and 30mg/g of padimate O, which I got at a Life Pharmacy for about $20. I think concentrations of up to 2% can be sold OTC, but anything over needs a doctor's prescription..

Ah just saw this article saying there was an investigation, and then this one saying they've now pulled the Superfade creams off the shelves. I must have gotten it before that!

Yeah unfortunately they pulled it all off the shelves. I used to be able to sell it myself, but now you have to get it on prescription. It's a shame because it works.

Is is any comparison to Benzac cream? And is that any good with clearing up Acne?

Benzac is benzyl peroxide, which can help kill the bacteria that causes acne. I personally didn't find it helpful and it also dried my skin out (although the face wash was better than the cream). If you're going to use it, they say that the lower concentrations are better because the higher concentrations aren't necessarily any more effective, but you'll have more side effects like dry skin and peeling.

I've personally found retinoids more helpful with my acne than anything else I've tried, along with AHAs and BHA. 

Thanks fort the advice Kate! Do retinol creams help with pigmentation? I have read mixed reviews.