Microdermabrasion treatment - anti aging procedure suitable for most skin types

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What is microdermabrasion?

What is microdermabrasion? Microdermabrasion is an anti-aging skin treatment is which is rapidly becoming popular. It is widely utilized for a variety of cosmetic objectives, including the improvement of fine lines, wrinkles, photoaging, hyperpigmentation, acne, scars and stretch marks.

Suitability of procedures of microdermabrasion for treatment of acne scars has immensely contributed towards its success as a skin resurfacing treatment. The following information will help you to learn about microdermabrasion.

Microdermabrasion treatment is a mild procedure to stimulate healthy epidermal tissue growth, improve skin tone and elasticity of the skin.

Candidates for microdermabrasion

Though microdermabrasion treatment can be used to treat a vast range of skin imperfections, it is especially effective for treating skin aging and photo damage. Microdermabrasion can be used on most skin types, as described by the popular Fitzpatrick's classification.

The Fitzpatrick skin classification is a scale used to determine the nature and sensitivity of the skin in different people. The scale classifies skin type on a seven point scale as follows:

Type I: A very fair or blond Caucasian skin with freckles which burns easily but never tans. It is very sensitive to UV radiation.

Type II: A very fair or blond Caucasian skin with freckles which usually burns easily and tans with difficulty. It is very sensitive to UV radiation.

Type III: Darker Caucasian skin or lighter Asian skin. Burns moderately, tans gradually. It is sensitive to UV radiation.

Type VI: Mediterranean, Asian, or Hispanic skin which is deeply pigmented and is of medium tone. Rarely burns, always tans well. It is moderately sensitive to UV light.

Type V: Middle Eastern, Latin, light-skinned black, or Indian skin with olive or dark skin tone. Minimally sensitive, very rarely burns, tans very easily. It is only slightly sensitive to UV light.

Type VI: Dark-skinned black, heavily pigmented skin. It is least sensitive to UV. The skin never burns.

The importance of mentioning this classification here is to bring home the point that that good results with microbermabrasion treatment is obtained in almost any of the skin types. But both the age and skin condition are important determinants for the cosmetic surgeon to decide for the number of treatments that are required for optimum effect.

For most skin disorders, a minimum of five treatments is recommended. On average the frequency of microdermabrasion treatments varies between 4 to 8 treatments performed sequentially with approximately 2 week intervals between each successive procedure. The time interval is necessary for the recovering the skin barrier function that is damaged after an aluminum oxide crystal microdermabrasion procedure is performed. Generally, it takes a time period of 1 to 4 days to recover the function and bring about an improvement in the skin tone. Repeating the superficial peeling procedure at 2-week intervals will allow sufficient time for the damaged skin to recover its barrier function. Most patients actually feel and see a difference after just one or two treatments, but scheduling additional treatments helps to increase and maintain the improvement.

Microdermabrasion treatment of acne scars requires more intense and aggressive treatment with more passes and more rounds of microdermabrasion treatment.

There are many reasons for the benefits offered for the successive procedures of microdermabrasion treatments as supported by scientific and histological studies. It is theorized by some physicians that the repetitive intra-epidermal injury causes gradual improvement in damaged skin by stimulating fibroblast proliferation and collagen production, leading to new collagen deposition in the dermis. This new collagen deposition makes the skin smoother and reduces the visibility of skin blemishes.

If you have sun damage or uneven texture and would like to improve the condition of your skin, you may be a good candidate for Microdermabrasion. The best candidates for microdermabrasion are individuals with acne prone and blotchy skin, small scars, rhytides, keratoses, large pores, milia, or sebaceous hyperplasia.

While the non invasive procedures of Microdermabrasion are no match for more aggressive modalities of skin resurfacing, it is the most convenient and effective of the procedures for an average skin. It is the least time consuming treatment and poses the lowest risk of unwanted side effects to both the patient and the operator.

Limitations of the Microdermabrasion Procedure

Microdermabrasion is a mild procedure and it cannot be advised for those who have heavily damaged skin for which a more aggressive approach like a laser or a deep chemical peel needs to be tried.

Raised or deeply pitted skin areas (possibly from old severe acne scars) and darker pigmented areas will require multiple treatments.

Microdermabrasion also can not be expected to remove tattoos. It takes a series of repetitive sessions and more aggressive passing of crystals for removing just a mild acne scarring; it is never possible to treat any thing which is deeper in the skin.

The microdermabrasion procedure is not suitable for patients who have had any type of facial rejuvenation procedure or treatment (such as Botox injections, collagen implants, or chemical peels) within the past 3-6 months.

Microdermabrasion treatment is not recommended for those who have a history of excessive scarring, active keloids, undiagnosed lesions, recent herpes outbreaks, warts, active, weeping acne (stages 3 to 4), active rosacea, unstable diabetes or auto-immune system disorders.

References:

  1. Pearl E. Grimes, Microdermabrasion, Dermatol Surg 31:9 Part 2: September 2005

  2. James M. Spencer, Microdermabrasion, Am J Clin Dermatol, 6 (2): 89-92, 2005



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