Q.) What is Microdermabrasion?
A.) Microdermabrasion
is a moderately aggressive form of
exfoliation. Generally speaking, microdermabrasion involves
the
use of crystals suspended in a cream to abrade or to rub away the top
layers of the dermis (skin). Microdermabrasion is deeper than
superficial peels done by a chemical processes. And deeper
than
gentle exfoliation done by less hard crystals or beads.
However,
microdermabrasion is more shallow than dermabrasion which is generally
performed by a doctor and carries greater risks.
Microdermabrasion is more effective than the more shallow
exfoliation processes
and
carries a relatively low amount of risk, compared to dermabrasion.
So, microdermabrasion is safe to perform at home.
Microdermabrasion treatment to remove the top layers of the
skin
encourages the lower layers to produce new cells faster, improving skin
tone and getting rid of superficial skin problems.
Q.)
What types of skin conditions can microdermabrasion help with?
A.) In addition to just improving overall skin tone, making
skin smoother and more elastic, microdermabrasion can help with any
number of superficial skin conditions. By removing the top
layers of the skin, many conditions are simply lifted away and new
undamaged skin replaces it.
Here are just a few of the conditions microdermabrasion has been
reported to help with:
- hyperpigmentation (dark spots)
- fine lines and wrinkles
- mild to moderate acne
- acne scarring
- shallow scars
- stretch marks
- uneven skin tone
- razor bumps
- white and black heads
- enlarged pores
- dull skin
Microdermabrasion helps skin regeneration by encouraging skin to
increase collagen production and elasticity. Skin is left
looking more fresh and smooth.
Q.)
Can I really do microdermabrasion at home?
A.) Microdermabrasion in a doctor's office or a spa often involves the
use of specialized (and expensive) equipment. But, complicated and
expensive is not always better. Microdermabrasion machines
generally involve a wand that blasts crystals onto the skin.
The crystals abrade or rub away the top layer of the skin.
Then, the crystals and the exfoliated skin cells are vacuumed
back into the machine. There's really nothing magical about
this process.
It is a simple procedure and one that can be mimicked without
the
expensive equipment.
You can obtain similar (although arguably less aggressive) results in
your own home. Rather than using just the crystals, you use
the same crystals suspended in a cream. Our microdermabrasion
products use medical grade aluminum oxide (corundum) crystals.
You will pressure and
friction from your fingertips rather than from the machine to rub the
crystals across the skin where they will remove and pick up the dead
skin cells.
There are
cheap microdermabrasion creams on the market that are not as effective
as ours. Even aluminum oxide crystals come in different
grades.
So, you want to make sure you're getting a quality
microdermabrasion product.
Just as important is a quality follow up moisturizer.
One thing
that is for certain, you will save hundreds to thousands of dollars
doing home microdermabrasion versus paying a dermatologist or other
professional for the treatment. The average price of a
microdermabrasion treatment has been reported as high as $200.
A
quick survey we took uncovered people charging from $80-$250/treatment.
At a recommended (6-10) treatments, that's $480-$2,500 for a
full course. With our products, you
can perform 15 treatments at home for less $80.00. Even if it
required more treatments at home to get the same results as the
machines, you could achieve the
same results for far, far less money.
Q.)
Why is Treasured Locks offering microdermabrasion now?
A.) Treasured Locks is offering microdermabrasion because the number
one complaint we receive from our African American clients is uneven
skin tone. This is usually skin tone changes caused by
hyperpigmentation from acne or other mild scarring. While we
offer some very effective products, the
most
effective ones contain
hydroquinone. Hydroquinone, while highly effective, is
controversial. It's banned in Europe. And, you can
only buy
a up to a 2% solution over the counter in the United States
(dermatologists can prescribe higher concentrations). For
years
we have been looking for a safe, effective, natural alternative to
these fade products. Microdermabrasion is that alternative
that
we have been waiting for. Now that a quality
microdermabrasion is
available for home use, we are excited to be able to provide it to you.
Before offering the product, Brian tried it out.
After only
about three weeks and four or five treatments, the results were
remarkable.
Q.)
Why should I buy from the
microdermabrasion products from Treasured Locks? It
seems
everybody is offering a microdermabrasion cream now.
A.) It is true that companies from little known ones right up to
Loreal™ and Procter & Gamble Regenerist™
are offering
home microdermabrasion kits. Some are selling for
unbelievably
low prices and some are selling for unbelievably high prices (relative
to the others, still inexpensive compared to a procedure done in
someone's office).
You should be careful. The low end kits are not always
effective.
The right crystals have to be used. And the right
crystals
are an expensive ingredient. While the kits from the major
manufacturers contain the right crystals. The creams used to
carry the crystals might not be of the highest quality. When
you
are selling tens or hundreds of thousands of units, there's always the
temptation to use less expensive "filler" ingredients. Saving
just a few cents a jar in manufacturing costs can turn into many
thousand dollars on the bottom line. Many of them don't even
list their ingredients on-line leaving you guessing until you get the
product in your home. We are not ashamed of our ingredients.
We are proud of them. Each ingredient in our
product is
there for a reason other than just filling up the jar. We use
no
fillers or harmful chemicals. Our cream is more than just a
carrier for the crystals, it's food for your face. Whether
fillers are bad for skin or not is debatable. But, they
certainly
are not good for your skin. Why not use something that is
good
for your skin?
Q.)
Why are natural ingredients even more important in a microdermabrasion
cream than in other products?
A.) If you are familiar with Treasured Locks, you know we are kind of
sticklers when it comes to ingredients. We offer many
all-natural
and naturally based products because we believe the closer to nature,
the better. But, we don't make as big a deal about this when
it
comes to products that will have minimal contact with your skin (like a
soap or shampoo) and be rinsed off. When it comes to a
product
that will remain on your skin, we are more cautious.
Microdermabrasion creams not only remain on your skin, you
are
actually using them to penetrate the top, protective layers.
And,
you are often using them on the most thin and sensitive skin on your
body- your face. It is vitally important that these creams
contain only the best ingredients for your skin. Why buy a
poor
quality knock off product or a mediocre quality mass produced product
when you can have a product you can use with confidence? When
it
comes to these products, we avoid even the
questionably
harmful ingredients.
Q.)
How do I know if I'm doing the microdermabrasion right?
A.) We give detailed instructions on how to use the product.
While the procedure is simple enough, if you do it correctly,
you
will get better results. One of the biggest indicators that
you
are doing it correctly is that you will see dead skin fall
off of
your face (or other areas that you are treating) into the
sink.
Another key is to make sure you are using enough
product to
perform the procedure. Afterwards, your skin should be kind
of
shiny. And, will probably be pinker or more reddish than
normal.
Q.) Why
microdermabrasion
for African Americans versus other exfoliating procedures?
A.) Some chemical procedures are not recommended for African Americans
because of the risk of scarring. The great thing about
microdermabrasion is that it is recommended for all skin colors,
including
Asian and African skin that tends to hyperpigment.
Q.)
What is the
difference between microdermabrasion and dermabrasion?
A.) As the prefix "micro" implies, microdermabrasion is a "littler"
version of skin abrasion. Dermabrasion often is performed in
a
hospital or clinic environment. It's much more invasive.
So
much more so that it often requires anesthesia and can require an
overnight stay.
Dermabrasion is done using a spinning metal wheel to "sand"
down
the skin. The recovery is much longer and more complex than
microdermabrasion and can involve
antibiotics, special creams, etc. Dermabrasion is, of course,
often necessary to treat deeper scars and other skin problems.
But, microdermabrasion is very effective for many superficial
problems and is far less expensive and invasive.
Q.)
Is microdermabrasion for me?
A.) It's important to understand what to expect microdermabrasion to be
able to treat. It is (like anything else) not a panacea.
If
you have superficial skin problems such as: hyperpigmentation from
acne, shallow pits from acne scarring, uneven skin tone, uneven skin
texture, blotchy skin, fine wrinkles, large pores, age spots or sun
spots, microdermabrasion might help with these problems.
While it
may not relieve these conditions 100%, it provides enough relief that
most people who use the treatment are extremely satisfied with the
results, especially for the price and convenience now available through
at home treatment.
Q.)
Does microdermabrasion hurt?
A.) While you might experience some discomfort with a microdermabrasion
treatment from a machine, you should not experience any pain.
The
home treatment might feel just a little uncomfortable.
But,
there won't be any pain. I find the treatment at home to be
quite
pleasant. Afterwards my skin actually feels refreshed and
ultra-clean.
Q.)
What should I expect after the microdermabrasion treatment?
A.) Immediately afterwards your skin might feel a little sensitivity,
will probably be very smooth to the touch and will probably be pinker
or redder
than normal. The day after and for the next three or four
days,
your skin might feel like it's been sunburned (or actually more like
it's been windburned). You might experience some peeling and
dryness.
It's
important to keep the skin well hydrated during this time and to avoid
harsh chemicals on your face. We
strongly
recommend the use of a very good moisturizer (skin food) during
this time. It's also very important to
keep sunscreen
on during this time.
It's best to avoid any other skin peeling products for at least several
days after treatment. You should also avoid any full-face
make up
like foundations (liquid or powder) for 3-4 days.
Q.)
When can I expect to see results?
A.) There will be results after the first treatment. One of
the
key indicators of an effective treatment is dead skin in the sink.
The skin will slough off during treatment and actually fall
off
into the sink. You'll notice younger looking skin underneath.
If you have ever gotten an sunburn and peeled and seen the
skin
underneath, you'll have some idea what to expect. For African
Americans who sometimes get a gray cast from dead skin, this cast will
disappear immediately. Generally though the things most
people
are treating for will
really
show results after about five treatments (thus the recommendation that
most treatment centers give for 5-10 sessions).
Q.)
Are there any
contraindications to microdermabrasion?
A.) Microdermabrasion is safe and effective for all skin types. If you
are a "normal healthy" adult, microdermabrasion is not harmful. But,
microdermabrasion won't cure everything. Laser surgery
or dermabrasion might be required for some conditions that penetrate
the skin more deeply than microdermabrasion can reach. So, to
avoid wasting your money, it's important to know that you can't remove
severe scars, tattoos, birth marks, etc. While microdermabrasion has
helped many people with mild-to-moderate acne, it is not a cure for
acne. It is often combined with other treatments.
Acne is a complicated condition with different causes in
different people. If you are taking certain acne medications,
you should not do microdermabrasion. If you smoke, you should
not do microdermabrasion. We will not even try to list all of
the medical contraindications for
microdermabrasion because we might leave some out. (We're not doctors).
If you
have any concerns, please check with your physician. Do not
use
microdermabrasion at the same time as any other types of exfoliation
treatments
(either prescription or over-the-counter) and do not combine it with
any fade or skin lightening products, without checking with your
doctor. After healing completely from one treatment, you may
try
another. But, while in the healing stage, we do not recommend
combining treatments.
Q.)
Are there any risks to home microdermabrasion?
A.) Microdermabrasion is relatively risk-free. It's minimally
invasive (it does remove the top layers of skin). So, it's
important to keep the skin clean, hydrated and protected from the sun
during and for several days after treatments.
Q.)
Do I have to
continue doing the treatments once I start?
A.) After the first 6-10 treatments, a week or two apart, most people
will want to do a
follow up treatment every few weeks months. Usually, at the
salon or dermatologist, they will recommend every three months.
But, with your home kit, you might want to do a treatment
every month or so. Without the follow ups your skin will not
suddenly revert back to its former skin tone.
So, they are not absolutely necessary. But, most
people,
once they have their skin looking so great, want to keep it that way.
