Beauty is skin deep: Microdermabrasion review

A few months ago, I was lucky to have purchased an annual package of microdermabrasion for a reasonable price. I've always wanted to try it out to help with the uneven skin tones, acne scars, actual acne and hyperpigmentation on my face.

However, with a price tag starting at 100$+tax per session per month or bi-weekly, it was a little steep for my wallet to handle. So, when I saw the promotion, I jumped at the chance.

For those who don't know what a microdermabrasion is....
"Microdermabrasion is a cosmetic technique that uses a mechanical medium for exfoliation to remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells from the epidermis. It is a non-invasive procedure and may be performed in-office by a trained skin care professional.^[4] It may also be performed at home using a variety of products which are designed to mechanically exfoliate the skin." - wikipedia

It uses fine mineral crystals to exfoliate the skin and loosen all dead skin cells, which are almost immediately sucked away along with the excess crystals. 

CLICK HERE for a more in depth explanation

After 4 sessions (so about 2-3 months) of the treatment, here were my thoughts.
Depending on who the technician is, the results may vary. However, you can almost always expect a little bit of redness after the procedure...and perhaps quite a bit of fallout of crystals on your shirt.

After every session, my skin was noticeably:

• smoother
• had a little redness, but goes away after a few minutes if you leave it alone
• sensitive (always wear Sunscreen for the next 48hrs)

Keep in mind, that you shouldn't wear any makeup for 24hrs after doing a microdermabrasion. 

I've been doing my treatments in conjunction with a new retinol based product to help with my acne....and honestly, the combination of the two has really helped my skin in the last two months. 

I generally get really bad cystic break outs in the winter when the weather is yo-yoing non-stop, but ever since I started, I haven't had any major breakouts...in fact, most are just old clogged pores resurfacing. 

My skin is also a lot smoother overall and the pores along my cheeks and nose are a little less noticeable. 

I do believe that if I keep doing this microdermabrasion once a month, that my skin will improve dramatically over time. 

For those who are thinking of doing this, keep in mind that you'll notice small differences (mentioned above) right away, but nothing dramatic - scars don't heal over night ;)

IMPORTANT:

I want to make note that you have to be careful of the salon you go to to get this treatment done because if it isn't done properly, you can seriously scar your skin with too much abrasion. You are after all removing a layer of skin off your face. Make sure you tell the technician if it's feeling too abrasive or if it is hurting you in ANY WAY. Microdermabrasion isn't supposed to hurt. You're only supposed to feel the suction on your face, nothing else. If it weren't for all the crystal fall-outs, you shouldn't even feel the crystals.  

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If you don't want to (or can't) splurge on the treatment, there's a DIY at home option. Keep in mind that I HAVE NEVER TRIED THIS (nor am I affiliated to the company in any way), but I do know that it exists.

The Personal MicroDerm (PMD), is an at-home microdermabrasion tool that you can use on your face and body. I know that Elle from AllThatGlitters21 on Youtube has reviewed this in the past...although I don't think that there has been any follow-up on the product afterwards. 

You can check out the product on their website here. It retails for 179$ for the initial kit, and about 15$ for replacement tips. The difference that I can see is basically, instead of mineral crystals being shot out from the tube, it's almost like fine sandpaper tip that does the exfoliation. 

I wouldn't know if there's a major difference since I've never tried this product, but if any of you have, please leave me a comment below. =) 

 Have any of you ever tried microdermabrasion? I'd love to hear your thoughts too.