HydraFacial

HydraFacial – Everyone wants smooth, bright, and youthful-looking skin. Instead of spending a fortune on oils, creams, essences, and serums in a multistep skin-care routine, you may be able to achieve a natural glow with a facial that some say is rising in popularity.

Proponents of the trendy treatment, called the HydraFacial, bill it as a way to pursue and maintain long-term skin health, which makes it more than your typical spa treatment. According to the hydra-facial website, a HydraFacial is performed every 15 seconds, and it is currently available in more than 80 countries, including the United States.

“The HydraFacial is a multistep facial treatment typically performed with a proprietary machine (Hydra-Facial MD) manufactured by Edge Systems. In one session, aestheticians can use the Hydra-Facial [device] to cleanse, exfoliate, extract, and deliver a variety of rejuvenating serums,” explains Glen Crawford, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology Group in Philadelphia.

It’s become an in-demand service because it creates an instant “wow factor” in terms of brightening and firming skin, says Sarah Akram, master aesthetician at Sarah Akram Skincare in Alexandria, Virginia. People can get the treatment before a big event or regularly to maintain skin health, she adds.

What is HydraFacial?

A hydrafacial is one of the most powerful, non-invasive skin resurfacing treatments available in Australia to date. It combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration and antioxidant protection that removes dead skin cells and impurities, while simultaneously delivering moisturizing serums into the skin.

So, what does the word “hydra” in HydraFacial mean? Hydra-Facial refers to its incredibly hydrating effect. Infact the HydraFacial procedure itself is fast and efficient, only taking about 30 minutes to complete, making it very quick to access. Moreover, the results are instantly noticeable, and there is no recovery time needed. HydraFacial really is as incredible as it sounds!

Unlike microdermabrasion, which blasts the skin’s surface with aluminum oxide crystals, the HydraFacial wand vacuums pores and then infuses the skin with moisturizing serums. This gentle approach is what makes hydra-facial’s so soothing and refreshing. There is no pain involved in the HydraFacial technique.

A HydraFacial improves the appearance of the following skin conditions:

• Oily, acne-prone skin
• Dry skin
• Uneven skin tone
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Hyperpigmentation
• Sun damage
• Age spots
• Blackheads
• Enlarged and clogged pores

Again, what is a HydraFacial?

• A HydraFacial is a unique hydra-dermabrasion procedure that uses patented technology to cleanse, extract, and hydrate the skin.
• Matt Moncrief, Managing Director of High Tech Medical and the person credited with bringing Hydra-Facial to Australia, told Mamamiathe treatment is “soothing, refreshing, non-irritating and immediately effective in creating evenly-toned, glowing, dewy skin.”
• Dr Bruce Williamson of Skin Smart clinic added, “The Hydra-facial gives an instant improvement in the visual look and tone of the skin, whilst delivering ongoing improvements in skin health over time with a series of six treatments.”

How does the Hydra-Facial machine work?

Hydra-Facial is actually the name of the machine used in this facial. The HydraFacial machine looks like a computer on a trolley with tubes coming out of it and uses a patented Vortex-Fusion® delivery system that creates a swirling vortex effect to easily dislodge and remove impurities deep into the skin.

Is HydraFacial like microdermabrasion?

The system delivers results comparable to more aggressive treatments without the same level of skin irritation that these traditional treatments cause. The results are a better complexion and improved skin health. Microdermabrasion uses a handheld device that ‘sands’ the skin to get rid of dead skin cells but it does not hydrate the skin. Microdermabrasion often leaves the skin red for longer than 24 hours; HydraFacial involves no downtime. This is because, in contrast to microdermabrasion, HydraFacial does not use crystal technology or hard wands to assist in the exfoliation process so there is no abrasion to the skin tissue. HydraFacial is a gentle procedure removing dead skins cells while infusing nutrients into the skin at the same time. With continued treatment, HydraFacial can reduce the severity of acne, skin pigmentation and poor complexion.

Why Is HydraFacial Better Than Microdermabrasion or Hydrodermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion is a physical exfoliation treatment that uses medical-grade crystals or a diamond tip to abrade the outermost layer of the skin, stimulating cellular turnover and renewal. In a similar fashion, hydrodermabrasion uses a specialized tip to abrade the skin but adds a liquid component that flushes away the loosened debris. These approaches can be too aggressive for certain skin types, especially for those with rosacea, and if used too often, can impair skin barrier function and have a negative impact on skin health.

During a HydraFacial, dermabrasion is incorporated into the first step of the treatment. It is performed using the patented Hydropeel tip to enhance skin cleansing and prepare the skin for the treatment modalities that follow. Each step of the HydraFacial builds on the previous steps to produce better results than could be achieved if the treatments were performed alone. The result is a comprehensive treatment in which no single step is overly aggressive on the skin, making HydraFacial suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

Why Do We Not Recommend or Perform Microdermabrasion or Hydrodermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion and hydrodermabrasion are harsh on the skin. Both treatments abrade the skin in a manner similar to sandpaper, impairing skin barrier function.

What areas are suitable for HydraFacial treatment?

In addition to the face, HydraFacial can treat the neck, décolletage, back of hands – as well as upper backs and shoulders (typically for those with acne or congested skin).

How Often Should I Get a HydraFacial?

One HydraFacial per month is recommended for best results. You can see an instant improvement in your skin after your first treatment. Over four to six sessions, you will notice your results lasting longer after each treatment. Skin health peaks around the sixth treatment and your results stay consistent. You can continue to have regular HydraFacial treatments to maintain the positive effects, or you can move onto other advanced treatments or a combination treatment program to create long-lasting results. Your specialist dermatologists or your dermal clinicians can recommend an appropriate course of treatment based on your skin goals.

What research says about HydraFacial

In published studies, HydraFacial hydradermabrasion technology was clinically proven to be effective for facial rejuvenation. Key findings include:

• After hydradermabrasion, skin polyphenolic antioxidant levels were increased by 30%. However, manual application of antioxidants alone did not result in an increased level of polyphenolic antioxidants.
• A series of hydradermabrasion treatments resulted in epidermal and papillary dermal thickening with deposition of new collagen fibers.
• A majority of patients reported significant or noticeable improvements in all of the surveyed skin conditions. Qualitatively, decreased pore size, decreased fine lines, and decreased hyperpigmentation were most commonly observed.
• Treatments were also found to enhance the results of light-based skin rejuvenation treatments such as laser and IPL.
• Somewhere in the world, a HydraFacial is performed every 15 seconds. Don’t even try to do the math: This essentially amounts to 2 million treatments given globally last year alone. That’s more than the total number of Botox injections administered in the U.S. in 2017.