Medical Microdermabrasion: A Brief History and How it Works

Around 1997, medical microdermabrasion arrived on the professional skincare scene. For a number of years, lower-power model machines had been available at spas and beauty salons. However, with medical microdermabrasion, more severe skincare issues could now receive advanced treatment under the care of a trained nurse or dermatologist.

Typical Microdermabrasion Procedure:
The medical microdermabrasion machine is first prepared by adding the crystal supply and placing a disposable plastic head on the end of the hand wand. The medical practitioner applies the treatment handle to the skin surface and a variable vacuum tents up an area of skin through the hole in the hand wand. Also through the handle comes a very fine spray of evenly shaped crystals that blast against the skin surface, creating a sandstorm of particles that effectively remove a thin layer of skin. At the same time, the used crystals and abraded ski are drawn through the hand wand to a waste container.

The twin action of medical microdermabrasion has been demonstrated through a microscope. When the old, dead skin cells are removed this stimulates the growth of new ones by deeper skin layers. Despite the fact that the skin is the fastest healing organ on the body, skin cell production does slow down as we age; however, medical microdermabrasion speeds up production and results in healthy new skin. A second occurrence within the deeper dermal layer is that the production of collagen fibers is increased. The reasons for this increased activity are not known, not fully understood, but may be a result of the suction action. However, the end result is the reduction of fine lines and help in clearing up scar tissue. Medical dermabrasion also seems to rebuild the damaged structure involved in the original creation of stretch marks.

Medical Microdermabrasion Equipment:
Since the medical microdermabrasion advantages of this procedure have become known, there has been an explosion of manufacturers bursting on the skincare scene touting their latest model as being the best. Typically, a medical microdermabrasion machine has more power than one that would be used in a spa or salon. They are meant to handle more difficult skin care problems such as stretch marks, hyperpigmentation, or more severe cases of acne scarring. The market is very competitive and a skincare professional must be very astute, doing plenty of research so that they can choose the appropriate medical microdermabrasion machine for their practice.