What’s your at-home skin routine? Most people have a skincare routine that consists of daily cleansing, moisturizing, active skincare products, and occasional at-home exfoliation – but while this will take care of your skin, you may have specific skin needs that aren’t being met. At Advanced Dermatology Center in Wolcott, CT, we know that when your skin needs a helping hand, medical facials are your best option.
Medical facials is an advanced form of a spa facial that is customized to your exact skin needs and concerns. The difference between the two is that a spa facial focuses on relaxing and superficially rejuvenating the skin, while a medical-grade facial focuses on improving the health of skin and tackling specific skin concerns. So, what do you need to know about these special facials?
When Should You Consider Getting a Medical Facial?
To be perfectly honest, regular facials at home or with an aesthetic expert should be part of your regular skincare routine. Even ordinary facials can exfoliate, deeply cleanse, and extract impurities from the skin that can refine your skin texture and appearance. But when do you need to have a medical facial? There are a few circumstances where an advanced facial may be the method to use.
You Have Specific Skin Needs
Specific skin needs can refer to a range of conditions that can’t be managed by at-home skincare alone. For example, fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, melasma, enlarged pores, acne, and shallow scarring are all specific concerns that can’t be handled by over-the-counter products alone. Medical-grade facials are strong and effective enough to easily stimulate collagen production to resolve the most visible signs of aging, as well as correct other superficial skin concerns.
You Want to Fortify Skin Health
If you are interested in boosting the overall health of your skin, then you may want to use an advanced facial to maintain your skin. Your skin health relies on a functioning skin barrier that blocks out pollutants and irritants while also retaining moisture in the subdermal layers of your skin. When dead skin cells build up on the skin surface, your skin barrier tends to fail, which can lead to skin sensitivity and breakouts. Advanced peels can regulate your cellular turnover so your skin can remain healthy.
You Want to Enhance Treatment Results
You can also use medical facials to enhance the results of your other treatments. For example, if you are using acne treatments on an ongoing basis, then regular facials for acne can help keep your pores clear of dead skin cells and acne-causing bacteria. Similarly, anti-aging treatments can be supported with facials that promote the production of elastin and collagen within the skin.
How Do Medical Grade Facials Work?
A medical-grade facial is functionally very similar to a spa facial or an at-home facial – the only difference is the degree of strength advanced facials use to treat your skin. Before any of your facial treatments start, you will need to attend a consultation with our skin experts to determine which of our advanced facials is the best match for your skincare goals and your skin needs.
During your consultation, we will examine the condition of your skin, paying close attention to areas of concern like pigmented blemishes, acne, and wrinkles. We will ask about your general skin history, such as any previous skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis you have had. We will also talk about the skincare products you currently use.
Preparation
Advanced facials are simple skin treatments that can be completed in about 30 to 60 minutes, depending on which facial treatment you choose. However, you will still need to prepare your skin for your treatment. The most important thing you can do is to temporarily stop using retinoids in your skincare routine for at least one to three days before your treatment. You should also stop using chemical exfoliants and acids for at least three to five days.
Step One: Cleanse
Although you will arrive at your appointment with freshly cleansed skin, we will still clean your skin as the first step of your facial. Cleansing your face will remove any lingering dirt, oil, or other impurities that may interact with the chemicals used during your facial. It’s also preferable if you can style your hair away from your face for your appointment.
Step Two: Medical Facial
The next step of your treatment will be your advanced facial treatment. The exact steps of your treatment will depend on the facial you selected, but usually, you can expect medical-grade chemicals and devices to be used during this step. This portion of the treatment generally focuses on exfoliating the skin and extracting impurities from the pores.
Step Three: Hydrate
The final step of your advanced facial will be hydrating the skin. This step is essential since the chemicals and techniques used during your facial will strip both dead skin cells and some moisture from your skin. Hydrating your skin immediately after your facial will help lock in moisture so your newly revealed skin cells will remain supple, moist, and resilient.
Aftercare
After your facial is complete, you will need to be mindful of your skincare so you can protect new skin cells that emerge after this treatment. Because deep exfoliating facials strip dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, it’s essential to wear adequate sun protection during the daytime. You should wear sunscreen to minimize UV damage even on days where you plan to be inside or the weather is cloudy, as different types of UV rays can still cause potential skin damage.
What Facial Options Do You Have?
At Advanced Dermatology Center, we offer a trio of medical-grade facial options to help you promote your skin health and refine the appearance of your skin. We believe in a fully customized approach to your skin treatment, so our facial options can all be personalized to the strength that is ideal for your skin needs. Our treatments include:
VI Peel Facials
A VI peel is designed to increase cellular turnover to correct superficial skin concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, scarring, and acne. VI peels are the most similar to ordinary chemical peels and tend to produce results that leave skin looking more radiant. This type of facial is a good general option if you have mild concerns or complex concerns that need continual maintenance.
Jet Peel Facials
Jet peel facials combine the power of high-pressure machines with potent hydrating serums that will exfoliate and deeply cleanse the skin. A jet peel facial is an ideal treatment for those who have sensitive skin, dry skin, uneven skin texture, and acne-prone skin. This particular treatment is also a good option during cold or dry times of the year, especially if your skin tends to chap in difficult weather conditions.
Decongesting Acne Facials
A decongesting acne facial is a technique that completely exfoliates and extracts impurities of the skin, which is why it’s often the best choice for those who have acne-prone skin and those who are using acne-targeting products at home. This facial will remove clogged sebum from the pores, eliminate blackheads, and reduce breakouts, including for cystic acne. This facial can also help reduce post-acne marks and irritation and is often used to prevent future breakouts.
Which Facial Is Right for You?
Ultimately, the facial that will be right for your treatment will depend on your precise skin needs. In general, we match the type and strength of your facial to the goals you want to accomplish, which means those who want to erase post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may use a VI peel, while those who want to treat acne may use the decongesting acne facial.
Depending on your skin condition and your overall skin needs, your treatment may consist of alternating facial techniques. This can be especially useful for those who have complex issues, such as acne scarring and active acne at the same time. We will be happy to help you pick the facial treatment that meets all of your needs.
What Are the Benefits of Medical Grade Facials?
One of the best things about medical facials is that you don’t have to be a certain age to have them. If you have a skin concern, then you are likely already qualified for facial treatments. But there are other benefits you may want to consider, including:
Safe, Simple, and Convenient
Facials are extremely safe, simple, and convenient treatments. Not only can facials be completed in under an hour, but they also have virtually zero risks of harming the skin. In fact, because facials are superficial treatments, you can consider these treatments “zero risks, all reward”. Even after your treatment is complete, you will not need to schedule any downtime after your appointment. Your treatment appointments will be every few weeks or months depending on which facial treatment you use.
Promotes Skin Health
Maintaining your skin health is your number one priority if you want your skin to look radiant, and that’s why medical-grade facials are a major game-changer. Because these facials help support your skin’s natural moisture barrier, accelerate cellular turnover, and remove impurities from your skin, these treatments can promote better skin health, which can keep you looking younger and healthier overall.
Helps Skincare Products Work Better
Exfoliating techniques are generally part of your weekly skin routine because the removal of dead skin cells allows products to work better. However, at-home exfoliation is often imperfect and doesn’t remove enough skin cells to make a true difference for product absorption. For that reason, medical-grade facials are essential if you want to improve the way your anti-aging serums and acne-fighting products work.
Easily Combined
Finally, medical-grade facials are easily combined with several other treatments, both medical and aesthetic. While facials gently resurface the skin to improve skin performance and appearance, other treatments can be used to address more complex issues, such as volume loss. Injectable treatments, laser treatments, microneedling, and SkinBetter products are all easily combined with facial treatments. Likewise, some surgical services like facelifts can also be used in conjunction with facials.
Give Your Skin Some TLC With Medical Grade Facials
While sticking to your at-home skin routine is commendable, the fact of the matter is that over-the-counter products can only do so much to improve the overall appearance and health of your skin. Medical-grade facials are highly effective non-invasive treatments that can control acne, improve skin health, and reduce visible signs of aging. Please contact Advanced Dermatology Center in Wolcott, CT to schedule your consultation today.
