3 Ways to Avoid Developing Acne After Microdermabrasion Treatments

3 Ways to Avoid Developing Acne After Microdermabrasion Treatments

Microdermabrasion is one of the most versatile cosmetic treatments ever developed. This skin resurfacing treatment can correct hyperpigmentation, skin roughness, acne scars and even acne. However, sometimes a funny thing happens with microdermabrasion – you get more acne.

This breakout of the pimple doesn't have to happen. With a little planning, you can choose the right microdermabrasion therapy for your skin type and significantly reduce the likelihood of acne after microdermabrasion.

1. Adjust the level of microdermabrasion treatment to your skin type

The first step for a microdermabrasion treatment is deciding what type of treatment you need. Here is a general scoring system for choosing your microdermabrasion treatment:

The higher your skin's oil levels and the larger your pores, the more microdermabrasion you can endure. If you have smooth skin with relatively small pores and minimal oil secretion, you will also want a milder form of microdermabrasion that requires less pressure.

When you apply the microdermabrasion treatment yourself, adjust the pressure you apply to your skin based on your skin's pore size and your skin's oil secretion level.

2. Prepare your skin to remove comedones

A primary function of microdermabrasion is to remove the top layers of skin to reveal a fresher, less impure dermis. Because microdermabrasion removes the upper layers of skin, comedones are also disturbed and exposed. Comedones are round plugs of hardened or crystallized oils, fat, and cellular waste trapped in pores. Under the right circumstances, comedones can become inflamed and develop into acne lesions.

If you have comedones in the skin, you can either remove them through extraction or by peeling the skin daily to bring the comedones to the surface of the skin. Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive method of encouraging comedones to rise to the surface of the skin more quickly and does not puncture the skin to remove trapped waste.

Before undergoing a microdermabrasion treatment, it is easy to test the comedone levels in your skin. Smooth your hand over your skin and feel small bumps under your skin. These bumps represent potential comedones. With repeated microdermabrasion treatments, these comedones rise to the surface of the skin where they may simply flake or fall off the skin.

If you have comedones, you should space your microdermabrasion treatments at least three days apart to give your skin time to calm down and minimize comedone irritation after each treatment.

3. Take care of your skin after microdermabrasion treatment

After a microdermabrasion treatment, you drastically change the ecology of your skin's surface. They remove bacteria, oils and skin cells, whose main task is to protect against microbial attacks and environmental influences such as ultraviolet radiation.

This makes protecting your skin after microdermabrasion a must. The first thing you need is a moisturizer to apply to the skin after the microdermabrasion treatment. The moisturizer should not contain foreign acids such as glycol or retinol, as your skin will most likely be slightly inflamed and sensitive after a microdermabrasion treatment.

Use a sensitive skin moisturizer like Eucerin. This moisturizer is affordable, doesn't clog pores, comes with a sunscreen, and is available at most drugstores.

Next, make sure you use a sunscreen after your microdermabrasion treatment to reduce sun sensitivity. Sun sensitivity can also cause the skin to develop small bumps as an immune response to sun exposure. If necessary, wear a hat to protect your skin from the sun after a microdermabrasion treatment.

Avoiding unwanted breakouts after your microdermabrasion treatment is just a matter of planning and protecting your skin post-treatment. By properly preparing for skin resurfacing and adjusting your microdermabrasion level and treatment times based on the condition of your skin, you will keep the number of your breakouts to a minimum.

Sources:

González-Serva, Aldo and George Kroumpouzos. Demonstration of polarizable crystals in fresh comedonal extracts: tallow crystals.Acta Dermato-Venereologica;; November 2004, Volume 84, No. 6, pp. 418-421.

Lloyd, Jenifer R. The Use of Microdermabrasion for Acne: A Pilot Study.Dermatological surgery;; April 2001, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 329-331.

Shim, Elisabeth K; David Barnette, Kathi Hughes and Hubert T. Greenway. Microdermabrasion: A clinical and histopathological study.Dermatological surgery;; June 2001, Vol. 27, No. 6, pp. 524-530.

Inspired by Naweko San-Joyz