Why don’t we offer Microdermabrasion?

Recently, we’ve been getting many questions about why we don’t offer microdermabrasion as a skincare treatment at Centre for Surgery. We know that many reputed clinics in London offer this treatment and do it safely and effectively, but we prefer alternative, gentler approaches to microdermabrasion that successfully treat the same skin concerns.

If you’re not familiar with microdermabrasion, it’s a treatment that basically sands the outer layer of your skin, typically with an applicator that has an abrasive tip. The point is to remove the uneven top layer of the skin as well as dirt or other particles in order to address certain skin concerns such as uneven skin texture, scarring, skin discolouration and/or sun damage.

Here are 5 of the main reasons why we choose not to do microdermabrasion.

We Often Work with Delicate Skin

A significant number of our patients have particularly delicate or sensitive skin. This could be due to their natural skin type or as a result of ageing, which usually results in thinner, more fragile skin. Our concern with microdermabrasion for such skin types is that the process tends to stretch the skin in a way that resembles a vacuum. We believe this approach is generally too harsh for those with delicate and/or ageing skin.

We Favour Customised Chemical Peel Treatments

For many of the same skin concerns that might be addressed with microdermabrasion, we actually find facial peel treatments to be a superior option. This is because with these treatments, we can control the depth of exfoliation. It’s essential to approach the epidermis mindfully, as it conducts signals to deeper layers of the skin.

In our customised facial peel treatments, we start by preparing the skin with dermaplaning. This is a special technique that removes dead skin cells, bacteria, and dirt from the skin’s surface layer. We’ve found that dermaplaning allows us to better control the intensity of our peel treatments and also ensures that the customised acids are distributed evenly for penetration into the skin.

Our Approach is Progressive, Not Aggressive

At Centre for Surgery, our philosophy is to adopt a progressive, rather than aggressive, approach to skincare. By this, we mean that with all our treatments, we prefer to start gently and then gradually move up to more intensive options if needed.

We must establish a strong understanding of our patients and their skin before proceeding with more powerful treatments. This principle applies to everything we do, from the type of acid we initially use in our customised facial peel treatments, to the volume of wrinkle-relaxing injections we administer to a first-time neuromodulator patient.

Microdermabrasion, in our view, can be a bit too harsh on the skin right from the start. This treatment doesn’t allow for a gradual increase in intensity, which is why we prefer not to use it.

Intense Single Treatments Can Cause Harm

At Centre for Surgery, we believe in combining different treatments with varying levels of intensity. For instance, Morpheus8, a deeply penetrating radiofrequency (RF) treatment, can be intense, but alternating Morpheus8 treatments with facial peel treatments or Fotona4D can yield fantastic results for the appropriate skin type and concerns. The key is balance.

RELATED: Fotona4D vs Morpheus8

Our overall view on microdermabrasion is that it’s just too much exfoliation. We offer other modalities that deliver better outcomes, provide excellent results, and are entirely gentle on the skin. For example, dermaplaning combined with our facial peel treatments is incredibly gentle but can be very powerful simultaneously. They deliver noticeable results without ever leaving your skin red or raw.

If you’re dealing with more aggressive textural concerns, we recommend treatments like Fotona4D or Morpheus8. These options provide more intensive care for specific skin issues without the potential harm that could come from over-exfoliation.