Facial: Is your facial really giving you enough bang for buck?

There’s nothing quite as relaxing as a facial. Lying back while a therapist layers on a series of lotions and potions will always be a relaxing experience. However, if they’re layering on a series of products that you could buy and use yourself, you might not be getting great bang for your buck.

As it turns out, getting good value from anti-ageing products is a long game. In the same way that you can’t take a vitamin C supplement once a month and expect it to improve your immune system, you can’t use an anti-ageing serum every 30 days and expect it to make an improvement. Even the most potent, proven skincare ingredients, such as retinol, require regular use if they’re to stimulate collagen production. The effect is cumulative, so you’ll have to water your collagen supply daily for it to grow.

Is a facial worth it?

Does this mean all facials are a waste of time? Certainly not. They’re an incredibly pampering experience. But some are more effective than others. The best kind will leave you with a radiance that extends beyond the day you experience them. There are also those that will use medical-grade aesthetic devices, something you couldn’t use at home, to deliver superior results.

Exfoliate effectively

One of the hallmarks of a great facial is how your skin is “prepped”. Aside from a cleanse, you’ll want to rid your skin of the dry, dead skin cells that clog the surface. If not, these congest the surface of your skin. This makes it difficult for any applied products to fully penetrate.

One way to do this is via microdermabrasion. This involves blowing a jet stream of air containing medical-grade crystals that gently buff the outermost layers of your skin. Don’t worry, this isn’t painful in the least and most people describe it as feeling like a soft, tickling sensation.

Another way to exfoliate effectively is via hydrodermabrasion. Instead of using crystals, your therapist will use water jets to rid your complexion of the dead, dry skin cells that can clog your pores and dull your natural glow. The result is smoother, more radiant-looking skin. 

Facial ingredients which penetrate like a pro  

Like we said, you want your skincare actives to travel into the deeper layers of your skin where they can be truly effective. Merely layering them on the surface will only get you so far. This is where a cutting-edge transdermal mesotherapy machine can use electroporation technology to make all the difference.

Electro-what?! Relax! It doesn’t involve any kind of electric shock. It uses gentle electrical pulses to painlessly deliver medical-grade serums into the deeper layers of your skin via its water channels. Most patients would describe the treatment as rather soothing.

Choose wisely

Just about every beauty salon offers facials. But it makes a lot more sense to opt for those offered by an aesthetic clinic staffed with doctors and highly-skilled therapists. They’ll be able to assess your skin and create a targeted treatment plan.  One that will be the best solution to any of your concerns using medical-grade skincare products and devices. Also, many of the skincare products you’ll find in a spa or beauty salon have been formulated to pamper. This means they might smell fantastic and be packaged in pretty but unhygienic jars that don’t keep the active ingredients from oxidation. (This is when they start to degrade and lose potency after being exposed to air.)

Why is medical grade best?

Medical grade skincare products include anti-ageing ingredients at high percentages proven to be the most effective. Often, the skincare product you’ll buy in a department store will boast about the fact that it contains a superstar anti-ageing ingredient like retinol. But it won’t tell you that it’s included in a very tiny percentage that isn’t likely to make a visible difference. You can then take these home and continue to use them regularly to ensure you truly reap the benefits. Not just for one day, but for a lifetime of healthy, younger-looking skin!

Nice write up on this page on how medical cosmeceuticals are better.