What Is a HydraFacial? How It Works?
Everyone wants smooth, bright, and youthful-looking skin. Instead of spending a fortune on oils, creams, essences, and serums in a multistep skin-care routine, you may be able to achieve a natural glow with a facial that some say is rising in popularity.
Proponents of the trendy treatment, called the HydraFacial, bill it as a way to pursue and maintain long-term skin health, which makes it more than your typical spa treatment. According to the HydraFacial website, a HydraFacial is performed every 15 seconds, and it is currently available in more than 80 countries, including the United States.
“The HydraFacial is a multistep facial treatment typically performed with a proprietary machine (HydraFacial MD) manufactured by Edge Systems. In one session, aestheticians can use the HydraFacial [device] to cleanse, exfoliate, extract, and deliver a variety of rejuvenating serums,” explains Glen Crawford, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology Group in Philadelphia.
It’s become an in-demand service because it creates an instant “wow factor” in terms of brightening and firming skin, says Sarah Akram, master aesthetician at Sarah Akram Skincare in Alexandria, Virginia. People can get the treatment before a big event or regularly to maintain skin health, she adds.
How Does a HydraFacial Work Exactly?
The HydraFacial is similar to another treatment called microdermabrasion, says Akram. Microdermabrasion uses a “mildly abrasive instrument to gently sand your skin, removing the thicker, uneven outer layer,” according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
That said, it’s not exactly microdermabrasion, and some people say it’s far better. “The [HydraFacial] device uses an exfoliating tip paired with suction to remove dead skin cells from the surface of your face,” says Akram. After skin is exfoliated, serums are infused into the skin, she says. That last step is the key reason proponents say it’s so effective.
There are three steps in the HydraFacial treatment, according to the company. There is no downtime — a common word for recovery time in dermatology — and the entire treatment can be done in as little as 30 minutes.