Are facials good or bad for our skin?

How many of us book appointments for clean-up and facials at a salon regularly? We are all guilty of spending huge amounts of money and time on skin care. Yes, there is nothing wrong with it. A glowing, flawless and youthful skin is every woman’s dream come true. With gorgeous skin comes confidence, beauty, and of course, compliments. Hence, we tend to try everything that is available in the market which claims to make our skin great. The most common among them is getting facials done at a salon by a beautician or an aesthetician.

Now comes the million dollar question: Are facials good for the skin? Do they actually make your skin soft and supple with long-lasting effects?

Well, yes and no!

What does a facial do?

A facial is a skin treatment done by an aesthetician that involves massaging the face with fragrant creams and lotions, giving steam to the face, extracting blackheads, exfoliating dead skin, and finally, toning the skin by using face packs. All this pampering leaves the skin rosy, soft and supple. The massaging gives a temporary plumpness to the skin, with the black heads extracted skin texture appears clean; the tightening of pores makes the skin look firm and refreshed. As a result, post-facial, for a few days, skin looks rejuvenated and beautiful. The glowing complexion is a result of stimulation with various creams. This total pampering and spending money on yourself makes you feel good and positive.

But alas! These effects are short-lived. The benefits of a facial are temporary. Many women complain of skin breaking into zits or pimples (acne) few days after a facial. Some even come home with dry reddish skin. The reasons could be:

• The massaging creams might not be suitable for you, for example, an acne prone skin requires a non-comedogenic (oil free) moisturizer.
• The extracting instruments might not be sterilized, allowing germs to penetrate the skin.
• Too much exfoliating causes skin to dry and become irritated.
• The aesthetician might be an inexperienced person.

Another lie which you are often led to believe is that facial creams smooth out wrinkles. This is far from true. There is no moisturizer manufactured whose molecules can erase wrinkles. A facial only does superficial cleansing and toning. There are other creams available, which treat wrinkles. But these have to be used only as prescribed by a dermatologist.

Opt for a facial only if you want some good massage with temporary solutions for good skin, lasting for a few days.

So, is there no answer to a woman’s skin needs? Do not get disheartened, pretty ladies! Dermatologists have a solution to our beauty prayers.

After a not so good experience with post facial acne, the dermatologist I consulted gave me options of microdermabrasion and chemical peels for long-lasting effects. The good news is that these procedures are carried out by doctors, who specialize in skin and are done in a safe and sterilized environment.

Microdermabrasion:

Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive and chemical free method used to exfoliate the skin. A fine spray of crystals is used to remove the dead outer layer of cells revealing fresh, smooth and healthier looking skin. This treatment buffers and polishes the skin. It is also useful to remove fine lines and pigmentation.

You might have to attend a series of sessions spaced over a few weeks apart.  Depending on your skin type, the dermatologist will tell you the number of sessions required. Each sitting may take around 30 minutes. After few sessions, you will start noticing results. Results last throughout the course of treatment, and even afterwards. The cost of each sitting depends upon individual dermatologist and where they are located. However, it could cost between Rs.1000-Rs. 2500.

Chemical Peel:

A chemical peel is a medical technique in which a small amount of chemical substance is applied all over the face and neck with a brush. The chemical peels off or exfoliates the superficial layer of skin. The new skin is smooth, even and glowing. There are a variety of peels with different benefits suiting various skin types.

For best results, you will be given a schedule of 3-6 peels depending on your skin type and problem areas. The procedure takes around 30 minutes. Cost varies according to the type of peel used, the place where the procedure is done and of course the popularity of the dermatologist. Roughly it might cost around Rs.1000 to Rs.5000. The results after completing a series of peel sittings are great, often lasting up to months together.

The effects of these treatments are not immediate. They are seen after a week or so. But the technology used in both these procedures make the results long lasting, gradually improving the general condition of skin and slowing down the ageing process.

A Word of Caution:

It is important that you get these procedures done only by dermatologists and not some quacks, who claim to have mastered the technique. The reason being, firstly, a skin doctor will educate you about proper precautions to be taken before and after the procedure. Secondly, in the unlikely case of a side effect, the doctor can quickly address it and find a remedy for it.

So, ladies, the result is out! If you wish for a healthy, glowing, acne free skin, which ages much slower than your neighbour’s, then talk to your dermatologist about various options and select the treatment best suitable for you.