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Blasting Away Imperfections by Elvira Maricic

If you've ever seen how refreshed an old stone building looks after a thorough sandblasting, you're on your way to understanding the effects of microdermabrasion.

Originally developed in Italy by an engineering firm, microdermabrasion became a staple of Italian spa programs, where it was performed by technicians rather than dermatologists. The procedure is relatively new to the United States and has gained popularity in the past few years. "Everyone was skeptical of it at first," says Edmond Griffin, MD, a dermatologist with the Dermatology Associates of Atlanta. "It got a good start in California, where people are more likely to take advantage of spas," he says. "They would go once a week for five to seven weeks, and their skin would have a freshness and brighter look to it."

The procedure is an alternative to chemical peels and laser resurfacing. It involves spraying a stream of tiny, sand-like abrasive crystals over the skin and, using a highly controlled vacuum, removing the dead epidermal layer. "You almost have to see it as a sandblasting, and it is really," says Dr. Griffin. "It's a little glass tube that is placed over the skin and tiny aluminum crystals hit the skin and abrade it. It brushes away the damaged cell layers and at the same time that it brushes those away, it encourages the skin to start producing new layers."

No Anesthesia Required

Microdermabrasion is used to treat sun damaged skin, acne and thickened scars, fine lines, and stretch marks. It gives skin a smooth, soft, and brighter appearance. The FDA-approved procedure is relatively painless and does not require anesthesia. Best of all, because it only takes 15 to 30 minutes per treatment session, it can be done on your lunchhour. While microdermabrasion does minimize the appearance of fine lines, it does not eliminate wrinkles. "You may see ads that like to claim that it does, but it doesn't go deep enough to really produce that kind of change," notes Dr. Griffin. It works better on lighter age spots than darker ones, and additionally, it makes bleaching treatments used on age spots more effective because they sink in more easily after microdermabrasion.

The jury is still out on whether the procedure actually improves the appearance of stretch marks. Some dermatologists, including Dr. Griffin, are skeptical. "I've never seen any greatly improved stretch marks," he says. "I think the claim is overrated." Microdermabrasion also does not remove acne scars and pitting; rather, the procedure smoothes down their edges, making them temporarily appear better.

For patients with sun damaged skin, the procedure removes the dead layer of skin and encourages what Dr. Griffin refers to as normalization of the skin. "If your skin is multiplying faster that it should be because of sun damage and because of what we call sun-stimulated skin, microdermabrasion helps quiet that down and normalize it by getting rid of very damaged skin that's on the uppermost layer. When the damaged skin is peeled off, the body doesn't react against it so much because there are fewer abnormal cells there," he says. "If you go deeper you can push more of those cells off. This is done by either increasing the power of the unit or increasing the time that the device is left on a particular area."

Multiple Sessions Required

The downside to microdermabrasion is that it is not permanent. "It's an ongoing treatment modality," says Dr. Griffin. Most patients require five to seven sessions initially, with maintenance treatments necessary several weeks later.

Complications are rare, but they can happen. "If you don't protect the eyes well, the sand can get into the eye." notes Dr. Griffin. "Also, if it's held in one spot too long, it can certainly cause a mild abrasion or the area might be raw for a while. And any time you injure the skin, you may cause a little bit of extra pigment to come to it. It certainly doesn't go deep enough to cause hyperpigmentation, and we haven't seen any scarring from that," he says.

Cost varies by the total volume and the area that is treated. "There are package deals that generally range from about $750 for a five-to-seven-treatment session," says Dr. Griffin."Individually, treatments may range from $150 to $250 per session, depending on which area of the country you are in as well as by the size of the area that is being treated.

"For stretch marks, if there are just a few of them, it might be in the $100 range; if there are many, it may go up to $400. Back peeling can be way up there, but the back of the hands may be only $50. Prices vary by the total volume that is treated, and the number of sessions that are planned," he says.

Finally, while many dermatologists perform microdermabrasion and are probably best suited to perform it, the procedure is also done by estheticians in spas and clinics. Because many states do not have guidelines for the procedure, it is best to look for an esthetician with a license (if the state requires it) or years of experience.