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About face BEAUTY is only skin deep, they say. Be that as it may, many women see their skin as the basic palette for their appearance.
Microdermabrasion helps to
turn back the clock
on aging skin
By Cynthia Oi
Star-BulletinBut time etches its passage with lines, wrinkles and age spots. Makeup can cover only so much. What to do, what to do?
Many women (and just a few men) are turning their faces to microdermabrasion.
The polysyllabic term refers to a procedure in which a machine discharges tiny crystals of the mineral corundum, or aluminum oxide, to buff off outer skin, exposing a fresh layer. The machine then sucks up the old skin and used crystals, sort of like a vacuum cleaner.
Dr. Jenny Stone, a dermatologist with Straub Clinic & Hospital, which recently began offering the treatment that it calls Particle Skin Resurfacing, says the procedure when done properly, is safe and painless.
"I've had it done," she said. When the resurfacing machine arrived at Straub, "we all tried it.""It feels like a cat licking your face," she said. "There is no more discomfort than that."
The result? "The skin feels nice and smooth."
Several isle dermatologists, as well as spas and salons, perform microdermabrasion.
"It's a growing thing," said Helen Rapoza, owner of Helen's Haven, a facial salon in Kahala. She has been offering "Power Peels" for about two years.
"It's the new wave of skin care," said Nicole Santiago of Ampy's European Facials and Body Spa on Kapiolani Boulevard. About 30 to 50 clients a week come in for the treatment, she said.
Dr. Gregory Herbich, a cosmetic surgeon and dermatologist, said the procedure has become popular at his offices on Maui and Oahu. His technician, Nominique Merrill, said she treats three to four clients a day.
Stone said microdermabrasion "is not a major procedure."
P> "It works to minimize wrinkles, superficial pigmentation lesions, darkening of the skin in patches after pregnancy or if you take birth control pills," she said.Herbich said whether done by an esthetician in a spa or salon or a medical professional, microdermabrasion is safe when it involves only the top layer of skin or the stratum corneum.
Spa machines are generally not as powerful as those used in a doctor's office, he said. But as long as treatment is done under sterile conditions, there should be no problems, Herbich said.
Both doctors and salon technicians say most people can have microdermabrasion, but there are skin conditions that may prohibit the procedure:
"As long as there is no active infection it can be done on all types of skin, dark or light," Stone says.Acne, where there are lots of active lesions. "They need to be under control first," Stone says.
The procedure helps those with acne because it clears clogged pores and helps topical medicines penetrate, she says.
Cost runs from about $100 to $150 per treatment. Some salons and doctors offer discounts for multiple sessions. (Most health plans don't cover the cost because the procedure is considered cosmetic.)
The number of treatments depends on what the person wants and the condition of the skin, Stone says, but multiple treatments are recommended for best results.
Rapoza says most of her clients get three to six treatments. At first, treatments are spaced out every other week, then one every three weeks to a month.
"It's not a miracle thing," she says. "You're not going to look 20 years younger. It won't totally remove wrinkles, but helps diminish them. Your skin will have a glow and a fresh look. People are thrilled when they see the results."
Some call the procedure the "lunch-time peel" because the procedure takes only about 30 to 45 minutes. Merrill, who also works with other Honolulu dermatologists, said the skin will appear pink after treatment, but other than that, there are no side effects or down times like there are for laser and acid peels.
"People come in at lunch time and can go right back to work," she says.
Stone recommends a medical professional be consulted before the treatment. At Straub, a nurse practitioner initially assesses a client in consultation and with supervision of a dermatologist, she says.
Herbich says seeing a doctor is the client's choice. One reason he recommends doing so is to explore all the options a person may have in trying to improve the quality of their skin."There may be other ways to achieve what you want," he says.
Both Santiago and Rapoza say they are careful to refer people with severe skin difficulties to a medical professional.
"We do an analysis in the salon, and if there's a major problem, I tell them to see a doctor," Rapoza says.
After treatment, Stone recommends staying out of the sun, especially if you've had a pigment problem treated.
"It only makes sense to avoid the sun if the sun is what caused the original problem," she says.
Ampy's Santiago says most clients are in their late 30s or 40s, but she's treated teen-age girls as well as those in their 20s.
Susan Clines, 44, a rental manager for JN Chevrolet, says her doctor suggested she try microdermabrasion after she complained about acne scars and lines. She went to Straub for six treatments and is very pleased with the results.
"My skin feels oh so soft," she says, almost purring. "Some people who hadn't seen me in a couple of months said I looked younger."
Her skin seldom breaks out anymore, and her mother, who is 64, was so impressed she also began microdermabrasion.
"It makes me feel younger and better about myself," Clines says.
Francine Maki's skin was noticeably smoother after a recent session at Helen's. Maki, 45, has had seven treatments and has seen brown age patches on her face almost disappear.
The treatment is worth the cost, she says, relaxing in the lounge chair.
Clines echoes that. "To any woman who wants to look better, I say go for it, do it."
"Maintenance of skin is important and should start early," says Santiago, who at 23, has had microdermabrasion. "It's like exercising and taking care of your body. You start in your youth and then maintain as you get older to stay young."
Rapoza agrees. She's 38 years old, but has her face treated regularly.
"Oh, yeah, honey, I do it, 'cause I'm not getting old."
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