Tanning is real. Whether it’s from a fun vacation on the beach side, or routine exposure to sun—we all get tanning. But, there are ways to deal with it other than the regular salon visits and anti-tan facials. Even facials are evolving. They don’t just come in different prices, and packages, but with a whole different science and approach.
There are three kinds of facials: medical facials, salon facials and hydrafacial. Though at times, they are called interchangeably. But it shouldn’t.
Hydraacial: the brand name that overlapped everything
Hydrafacial isn’t a facial technique and should not be confused with one. It’s a trademarked brand name known for its multi-step approach to facial rejuvenation. Relatively easy and non-invasive, it involves a hydration method using a patented device called Vortex-Fusion.
While it may offer immediate hydration, it may not deliver the same level of clinical results as medical facials, especially when it comes to addressing specific skin concerns. Remember, skincare is a routine, be careful before you take a quick way out.
Salon Facials: the pampering process
Commonly offered in beauty salons, spas, or wellness centres, this is a typical facial performed by estheticians who specialise in skincare. It usually incorporates standard skincare procedures using commercially available products.
However, due to lack of medical know-how, equipment, and access to the same ingredients as dermatologists, estheticians end up resorting to more readily available ingredients like bleach, and chemical peels for instant glow which can damage your skin.
Salon facials also use steam and hand massages which are not good for skin as they can lead to faster skin sagging. For long-term healthy skin, it’s best to avoid hand massages.
Medical Facials: the way to go
Medical facials or clinical facials, are professional skincare treatments administered under the supervision of a licensed medical professional, such as a dermatologist or a trained aesthetician.
Different from salon facials, they use pure oxygen and mesoporation—a non-invasive skin rejuvenation technique in which electrical pulses infuse the required vitamins and serums into your skin in their safest form. These ingredients are responsible for skin lightening, hydration, anti-ageing, etc. Medical facials involve three steps.
Cleansing: Cleansing ensures that the skin is free from any barriers that could hinder the treatment’s effectiveness.
Microdermabrasion: This is essentially exfoliation; it involves gently rotating diamond crystals using a machine on your skin to remove any dead skin.
Conductive gel application: Involves applying a conductive gel containing active ingredients like acids and vitamins, to your skin. This helps facilitate the transmission of electrical pulses and enhances the penetration of the active ingredients deeper in the skin.
Mesoporation: Also known as needle-free mesotherapy or electroporation, it is a non-invasive cosmetic treatment that uses mild electrical currents to enhance the delivery of serums and active ingredients into the deeper layers of the skin. It is a safe and painless alternative to traditional mesotherapy, which uses injections. Finally, depending on your skin type the aesthetician will apply a facepack to soothe your skin, reduce any inflammation, and give your skin a hydrated and healthy glow.
These steps are present in HydraFacial as well, however, a dermatologist knows what sort of ingredients need to be infused into your skin depending on one's age, skin type, smoking or drinking habits, lifestyle, etc.
In the realm of skincare, there are an array of treatments—just make sure you know the specifics of it all before getting something done.
