Everyone is looking for the fountain of youth, and many manufacturers claim they have found it. They will tell you that you can reclaim your youthful, plump, and dewy skin and erase your wrinkles, but only if you use their products. These products and services range from moisturisers and serums that you can buy at your local drugstore to laser skin resurfacing and plasma-rich platelet treatments, which can only must be performed by a doctor or medical technician.
What do you believe? If you really want to see and feel a difference in your skin, do you have to go to a professional at a medical spa, or can you use over-the-counter products? Facials, including mud masks and chemical peels, are among the most common rejuvenating treatments, and many women (and men) swear by them, but do they work? First, let us discuss what they are and what you can expect when you make an appointment for a facial.
What is a Facial?
Whether or not a facial can actually turn back time, we can say for sure that it is a great way to care for your skin. When you go to a skin care professional for a facial, you will first have a consultation with your esthetician. They may give you a form to fill out about your skin care regimen, hydration, rest, and diet, or they may just discuss these things with you before continuing.
After the consultation, your esthetician will cleanse your face, do a skin analysis, and then apply steam, exfoliate your skin (usually with a chemical peel or microdermabrasion), and extract any blackheads or whiteheads. After that, they will massage your face, apply a mud mask or some other therapeutic mask, and finally, they will apply a toner, moisturiser, and sun block to protect your skin when you leave.
Why So Many Steps?
The purpose of a facial is to give your face the complete care it needs. Persistent blackheads and whiteheads need to be extracted rather than popped to avoid scarring. Old, dead and dying skin cells tend to hang onto your face and give your skin a dull, flaky appearance. However, everyone is different, and different products and services are better for different people.
This is why your esthetician will cleanse your skin and then perform a skin analysis. During the analysis, your esthetician will examine your skin under a magnifying light. This will show them if you have oily or dry skin, if your pores need a restricting toner, where blackheads and whiteheads are hiding and in need of extraction, etc. It will also help them decide what exfoliating process is right for you.
Chemical Peel vs. Microdermabrasion
With microdermabrasion and other exfoliating techniques like it, the dead skin cells clinging to your face are physically scrubbed away. Microdermabrasion involves spraying a fine mist of almost microscopic particles over your face to buff away dead skin cells. A chemical peel, on the other hand, uses enzymes and other abrasive chemicals to chemically eat away at the dead and dying skin cells of your epidermis.
Both techniques are very effective. They both promote blood flow to the surface of the skin and stimulate collagen production to help in the growth and repair of new, young skin cells. The simple fact is some skin types react better to one treatment or the other, and your esthetician can help you choose the best one for you.
Is It the Fountain of Youth?
Well, facials may not get rid of all of your wrinkles and age spots, but they can significantly reduce them. They also leave your skin refreshed and moisturised, and they leave you feeling revitalised, too. So, do facials really help rejuvenate you? Absolutely.
