The Science Behind Facial Treatments: How They Work To Enhance Your Skin
Skincare has become a serious pursuit for many trying to achieve smooth, clear, and youthful-looking skin. The options seem endless, from creams and serums to devices and in-clinic procedures.
A 2022 survey revealed that Americans spend an average of USD$ 722 on skin care, driving the sector’s projected value to USD$ 186 billion by 2028.
But with so many products and treatments on the market, how do you know what will actually work? Understanding the science behind today’s most popular facial treatments can help decipher marketing claims and determine what’s best for your unique skin goals.
Modern solutions to skin problems
As we age, cell turnover slows, oil production shifts, inflammation increases, and microbiome balance is disrupted – all impacting facial skin function and aesthetics.
Facial treatments aim to target and correct these biological factors. Even so, categories like HydraFacials, lasers, peels, needling, and topicals do so differently.
- HydraFacial treatments
HydraFacials have become more popular over recent years as a soothing, versatile treatment for refreshing and rejuvenating skin. These three-step treatments use a unique spiral tip attached to a device that simultaneously cleanses, exfoliates, and extracts impurities, while infusing the skin with hydrating serums filled with antioxidants, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and other replenishing ingredients.
How they work
The hydra dermabrasion component uses a mild chemical solution and vacuum pressure to gently slough away dead skin cells along with dirt and oil lodged within pores. Customizable boosters can also be incorporated to target specific skin concerns like fine lines, uneven pigment, breakouts, and dullness. The infusion of the nutrient-rich serum helps reduce inflammation, boost circulation, plump skin, and restore a healthy glow.
Who are they for
Regular and consistent treatments are required to optimize HydraFacial benefits, helping you maintain a clear, balanced, radiant complexion. For those seeking a monthly skin tune-up with immediate results and no irritation, such treatments are an excellent facial rejuvenation option.
Are HydraFacials safe?
HydraFacial treatments require no downtime, can be done in 30 minutes, and are safe for most skin types. Some mild redness may occur, which typically resolves in a few hours.
- Light- and heat-based facial devices
Lasers and related energy devices directly target light on the skin, where it’s converted to heat energy. This triggers biological changes to improve skin concerns without significantly damaging the skin’s surface.
How they work
Intense pulsed light (IPL) and radiofrequency (RF) devices use electromagnetic energy to generate heat and spur collagen production, cell turnover, and tissue tightening.
Popular options like fractional CO2 and erbium lasers use traditional ablative laser energy to remove thin columns of tissue and penetrate deeper layers to stimulate new collagen for smoother, firmer, and tighter skin. Non-ablative fractional lasers keep the surface intact while heating underlying layers.
Who are they for
IPL targets pigmentation issues like age spots and small vessels. Meanwhile, radiofrequency treatments using microneedling direct energy to the skin’s deeper layers to improve texture and laxity. Combining RF microneedling with laser treats multiple concerns during one session with minimal downtime.
How safe are they?
Heating skin too much can cause adverse effects, so medical professionals must determine the safe treatment parameters for each patient. Although rare, patients can develop erythema or abnormal skin redness due to allergy or inflammation.
- Skin needling procedures
These treatments use sterile miniature needle pins to create controlled micro-injuries that spur natural wound healing, collagen production, and other tissue changes. Needle pin devices with motorized or stamping motions allow adjustment of needle size, puncture depth, and pattern tailored to the patient and area being treated.
Who are they for
Popular microneedling options treat concerns like enlarged pores, fine lines, scars, stretch marks, and laxity on both the face and body. Collagen induction therapy (CIT) uses wider needle gauges for advanced rejuvenation and to address deeper scars.
What to expect
Post-treatment effects like minor bleeding, redness, swelling, and dryness typically resolve within a few days. To avoid infection risks, ensure your aesthetician follows proper sanitization practices.
- Chemical exfoliation with acids and enzymes
Chemical peels have been around for a long time, making them one of the more traditional methods for skin renewal. They loosen dead cells and boost new ones using acids and enzymes tailored to each facial rejuvenation need. Various peel depths and ingredient combinations allow customization, from light lunchtime refreshers to deeper treatments targeting acne scars, melasma, and photodamage.
What are your options?
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), like glycolic and lactic acids, exfoliate the epidermis to smooth fine lines, even skin tone, and boost radiance. Gentler polyhydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), like salicylic acid, penetrate pores to reduce acne, regulate oil, and brighten dull skin.
Enzymes like bromelain dissolve surface skin cells without irritation often caused by acids. At higher strengths, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peels help resurface skin via controlled injury to accelerate healing.
Post-treatment issues
Potential side effects like redness, peeling, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may be experienced by some patients. This highlights the need for precision when using peeling treatments.
- Topicals
Facial treatments don’t always require devices. Topical products with key active ingredients rely on science to alleviate skin concerns like aging, acne, and hyperpigmentation. Integrating them into your self-care routine at home or in the spa is a no-brainer.
How they work
Topical vitamin C, alpha hydroxy acids, growth factors, and retinoids boost collagen production and cell turnover to reduce fine lines, improve texture, protect from oxidative damage, and improve skin tone or color.
At the same time, lightening agents like hydroquinone, as well as kojic, azelaic, and tranexamic acids, interrupt pathways that produce excess melanin to fade areas of unwanted pigment like melasma.
Who are they for
Because topical products typically take a long time to work, experts recommend using them early. That said, it’s not advisable for persons who want a quick fix to their skin concerns. Knowing the active ingredients and the product’s biological mechanisms helps determine which products may benefit your facial rejuvenation goals.
Individualized skin care is best
While technological advances allow for significant facial transformations, no single device, peel, or injection suits every patient or area of a person’s face. An individualized approach factoring skin type, concerns, and goals optimizes the results and minimizes the likelihood of complications.
Professional skincare providers invest ample time in educating patients and customizing multi-pronged regimens for long-lasting and effective facial rejuvenation. They blend evidence-based protocols with an artistic eye for balanced facial aesthetics.
Falling for marketing hype without the guidance of a qualified practitioner leads to wasted time and money. It increases the risk of complications in some cases. Thus, finding an experienced, trustworthy skincare specialist should be the priority for those seeking visible results.