Hundreds of thousands of people are living with irritating, embarrassing skin conditions. Anything from acne to psoriasis, hair loss, even types of skin cancer. The average wait time to see a dermatologist is around three months, and while at-home treatments are great, they aren’t always reasonable for treating serious skin issues.
Luckily there are professionals outside of the medical realm who are familiar with treating these conditions. Aside from the every-day facial, quite a few spas and salons offer advanced skin care options.
But what exactly does that mean? And how pricey is it?
We’re here to help you understand the purpose of advanced treatments, how you can benefit from them, and what to expect when getting one.
Chemical peels
The most well-known skin treatments on the market, aside from facials, are chemical peels. You may be familiar with the name but not the actual process. That’s where we come in! Peels are most commonly used to rejuvenate skin, so anyone interested in anti-aging treatments may want to look into this area more. Acid is used in varying strengths to correct irregularities and spots. Pricing varies, so check with your preferred spa or skin care center.
Microdermabrasion
This procedure is used to remove age spots and scars on the surface of the skin. It’s a customer favorite for wrinkles because of the quick in-and-out procedure. There are various types of microdermabrasion, but at its core, a small instrument sprays crystals onto the skin that exfoliate, removing dead skin cells.
Cold Laser Therapy
Cold laser therapy is low-intensity, meaning that the levels of light won’t heat up your skin. But it’s enough to work against tumors and coagulated tissue while simultaneously promoting healing. Wavelengths of light are applied to the surface of the skin by the practitioner – your body absorbs the wavelengths and cause a reaction, kick-starting regeneration. We know the word “laser” might be a little intimidating, but it’s a painless procedure that takes only a few minutes depending on what problem areas are being treated.
Facials for men
Skin care isn’t just for women, and the men out there shouldn’t be afraid to pursue the right treatments for their skin type. They do have the option of exploring any of the other procedures in this article, but we wanted to bring attention to facials specific to men’s skin.
An aromasque facial uses aromatic oils to hydrate and relax muscles in the face. It’s great for anyone under stress and tension, and it brings a bit of rejuvenation to dull skin. A regenerating facial does just that – hydrates the skin to promote regeneration for anyone who has experienced sun exposure and premature aging.
Acne blue light therapy
This is one type of therapy that is actually available for at-home use if you’re willing to spend the money (anywhere from $100 – $300) on the necessary instruments.
Acne is extremely prevalent in today’s population, with about 17 million people in America alone dealing with it. You can thank a certain type of bacteria for the existence of acne. Luckily, that bacteria can be destroyed by exposing the surface of the skin to different types of light. When the light touches the oils in the skin, acne gets attacked and destroyed.
Blue light is the most commonly used for treating acne and can cause a 73% reduction in irritation. Effects last a few weeks after exposure, so it is a process that will have to be repeated, but there have been many happy customers treated with blue light therapy.
Thermage
Similar to a chemical peel, Thermage is used mainly for skin rejuvenation in specific areas. It tightens the contours of the face and neck by passing a radio frequency device over the face with slight contact to the skin. The radio waves penetrate layers of skin to stimulate the growth of collagen, a type of structural protein that tightens and firms skin. Thermage can be used on all skin types and the results are often visible immediately after the procedure.
Fortunately there are many different types of procedures to treat many different kinds of skin problems, from chronic to acute. While most involve going to some kind of specialist, they tend to cut out the need for medication and in some cases harsh chemicals.
Keep in mind that side effects can include dryness, irritation, temporary redness, and rarely skin infections. Do your research before choosing a facility and professional that fits your needs!