Microdermabrasion Home Kit Use Has Some Benefits
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- If you'd like to reduce wrinkles and sun spots, it can be expensive to go to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon; but now, you can do your own microdermabrasion for a lot less money at home.
KDKA-TV tried it out under the supervision of a doctor to see if it really works.
Cherie Truskey had high hopes for the $70 DermaNew home microdermabrasion kit.
"Reduce sun spots and I'm getting to the age where the wrinkles I wake up with in the morning aren't going away," said Truskey.
The DermaNew website says it "diminshes wrinkles, fine lines and pore size and decreases visible signs of aging and sun damage."
Giving it a try, Truskey dots the gritty cream on her skin and then uses the vibrating wand to rub it around.
Facial plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Leong says what it does is remove the top layer of dead skin cells.
"I think if you were truly diligent with it over a period of several months, I certainly think there is some benefit," said Dr. Leong." I mean exfoliating the skin is something that's an age old practice."
Truskey took the kit home and used it three times a week for two weeks, as the directions recommend. She found her fine lines became less noticeable and her dry patch went away, but it did not diminish her brown spots or real wrinkles.
"Our experience is most people who get the home kit and take a swing at getting rid of dark spots tend to be rather disappointed after two years of doing that and not budging the dark spots," said Dr. Leong.
Professional microdermabrasion is much stronger than the home kit.
"Medical grade has a vacuum component and high air flow that's brushing the skin, almost like air blasting the skin, like sandblasting paint off old building," added Dr. Leong.
Dr. Leong did a professional microdermabrasion treatment on one side of Truskey 's face, and it was a much different result from the home kit.
However, Dr. Leong says even the medical grade microdermabrasion isn't designed to remove wrinkles and sun spots. He says lasers are often the best treatment for that, with microdermabrasion to supplement.
He says a home-kit can be helpful if someone can't come in for the series of six, monthly microdermabrasion treatments.
"By using a home kit, we found some patients can successfully space that out and maybe come in every two months or even three months," Dr. Leong explained.
Dr. Leong says if you do use any home kit, be sure to stay within the directions.
Some people can irritate their skin by over-using them in trying to get better results.
The cost of medical microdermabrasion is about $600 for a series of six. Laser treatment is several thousand dollars.
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