Dr. Costi’s Dermatology Clinic offers advanced medical facials to cleanse, exfoliate, extract, and hydrate skin using a combination of medical-grade products and tools. Suitable for a variety of skin types, these highly-customizable treatments improve the appearance of several skin concerns including fine lines and wrinkles, skin firmness, skin texture, pore congestion, and acne.
A medical facial follows the same general steps as a classic spa facial, including cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, and hydration. The primary difference between these two treatments is that medical facials are performed in a physician’s office using medical-grade products and tools. The overall results are therefore appear more effective. Since medical facials are performed within a physician’s office, the skincare professional administering the treatment is able to affect the skin at a deeper level. For example, a low concentration chemical peel may be used during a classic spa facial, whereas high-concentration, unbuffered acids can be used during a medical facial.
Medical facials are highly customizable and can be tailored to your specific skin needs and concerns. Additional treatment add-ons such a dermaplaning may be incorporated to physically exfoliate the top layer of the skin and enhance the absorption of the chemical peel solution. Medical facials are also an effective complement to in-office treatments such as dermal fillers and laser skin resurfacing.
A medical facial is generally performed in a physician’s office. During the treatment, your skincare professional will cleanse, steam, exfoliate, and replenish your skin using a combination of modalities such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and dermaplaning. Additional treatments including microcurrent, LED light therapy, ultrasound, intense pulsed light (IPL), radio frequency, or microneedling may also be incorporated.
Depending on the treatments performed, the facial may last 30 minutes to 1 hour. You may also experience some mild discomfort and downtime. This is contingent upon the concentration of ingredients used and what procedures were performed. After the procedure is completed, it is important that you follow the post-procedure protocol outlined by your skincare professional. This is especially important if your medical facial incorporates treatments that increase your skin’s sensitivity to UV light.
When and how often to get a medical facial depends on a variety of factors including skin concerns, desired outcome, and the type of treatment performed. If you are looking to improve chronic acne, you may benefit from a series of medical facials spaced 4-6 weeks apart. If you are seeking quick skin rejuvenation to improve radiance prior to a big event, you may benefit from a single medical facial. However, the results are generally more pronounced after a series of treatments.
Since these facial treatments leverage medical-grade products and tools, it is recommended that they are performed during periods when sun exposure will be limited. This does not necessarily eliminate the summer months, but it is important to be very diligent about sun protection.