How Can Microdermabrasion Help Solve Your Acne Problem?

There are a growing number of alternative acne treatments in today’s skin health industry.  The big question is which of these treatments will prove to consistently be effective and which ones will slowly be eliminated from your skin specialists’ repertoire.  Microdermabrasion has been in the discussion for quite a while.  It has proven to be effective in addressing acne issues in a variety of circumstances; however it is definitely not a cure-all.  This is a closer look at the three primary stages in which you can address acne and how microdermabrasion fits into each one.

Dealing with Active Acne

Most people, especially early on, don’t do much to deal with their acne until it has become a significant problem.  Microdermabrasion has shown to be effective at helping treat mild acne which is caused primarily from clogged pores.  If you are already suffering a serious acne breakout then microdermabrasion may not be the best solution.  At the same time, it can be an effective tool to supplement your current regime of antibiotics and every day preventative creams.

Preventing Acne Outbreaks

There are a growing number of people who support using microdermabrasion to help prevent acne outbreaks from happening.  This is because microdermabrasion can help you minimize the initial clogging of your pores and prevent additional comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) from forming.  During an acne outbreak, comedones become inflamed and can lead to extremely tender skin in the surrounding area.  Similar to dealing with active acne, microdermabrasion is beneficial; however it should be combined with other resources such as topical or oral prescription strength medications.

Eliminating Acne Scars

If there is one area of dealing with acne which allows microdermabrasion to shine, it is when you are dealing with acne scars.  It is important to keep in mind that microdermabrasion is essentially an enhanced exfoliation procedure.  This means that it won’t create any physiological benefits for your skin.  At the same time, it is ideal for making your skin more receptive to other medications.  As a result, it allows them to penetrate deeper into your skin and also be more evenly distributed.  Both of these characteristics will make your other medications significantly more effective.

The primary alternative to microdermabrasion when deciding how to address acne scars is an acne laser treatment.  These types of treatments can directly address acne scars and will not always require additional treatments, although multiple sessions will be likely.

Where Will Microdermabrasion Fit into Your Acne Treatment Regime?

There is no doubt that microdermabrasion can be ineffective complementary treatment which can enhance the effectiveness of prescription grade topical creams.  If you are dealing with active acne, then microdermabrasion will only be beneficial during the early stages of an outbreak.  It will not eliminate your current acne; however it can play a significant role in helping prevent the outbreak from spreading.  They can also be used to enhance your acne prevention routine by exposing healthier skin and allowing your other treatments to penetrate more evenly and deeply into your skin.  If your acne outbreaks have subsided and you are left with visible scars then microdermabrasion can play a similar role as it did during the prevention stage.  In many cases, acne laser treatments will be more effective than microdermabrasion alone.  At the same time, if you want to avoid acne laser treatments, microdermabrasion can make your other topical creams significantly more effective.

In the end, microdermabrasion alone is not designed to treat, prevent, or remove acne or acne scars.  Instead, it should be viewed as a resource which can complement and enhance the results you are getting from other treatments.