Discover the professional facial treatments that help promote radiant skin at every age.
When it comes to beauty, lifestyle plays a central role. Never underestimate the long-term, glow-boosting benefits of gentle movement, at-home facial massage, loading your plate with leafy greens, wearing sunscreen daily, and drinking plenty of water. Nonetheless, there are a bevy of professional clinical treatments that can play a supporting role in a multifaceted, balanced lifestyle that promotes healthy, radiant skin at every age.
We’ve rounded up five professional facial treatments you may like to try.
MICRODERMABRASION
Microdermabrasion is a resurfacing treatment that combines vacuum suction with tiny abrasive crystals to buff away the uppermost layer of skin. This is used to treat hyperpigmentation, chronically dehydrated skin, fine lines, and textural acne scarring.
Even though microdermabrasion is gentle, it provides deeper exfoliation than any at-home granular scrub ever could. A microdermabrasion treatment is excellent for stimulating new cell growth in the lower layers of the epidermis. As an added benefit, polishing away accumulated dead skin build-up allows your skin to better absorb nourishing topical treatment products applied afterward.
While there is no official recovery time, it’s important to note that because microdermabrasion involves removing the top, superficial layers of skin, you may experience slight redness for a few hours post treatment. To enjoy the best results, avoid unnecessary sun exposure afterwards and be sure to replenish your skin barrier with cold-pressed plant oils and protect it with mineral sunscreen.
LED LIGHT THERAPY
Also called phototherapy, LED facial treatments use varying wavelengths of light to trigger your skin’s natural healing processes. Different wavelengths are used to treat a range of skin conditions.
Just to be clear, LED light therapy treatments do not involve any ultraviolet light, which means that unlike devices such as tanning beds, your skin will not be damaged by exposure. In fact, quite the opposite – skin benefits from LED light!
For example, blue light reduces activity in the oil-producing sebaceous glands and helps diminish the specific type of bacteria that contributes to acne. Skin that is prone to breakouts, especially deeper inflammatory acne that is cystic, can benefit greatly from a series of professional blue-light sessions. For fine lines and loss of elasticity, red-light treatment is a great choice. Red wavelengths stimulate new fibroblasts to repair cellular damage and also trigger collagen production.
LED light therapy is often added on to traditional facials. When visiting a spa or clinic for a treatment, you should always be offered protective eyewear. While handheld at-home LED light devices are available, they often lack the same efficacy as professional treatments; however, these devices can still yield results with frequent and consistent use.
MICROCURRENT
Sometimes called the ‘non-invasive facelift’, microcurrent facial treatments strengthen muscle tone, increase circulation of blood and lymph, boost collagen, and tighten skin using a low-level electrical current.
Microcurrent is sometimes compared to going to the gym or like doing Pilates for your face. That’s because these treatments trigger your body’s synthesis of amino acids and adenosine triphosphate, which speeds up cell repair and promotes healthier cell production. Even though the thought of electrical currents pulsing through the muscles of your face may sound uncomfortable, microcurrent feels surprisingly relaxing as the cool metal wands glide over a conductor gel on the surface of your skin.
The best part of this treatment may be the instant gratification – you’ll see improved skin tone and a radiant glow after just one treatment.
FACIAL ACUPUNCTURE
For anyone interested in an integrative approach, facial rejuvenation acupuncture is an excellent treatment choice. In a similar manner to whole body acupuncture, facial acupuncture helps to stimulate the flow of energy in your body, which increases circulation and also has a calming, centring effect.
Facial acupuncture is considered both an inside-out and outside-in approach to skincare, because by targeting specific meridian points in the face, skilled acupuncturists can help reduce systemic inflammation, relieve jaw tension, and soothe anxiety – all of which help to boost your glow. But it’s not just the feel-good results that keep people coming back for a series of sessions; when inserted, the thin acupuncture needles create a controlled micro-trauma to the skin, which stimulates the production of collagen and elastin during your skin’s healing process as it builds new tissue. This helps to smooth fine lines and increase the skin’s elasticity.
Results are sometimes subtle and often practitioners recommend many ongoing treatments. One of the greatest long-term benefits of facial rejuvenation acupuncture is the relationship formed between client and acupuncturist. Often consultations are extremely thorough and will delve into digestion, menstruation, supplements, hormones, diet, sleep habits, and other lifestyle related topics. This unearthing often yields valuable insights and can be an ongoing source of support and guidance on your wellness journey for years to come.
GUA SHA FACIAL SCULPTING
Less clinical, yet every bit as beneficial and luxurious as the other treatments mentioned here, professional facial Gua Sha sculpting massage is a treatment to put at the top of your beauty bucket list.
This non-invasive facial therapy has ancient Chinese roots and is performed by gently manipulating skin with targeted techniques using a thin, flat stone – often of rose quartz, nephrite, or jade. When practiced by skilled hands, Gua Sha facial massage can drain excess lymphatic fluid from the face resulting in a sculpted, lifted appearance.
By using the stone, the therapist is able to trigger deep muscle release and untangle fascia connective tissue, which can become inflexible from lack of movement. By opening up these circulatory pathways in the neck and face, skin is better able to receive the delivery of glow-giving nutrients from the blood, and also flushes out toxins via the lymphatic system.
The best part of this service is that it truly feels blissful and engages your parasympathetic nervous system – also known as the state in which we rest, digest, and heal – an added benefit that will leave you feeling, as well as looking, fabulous.
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While there is no greater beauty treatment than a healthy, balanced lifestyle, there are certainly professional facial treatments you can try to achieve a rejuvenating boost or to simply add a little luxury to your skincare routine.
