Microdermabrasion’s increasing popularity is encouraging more and more people to consider taking a course as a way of treating skin conditions. However, something being popular is no guarantee of people knowing much about it, and it is important to inform yourself well before you go for a course or rule it out entirely. Here are some frequently asked questions and some answers which may clarify the matter for you.

I’m going to St. Tropez in June, a week after my treatment ends – is there anything I should know?

Yes, there is. Microdermabrasion, as the name suggests, strips some of the skin from your face. The skin underneath, while fresh and attractive, is also more vulnerable and is liable to react to the sun in a more pronounced way that skin elsewhere. You will need a stronger sun cream for the treated area in order to compensate.

A friend of mine has had microdermabrasion and I’m impressed with the results. My skin problems aren’t on my face, though. Is microdermabrasion for me?

There is absolutely no reason why not. People go to spas for microdermabrasion treatments on their hands, their chests and necks. There are spas which report carrying out the treatment on customer’s backs and even on their buttocks. This is nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, if your skin treatment is on a part of your body normally covered by clothing, there is an added benefit in that the vulnerability to climatic conditions will matter less.

I keep breaking out in spots and blackheads. Will microdermabrasion solve this problem?

It may remove the blackheads and numerous other outward signs of acne – as this seems to be what you have. However, it will not solve the problem long term. In actual fact, it might stimulate another breakout, so you need to sort that problem out before you go for microdermabrasion. By all means once the problem is gone, microdermabrasion is a great way to get a fresh look. However, for the moment the acne is a more pressing concern.

Microdermabrasion is also inadvisable for people who have finished a corse of Accutane in the last six to twelve months, are pregnant or under the age of fourteen. However, for anyone not in the specified groups it can be a real godsend. Ask around to see how it could help you.