A HydraFacial is unlike any treatment you’ve ever had. How do we know? At Timeless Laser & Skin Care in Westlake, OH, we see the results they yield, from radiant skin and a clearer complexion to tighter, firmer, and plumper tissues. Patients, in turn, never fail to show their delight.
How Is a HydraFacial Different From a Typical Facial?
One key difference between these treatments is technique. A traditional facial relies on your technician’s hands. This isn’t necessarily bad, but it can lead to inconsistent results. You may have a great experience with one treatment and, on the next, your tech may apply too little or too much pressure.
A HydraFacial eschews the potential for human error and instead incorporates a handheld device. Results are therefore consistently predictable. The real secret, however, is in the use of vortex tips that get changed at different points during treatment. These simultaneously deliver oxygenated, vitamin-infused water and remove impurities to reveal soft, beautiful skin.
Cleanse and Peel
We start the session with a gentle but highly effective skin cleansing. At the same time, the powerful vortex tip exfoliates to remove dead skin cells for an instantly brighter complexion.
Here is another key difference between this and more traditional facials: after cleansing, we apply a salicylic and glycolic acid peel to essentially “unglue” the debris blocking your pores. Basic facials involve skin cleansing, the application of masks or serums, and hydration. While a peel can be incorporated, it must be added to your service rather than being already built-in.
Extract and Hydrate
These steps highlight one of the most discernible differences between the HydraFacial and regular facials. Extractions are an important but also highly controversial component of the latter. The technician will use either his or her fingertips (covered by gloves) or a metal tool known as a pore extractor to pinch blackheads and whiteheads.
These manual extractions can damage the skin’s underlying structure, even when performed by a well-trained technician. It often takes five to seven days to heal from this process, and if the pore isn’t cleared completely during treatment, you may fall victim to an acne flare as residual bacteria naturally rise to the surface. And if heavy products get applied to your skin during the facial, pores may become blocked and new pimples then form.
A Better Alternative
The HydraFacial solves these concerns with its patented vortex extraction process, designed to remove impurities using gentle vacuum suction. You get the benefit of clean pores without the potential for:
- Tissue damage
- Pain during treatment
- Red and inflamed skin
- Additional breakouts
The vortex tip glides smoothly across your face to clear each pore. No squeezing, pressing, or needling is required, meaning this facial feels like a gentle massage rather than a battle that must be endured. Once the extraction is complete, the device promptly saturates your face with skin-loving moisturizers to soothe and protect tissues.
Fuse and Protect
Remember the peel applied in the first step of treatment? That’s designed to open pores as well as prepare your skin for the application of vitamin-rich serums. This is crucial to the overarching goal of the Hydra, which is to nourish and hydrate skin.
The serums used do more than hydrate, however; they can be customized to meet the specific needs of your skin type to relieve congestive, correct oiliness, or address other concerns. Some of the ingredients you’ll find in these serums include peptides, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid. They protect your face from environmental pollutants and free radicals, and repeating the treatment every month or so improves overall skin health.
Aren’t These Like the Serums I Use at Home?
Because they are much more potent than common over-the-counter products, the answer is no. Topical cleansers and moisturizers should be part of your daily skincare regimen, but they don’t penetrate as deeply or work as effectively as the serums used during treatment. You shouldn’t regard this as a negative, however; routine HydraFacials can amplify the benefits of home products by opening pores and keeping bacteria at bay.
Instant Results
During a traditional facial, technicians use steam to help loosen pores before the extraction process. But the handheld device of the Hydra eliminates the need for steam. You can therefore expect to leave our office with an instantly glowing face, rather than one that is red and uncomfortable.
What do we mean by glowing? Skin is a complex organ with the ability to renew itself every four to six weeks. This process is known as cellular turnover, and it’s defined by the dead cells on your skin’s surface naturally sloughing away so new ones can take their place. But this process isn’t foolproof. Especially as we age, dead cells can gather and bunch on the face to create a dry, dull, and fatigued appearance.
The Beauty of Light
Unfortunately, these patches of dead cells also absorb light so your skin looks lackluster. Removing them allows new cells to again reflect light, whether you’re near a sunlit window or standing under a moonlit sky. This quality helps bare skin look fresh and dewy before you even apply cosmetics.
You’ve probably seen any number of products promising to brighten your complexion, but the real key to doing so is in giving your skin a chance to breathe. The Hydra excels in this department by combining multiple treatments into one seamless step.
No Downtime
After a standard facial, you’ll likely need to give skin a chance to calm and reset. This means ending your day and going home because, as we mentioned earlier, your face will be red and perhaps even painful.
After a Hydra, however, you can resume whatever tasks you had planned: lunch with friends, picking up the kids from school, or returning to work. The gentle nature of this treatment means it requires no downtime.
Reasons To Go for it
We could start by saying this treatment delivers the most powerful cleanse your skin can have. The handheld device whisks away all the dirt that accumulates on your face to reveal a squeaky clean surface. In fact, after treatment, your face will likely be cleaner than it has been in years.
We know what you’re thinking: you wash your face every day, probably twice a day, so your skin can’t possibly be dirty. But your skin is assaulted every day with viruses, pollution, and bacteria that manual washing simply cannot tackle. The vortex action of the Hydra’s handheld device, on the other hand, instantly lifts and removes this debris in a manner that is safe for delicate tissues.
Exfoliation
It’s true you can and should exfoliate your skin at home. But just as you can only clean so deeply at home, the same is true of exfoliation; you’re limited by the reliability of your own hands and the products available for use. And if you try to exfoliate too deeply, you can damage your skin’s moisture barrier and cause more harm than good; namely, you’ll irritate your skin in a way that leads to excessive dryness and breakouts.
The exfoliation performed during the Hydra removes impurities that cleansing cannot. It also allows for stronger circulation to your face, which provides working cells with oxygen and simultaneously carries away waste products. The result is a clear, healthy complexion with a gentle flush of color. Last but not least, exfoliation provided by the Hydra helps:
- Minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Correct hyperpigmentation
- Restore hydration
Specific Conditions Treatment Can Correct
We’ve spent all this time waxing poetic about the HydraFacial, now we can discuss actual concerns it’s proven to relieve. These include:
- Excessively dry skin
- Acne-prone or oily skin
- Wrinkles
- Age spots
- Highly visible pores
- Bland skin tones
- Rough patches
Treatment can also remove congestion under your eyes to eliminate bags and puffiness. And because the suction power is gentle enough to run across your lips, it can naturally plump and soften your pout for a more youthful appearance.
Adding LED Light Therapy To Treatment
You can enhance the effects of a HydraFacial by adding complementary treatments. Our office specifically recommends LED light therapy, recognized for its ability to stimulate collagen production.
You’ll find no shortage of information on collagen when it comes to skincare; this protein is essential to your skin’s structure and appearance. When produced in abundance, it prevents lines and wrinkles from developing. But, as natural production wanes with age, your skin’s underlying support grows weaker and, in the gaps where collagen is thin or absent altogether, wrinkles start to form.
The Benefits
Supplementing your facial treatment with this technique helps skin look fuller and tighter. The LED lights are transmitted at different frequencies to produce red or blue lights. Both colors are highly beneficial. Red helps correct rosacea, repair sun damage, and minimize scars and broken capillaries. It also helps skin look more uniform, rejuvenating and improving its overall health.
The blue light targets concerns caused by clogged pores, including blemishes and fatigued skin. Pairing LED light therapy with the HydraFacial is a great way to extend the longevity of treatment; once collagen production increases, it will remain elevated for an extended period of time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most patients are eager to learn how long treatment takes, and we’re happy to say about 30 minutes. That’s right – you can completely invigorate your skin in less than an hour. And after, you can put makeup on if you choose to do so and continue with your day.
Who Is a Candidate?
We have great news here; almost anyone can safely have a Hydra because it’s designed for all skin types. Even those with the most sensitive skin, defined by easy irritation, can tolerate this treatment. And as mentioned earlier, we can customize the serums used to address your individual concerns.
Is This Facial Truly Good for My Skin?
We understand many treatments promise to work wonders on your skin and then fall flat. And when your face looks dry and damaged, it can add years to your appearance. The Hydra strives to erase that damage by delivering one crucial element: hydration. It is the key to radiant skin and the foundation of overall health. In short, this treatment is like a deep drink for parched tissues, so yes, it is very good for your skin.
A Consistent Path To Beautiful Skin
Gentle. Effective. Nourishing. These are just a few of the words we might use in describing the HydraFacial. It delivers exactly as it promises without irritating or causing redness. And above all, with consistent treatments, you can enjoy a path to a genuinely healthy appearance. Schedule your consultation today by calling Timeless Laser & Skin Care in Westlake, OH.