Facials usually treat existing breakouts, hyperpigmentation, pimples under the surface of the skin (using extractions), and superficial scarring (with peels). However, no facial - no matter what they tell you - can prevent new acne from forming unless your acne is not hormonally related. That said, I get regular facials and my acne no longer gets infected. I used to get some painful infections and some folliculitis along my jawline, and now those are completely gone thanks to my esthetician. It's very important to find a good and clean esthetician who can perform extractions without scarring your face. I did some research for spas in my area, and finally found an esthetician who is an expert at treating acne prone skin and is not afraid to do extractions. Others I tried in the past were only doing superficial treatments and I wasn't seeing results.

The facial I get usually goes like this: cleanser, microexfoliant (kind of like microderm crystals but gentler), steam, extractions, aloe vera peel (it's best to go for gentle peels like this one first to see how your skin reacts - don't go for glycolic or salicylic), kojic acid serum (for hyperpigmentation), high frequency (I have been doing high frequency for years and it always helps my skin). Then I sometimes do an additional treatment with blue and red light, 15 mins each. The most important is to find a reliable esthetician, so the first time you go for a facial do something gentle to see if it's the right fit for your skin.

i use facials every now and then, maybe once every two weeks. i just feel it gives my face a nice refreshing feel. aztec clay seems to be my favorite and its really cheap. it can be found at any vitamin store. to be totally honest i think that drinking a lot of water will really help you. i was about 90% clear with the regimen and then started drinking about a gallon of water a day and now i am totally clear.

Facials usually treat existing breakouts, hyperpigmentation, pimples under the surface of the skin (using extractions), and superficial scarring (with peels). However, no facial - no matter what they tell you - can prevent new acne from forming unless your acne is not hormonally related. That said, I get regular facials and my acne no longer gets infected. I used to get some painful infections and some folliculitis along my jawline, and now those are completely gone thanks to my esthetician. It's very important to find a good and clean esthetician who can perform extractions without scarring your face. I did some research for spas in my area, and finally found an esthetician who is an expert at treating acne prone skin and is not afraid to do extractions. Others I tried in the past were only doing superficial treatments and I wasn't seeing results.

The facial I get usually goes like this: cleanser, microexfoliant (kind of like microderm crystals but gentler), steam, extractions, aloe vera peel (it's best to go for gentle peels like this one first to see how your skin reacts - don't go for glycolic or salicylic), kojic acid serum (for hyperpigmentation), high frequency (I have been doing high frequency for years and it always helps my skin). Then I sometimes do an additional treatment with blue and red light, 15 mins each. The most important is to find a reliable esthetician, so the first time you go for a facial do something gentle to see if it's the right fit for your skin.

Wow thanks for the info. I think I was actually referring to acne under the surface of the skin just like you said. Anyway, how often should I get a facial to get the full benefits?

i use facials every now and then, maybe once every two weeks. i just feel it gives my face a nice refreshing feel. aztec clay seems to be my favorite and its really cheap. it can be found at any vitamin store. to be totally honest i think that drinking a lot of water will really help you. i was about 90% clear with the regimen and then started drinking about a gallon of water a day and now i am totally clear.

I was referring to facials done by an esthetician, sorry if that wasn't clear. Anyway thanks for the water tip, I'll try to do that

Years ago, I watched a YouTube video of a dermatologist showing how to do professional acne extractions without scarring the skin. It was pretty much the same as how my dermatologist did extractions, and being able to see it, realized there is not that much to it. You can buy extraction tools online and even in some beauty shops. You can buy professional chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and red/blue light kits as well.

If you want to pay someone else to do a facial for you, go for it. I actually recommend it at least a few times before doing anything on yourself, so you know what it feels like.

But in the end, my opinion is that, if you're smart, careful, and educated, you can treat yourself and save hundreds of dollars.

Not to offend any estheticians here, but there really is not that much skill taught in spa school. Brush on the chemical peel, watch for signs of irritation, don't leave on over X amount of minutes, wash, neutralize. I actually think it's a little easier to do something like a peel or microderm on yourself, because you can FEEL it and you KNOW if you're going too far.

Don't be afraid of doing things yourself once you see how it's done. Just don't be stupid about it.

I now get facials every 2 weeks until my skin is under control. I noticed a difference after the first facial at a new place I tried out - that's how I knew the esthetician was qualified. Other times, I've had facials where the esthetician barely did any extractions, and I didn't notice a difference in my skin. So the key is to find the right person who can do extractions without leaving scars. Mine does them for about 10-20 minutes, she gets the small ones (milia) too, and my face feels smooth afterwards. I googled reviews online, and then I called the spa to ask what products they use for sensitive skin. The first time you go, ask for gentle treatments to see how your skin reacts. And ask for high frequency after the facial to make sure the inflammation is under control.

Another thing I tried last time was the Light Touch, which is a machine that pulses bright red light on your face to treat breakouts and inflammation. It's been 4 days after my facial and my skin looks better every day. Sometimes, the day after you get a facial you might notice more pimples coming to the surface, but those should go away quickly - it just means that the peel brought them up to the surface.

Btw, yes, you can do extractions on your own using clean tissues (not your hands/nails), but my esthetician uses an extraction tool that I would be too scared to use on my own in case of scarring.

Years ago, I watched a YouTube video of a dermatologist showing how to do professional acne extractions without scarring the skin. It was pretty much the same as how my dermatologist did extractions, and being able to see it, realized there is not that much to it. You can buy extraction tools online and even in some beauty shops. You can buy professional chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and red/blue light kits as well.

If you want to pay someone else to do a facial for you, go for it. I actually recommend it at least a few times before doing anything on yourself, so you know what it feels like.

But in the end, my opinion is that, if you're smart, careful, and educated, you can treat yourself and save hundreds of dollars.

Not to offend any estheticians here, but there really is not that much skill taught in spa school. Brush on the chemical peel, watch for signs of irritation, don't leave on over X amount of minutes, wash, neutralize. I actually think it's a little easier to do something like a peel or microderm on yourself, because you can FEEL it and you KNOW if you're going too far.

Don't be afraid of doing things yourself once you see how it's done. Just don't be stupid about it.

I'd rather pay someone and do their thing. I don't wanna do something that could damage my skin. Thanks for the tip though.

I now get facials every 2 weeks until my skin is under control. I noticed a difference after the first facial at a new place I tried out - that's how I knew the esthetician was qualified. Other times, I've had facials where the esthetician barely did any extractions, and I didn't notice a difference in my skin. So the key is to find the right person who can do extractions without leaving scars. Mine does them for about 10-20 minutes, she gets the small ones (milia) too, and my face feels smooth afterwards. I googled reviews online, and then I called the spa to ask what products they use for sensitive skin. The first time you go, ask for gentle treatments to see how your skin reacts. And ask for high frequency after the facial to make sure the inflammation is under control.

Another thing I tried last time was the Light Touch, which is a machine that pulses bright red light on your face to treat breakouts and inflammation. It's been 4 days after my facial and my skin looks better every day. Sometimes, the day after you get a facial you might notice more pimples coming to the surface, but those should go away quickly - it just means that the peel brought them up to the surface.

Btw, yes, you can do extractions on your own using clean tissues (not your hands/nails), but my esthetician uses an extraction tool that I would be too scared to use on my own in case of scarring.

2 weeks sounds good, I was thinking of once a month but with my skin condition, it's better to be sure. I'll look around for some really good estheticians so I don't have to worry about my skin. Since were on it, what do you think of microdermabration? I was looking for a good peel that deals with hyperpigmentation, what do you think about it? I was thinking after getting my acne under control, and with some maintenance, maybe I can finally deal with the spots my acne left.

I'm getting facials every 2 weeks now too. I used to get them every month, but now I wanted to get all my skin issues under control so twice a month is best. I'm seeing consistent improvement. The first time you try out a new esthetician, only have them do a few extractions to see how your skin reacts. Some estheticians can either be too gentle or too harsh, which can leave scarring, so don't have them do too much the first time. It's best to ask around, read online reviews, check out their spa's facebook page, and call the place to ask about the products they use (then look them up to see if the ingredients are ok, etc). My esthetician uses Image products, which I was using at home, so I knew those would not cause a reaction with my skin.

A peel that helps me a lot is a gentle aloe vera peel by Image (no, I'm not a spokesperson lol) because my skin couldn't tolerate harsher peels like salicylic and glycolic. It's best to start with a gentle peel to see how you react. And ask if they offer high frequency after your facial - that helps with inflammation and calms down your skin. Once you get your acne under control, then you can treat scarring and red marks. I've never tried microderm. I read mixed reviews about it, so if I do try it eventually, I'll ask for a test spot and then see how my skin reacts. Microderm should only be done when you have no more active acne, otherwise it can aggravate your acne.

Also, if your face gets worse the day after a facial, don't get discouraged. It may just mean that the peel and extractions brought up some zits to the surface. But if your skin continues to get worse 3 or more days after your facial, it means you may have had a bad reaction to the products.