What is an acne facial ?

We all have gone through times in our lives where we have had to deal with acne, breakouts, black or whiteheads. Either it is the “puberty time”, or just inherited “bad skin “. That’s where professional help will come in handy. A licensed Esthetician would be able to help and provide Acne Facial.

An Acne Facial is a specialized treatment that focuses on treating the acne. An Esthetician would decide the treatment right for each individual. Acneic skin is very sensitive and it is important to be gentle.

An aggressive approach might cause more harm and the skin can become more inflamed and be sensitive to the touch. It is important to handle the skin with gentle care because bacteria might spread all over the face and make the acne situation even worse.

Steps of an acne facial

First, the Esthetician will analyze the skin under the magnifying lamp ( magnifying lamp will allows to see the skin better )

Based on the type of skin, a cleanser and exfoliator are used to clean the client’s face ( it will allow the Esthetician to see the skin “ bare ” makeup and residue-free ).

After the detailed cleanse of the skin, steam is applied. Steam opens up the pores and start the blood circulations. Steam is very relaxing and preparing the skin for extraction.

Extraction is followed right after the steam. The Esthetician will start extracting the blackheads by applying pressure with their fingers wrapped with sanitized tissue or with a comedone extractor. (Acne tools are preferred by many because it doesn’t cause the bruising ). Comedone extractor is a metal tool with a loop at the end. It has many shapes – comedone spoon, pointed needle, triangle loops, angled loops, wide loops. The loop is positioned around the clogged pore and gentle but firm pressure is applied to remove the excess build under the skin. The extraction will allow the pore to heal and reduce the inflammation.

The skin is sanitized to prevent further inflammation.

For acne-prone skin, it’s better to use pressure point massage rather than a regular facial massage. Regular facial massage might cause more oil production and clog the pores. A gentle massage will calm and soothe the client’s face.

After the massage, a specialty mask is applied.

After every facial, the face should be treated with a healing serum, moisturizer, and SPF.

Do facials help acne?

Facials are a great addition to treat acne. They help remove excess build-up of sebum under the skin, inflammation, redness and gives the pore a chance to heal better.

Extractions should be done by professionals only. Taking the correct approach in a clean environment reduces the risk of scarring, hyperpigmentation and further infection.

How often should I get an Acne Facial?

Each situation is different so the personal approach needs to be taken into considerations. The frequency of an Acne Facial is based on grades of acne. The higher the grade the longer it should be in-between getting facials.

There are 4 grades of acne:

Grade 1 ( mild ) mostly confined white and blackheads with few papules and pustules.
Grade 2 ( moderate, or pustular acne ) multiple papules and pustules, mostly confined to the face.
Grade 3 ( moderately severe ) numerous papules and pustules, inflamed, affects the face, back and chest usually. Other skin parts might be affected as well.
Grade 4 ( severe nodulocystic acne ) large, inflamed and painful pustules.

Facial Acne Blackheads Grade 1 — Acne Grade 1

Acne grade 2 more blackheads — Acne Grade 2

Acne Grade Three/More Blackheads — Acne Grade 3

How to take care of the Acne skin at your home?

The skin should be washed every night to prevent oil buildup with lukewarm water with mild, non-abrasive cleanser. When the skin is very oily, repeat the cleaning in the morning as well. Skin should be cleansed after exercising when excess oil is produced.

You should avoid sponges or washcloth because hey an e abrasive and might carry the bacteria. I would recommend alcohol-free products, as they might irritate the skin. Exfoliators are not recommended, because they can aggravate the skin. Do not touch your face, especially when your hands are not clean ( extracting pimples in the car, or in a public bathroom is a big NO-NO ).

In Conclusion

Acne Facials should be done by a professional Esthetician but remember, an acne treatment is not a cure for acne but is helpful in the process of calming down the skin and giving the pores a chance to heal ( by extracting the blackheads).

After the treatment is done, ask your Esthetician what they would recommend for your skin and give you some tips. Your Esthetician should have some products on hand that will help with your home skin regiment (products with low dosage of lactic or salicylic are very beneficial for the skin ).