How Long Will It Take? Commonly Asked Questions About Facials

Facials are one of the best ways to treat your skin to great health and glowing beauty. The treatment actually consists of a combination of different techniques and products administered by a skincare professional. There are many different types of facials available, so it is natural that you might have many questions about this service. At North Dallas Dermatology Associates in Dallas, TX, we can match you with the ideal service for your skincare needs. Read on, and we will answer some common questions about facials, including how long they take.

What Is the Goal of a Facial?

Facials have numerous benefits to your skin, but the main goal is to care for your skin in a way that makes you look and feel your best. After your facial, you should feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and radiant.

What Are the Benefits of a Facial?

The benefits of having a facial include:

• Moisturizing the skin
• Detoxifying the skin
• Encouraging cell turnover
• Stimulating circulation
• Unclogging the pores
• Delivering vitamins to the skin
• Achieving a smoother, more even texture
• Reducing the appearance of scars
• Softening fine lines and wrinkles
• Stimulating the production of collagen
• Providing an opportunity for relaxation
• Creating a healthy glow

 

What Should You Expect During a Facial?

There are many different types of facials, each with a different focus. The techniques and products used will vary, but there are some components that are common to most facial services. These include cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, and massaging.

When you come in for your appointment, a skincare professional will have you lie down in a relaxing room. He or she will gently cleanse your skin to remove dirt and debris. You will receive an exfoliating treatment which sloughs away dead skin cells to reveal brighter, healthier skin underneath. To moisturize your skin, your skincare professional will then apply lotions that are specially formulated with vitamins, antioxidants, and other beneficial ingredients.

Throughout the service, you can expect a relaxing facial massage to stimulate the flow of oxygen, help your face detoxify, and reduce your stress levels. As you can see, the benefits of a facial go beyond just pampering yourself. They are an important element of maintaining healthy, well-cared-for skin.

What Conditions and Concerns Can a Facial Address?

The needs of your skin will change throughout your life, fluctuating with your hormones, your age, and the environmental factors to which you are exposed.

Dull Skin

When we are very tired, when our skin has become dry from intense weather or lack of hydration, and when we have accumulated a build-up of dead skin cells, our face can appear dull and lifeless. A facial will remove the damage cells, provide moisture, and leave your skin glowing with health and happiness.

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

As we age, we produce less and less of three important substances: collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin. Collagen and elastin are proteins that are responsible for the structure of your skin. When your skin moves in response to a facial expression, they allow it to return to its original position. Hyaluronic acid draws moisture to your skin and encourages the natural production of collagen.

In our late 20s, our production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid decreases. As a result, our facial expressions begin to leave lines where the skin has creased. At first, these lines will only appear when we make certain expressions. Eventually, they remain even after our facial muscles have relaxed. Later, they deepen into wrinkles.

A facial can lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by providing moisture to plump and fortify the skin, delivering vitamins, and encouraging the production of collagen through exfoliation and massage.

Whiteheads, Blackheads, and Acne

The sebaceous glands in our skin produce oil – and this is mostly a good thing. It helps keep our skin nourished, hydrated and protected against the environment. However, sometimes our hormones can cause an over-production of oil. Other times, dirt, debris and dead skin cells become trapped in our pores. When this happens, the oil cannot drain. Instead, it remains in the form of whiteheads and blackheads. When our skin becomes irritated (especially as a result of bacteria entering the picture), acne occurs.

A facial can help by unclogging your pores, removing the dead skin cells, and releasing the excess oil that is trapped. The moisturizing component of a facial will also help if your acne is caused by excessive dryness. In this case, your sebaceous glands produce too much oil because they are overcompensating for the lack of moisture.

During the facial, your skincare professional can perform extractions, if you desire. This is a method of removing the blackheads and whiteheads using a special tool. While trying to unclog pores at home in this manner can result in scarring or infections, your skincare professional can do it safely, leaving your skin unclogged and clean. For this reason, getting facials done by a professional is a good investment that can provide benefits you cannot get at home.

What Kinds of Facials Are Available?

A facial should be tailored to your exact needs, and everyone’s skin is different. Some of the most popular versions of this treatment include:

• The European Facial
• The Cleansing Facial
• The Gentleman’s Facial
• The Back Facial
• The 30-Minute Mini-Facial

Two special facials offered by us are the HydraFacial and the IS Clinical Innovating Facial.

All About the HydraFacial

A HydraFacial is a facial designed for those of us who need intensive skincare to remove years of damage and bring vitality back to our complexions. It utilizes an intensive exfoliating method to resurface the skin, bringing out your underlying beauty in the form of new, healthy cells.
Following the deep exfoliation, a rich moisturizer is applied to soothe and nourish the skin. This moisturizer is formulated to quench thirsty skin, leaving your face feeling pampered and soft.

Benefits of the HydraFacial include:

• Thorough elimination of dirt and debris from the pores
• Renewing, resurfacing effect
• More even skin tone and texture
• Reduction in the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, spots, and scars
• Healthy, hydrated skin

Best of all, the results of the HydraFacial are instant, there is no downtime, and the service is safe for all skin types.

All About the IS Clinical Innovative Facial

This facial is named after the IS Clinical line of products, two of which are used during the service. It is a powerful option for those of us who are serious about getting intense anti-aging, smoothing, and softening benefits. It is a fast, effective, and safe way to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, resurface the skin, and deliver beneficial hydration.

The two IS Clinical products that make this service unique are the Intense Resurfacing Masque and the Rejuvenating Masque. These two products work together to provide complete care for your skin.

Intense Resurfacing Masque

The Intense Resurfacing Masque goes beyond your everyday exfoliation by providing a powerful resurfacing effect. Its ingredients have proven benefits for your skin. They include:

• Glycolic acid (15.5%)
• Lactic acid
• Citric acid
• Malic acid
• Retinol
• Vitamin B3
• Green tea extracts (an antioxidant)
• Other antioxidants

 

Rejuvenating Masque

The Rejuvenating Masque (which is only available for professional use) acts to sooth your skin following the exfoliation and leave it feeling soft and replenished. It’s rich, hydrating ingredients include:

• Hyaluronic acid
• Aloe vera
• Green tea extracts
• Grape seed extract
• Rosemary extract

In addition to these two masques, the IS Clinical Innovative Facial includes a selection of other serums and cremes that make it a well-rounded, comprehensive treatment for your face. Following this facial, you will look fresh and enjoy the feeling of healthy, happy skin.

How Long Does a Facial Take?

The normal length of time for a facial is one hour. If you don’t think you can fit one hour into your busy schedule, we can book you for a 30-minute mini-facial. The HydraFacial also takes 30 minutes. Most people, however, look forward to the time they spend getting their facial. Maybe the better question is, “how long do I have to enjoy my facial treatment?”

How Often Should You Get a Facial?

The frequency with which you should schedule your appointments varies from person to person depending on age, skin type, and other factors. We can identify your skin type and make specific suggestions based on the current condition of your skin.

Most people can benefit from having a facial once a month. If you have especially oily skin, you might want to come in every two weeks. Once you start to see benefits, you can taper down to once a month. People who cannot come in every month can still see benefits if they have a facial every other month.

How Does a Facial Benefit the Skin?

Exfoliating

There are two types of exfoliators: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliators use small beads or grains to unclog your pores. Chemical exfoliators use skin-safe acids and other ingredients to dissolve away dead skin and dirt. When applied during a facial, both kinds benefit your skin.

Exfoliating deeply cleanses your skin, allowing your pores to drain and breath. This helps address acne issues. By removing old, dead cells, exfoliation encourages newer, healthier cells to come to the surface, bringing with them a healthy glow. Dead, unhealthy skin tends to dry out faster. Exfoliating, therefore, can help your skin feel more hydrated, naturally. It can also stimulate the production of collagen, which is why so many women find that exfoliating helps keep fine lines and wrinkles away.

For people who are concerned about an uneven skin texture, exfoliating can help. By regularly eliminating old cells and encouraging the production of new ones, this method can reduce the appearance of acne scars, age spots, hyperpigmentation, etc.

Exfoliating is an especially important step during a facial because it preps the skin to absorb other products more easily. After being exfoliated, your skin can better receive the moisturizers, serums, and creams we apply in later steps.

Moisturizing

You have probably heard that moisturizing properly is one of the most important aspects of a good skincare routine. Well-hydrated skin looks healthier and younger. It is less likely to have problems with acne or show premature signs of aging. Whatever lines or wrinkles you do have will be noticeably reduced when your skin is moisturized.

Moisturizing is important because it provides balance for your skin. When skin is too dry, it can be prone to flaking, itching, and even more serious health concerns such as cancer. When it is too oily, you can experience acne breakouts. Moisturizers can help in both situations. They can replenish dry, thirsty skin, and they can also prevent your sebaceous glands from producing too much oil.

Aesthetically, moisturizers can help your skin stay young-looking, longer. Studies have shown that moisturized skin ages more slowly than dry skin. By keeping your skin well-moisturized, you can also lessen the appearance of acne and other blemishes.

Finally, moisturizers can combat the environmental elements that regularly take a toll on your skin. Pollution, the weather, and even showering in hot water can all leave your skin feeling dry. Fortunately, the moisturizers used during a facial are specially formulated to replenish your skin. Often they contain special ingredients to benefit the overall health of your skin, including vitamins and antioxidants.

Massaging

The massage you receive during a facial is more than just rubbing creams into your face. It utilizes sophisticated techniques that contribute to the health of your skin and your well-being in general. The massage stimulates blood flow, which in turn delivers nourishing oxygen to your cells. Better circulation means brighter skin and, for some people, a reduction in puffiness.

By massaging your skin, you can stimulate the production of collagen. In turn, the collagen reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Of course, massage is always associated with relaxation. A facial massage can, in fact, induce relaxation and help your body release tension. Letting go of some stress prevents your body from over-producing cortisol.

Cortisol is a hormone that we produce when we sense danger or difficulty. While it can induce a “fight or flight” response that can help you get through certain tough situations, it also reduces the collagen in your skin. By giving you time to relax, a facial massage can prevent stress from accelerating the processes by which you age.

How Can You Get More Information?

If you want more information about facial treatments, your treatment options, and the numerous benefits of a facial, schedule a consultation. Our skincare professionals can make expert recommendations. They can make suggestions about what kind of facial you should get and how often you should come in for it. They can also make recommendations pertaining to products that you can use at home.

Treat Your Skin to the Health and Vitality It Deserves

Facials are an important aspect of your skincare routine. While you can get great results by taking good care of your skin at home, enjoying a professional facial every 2-8 weeks can keep your skin looking great in a way that is noticeable. When you get a facial, you benefit from high-quality products, expert application, and our aesthetic training. The right facial will give you beautiful, healthy, glowing skin.

Call North Dallas Dermatology Associates in Dallas, TX for more information on the facials we offer. We will match you with the perfect treatment so that you can achieve your skincare goals and enjoy some relaxation time in the process.