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CHOOSING YOUR MICRODERMABRASION SYSTEM

Microdermabrasion was brought to the United States in 1996, after established success in Europe since the mid 1980’s. In the United States Microdermabrasion has proven to be the #1 revenue producing non-invasive treatment in the esthetic market. It is as profitable as it is effective.

In 1998 the FDA de-regulated Microdermabrasion as a Class 1 exempt status (a Colgate spin brush is also a Class1!) increasing the number of manufactures almost exponentially. In 2003 there were almost 40 different manufactures with multiple systems on the market.

Throughout my years I have received one question from estheticians and physicians more than any other. “What is the difference between each Microdermabrasion Machine Manufactures on the market?” I hope this article can help answer some of the questions you have and even address some you have not thought of.

Let’s face it – Manufactures offer different amenities to appeal to a certain buyer. It is your responsibility to determine which amenities will fit your needs. Some systems offer additional equipment options within the same model. For instance, a roller cart with a cabinet for storage, to a turbo pedal for more power. When deciding to bring Microdermabrasion into your spa or doctor’s office, it requires a lot of research and can be frustrating at times. Considering the high cost of a machine, equivalent to buying a car, one must think of this as an investment. This purchase is not just deciding which bell and whistles catches your eye, but more on the lines of how it is going to run, who is going to be the operator, and how much training time the company is willing to invest in that person or persons.

Most Important Microdermabrasion Services

Proper Training and certification will be the key to your success. How much training does the company provide when you decide to buy? Are you willing to settle for a half to a whole day of training from a salesperson who is not a skin care professional and Microdermabrasion technician, or will you require more careful instruction. You should require that the manufacture to train all staff to perform a desired number of treatments on others before treatments can be offered to your paying clients? How about an “Open House” where all of your staff receives treatments from the company’s trainer to educate them –so while they are performing a haircut or other service they can share the excitement of the new service being offered! Training should also qualify your staff on how to recognize if a patient is a suitable candidate for the treatment. Hands-on training from the manufacture should educate you on the proper and safe techniques to qualify your candidate for a treatment. A tool that every spa and doctor’s office should have is a “Treatment Log”. A treatment log is used to track and monitor the settings of the machine and progress of your patient. The manufacturer should train your staff on the treatment's parameters and use the appropriate recommended topical to maximize results to prevent negative reactions and ensure repeat business.Adequate training should weigh high on the scale when making your decision on who will earn your business, because unfortunately training time and technique is lacking for many of the manufacturers.

Microdermabrasion Machine Warrantees

How important is the warrantee? Other than training I believe the warrantee is a very important factor in the decision making process. Remember that it is only as valuable as the company behind it. Most problems with the system will occur in the early stages of operation, so I would first recommend that it has a warrantee. Secondly, I would recommend a three year guarantee on all parts within the machine due to the large price tag. For piece of mind, an extended warrantee may be something you should consider adding. Remember this is a revenue producing vehicle and besides maintaining your machine, an extended warrantee could be valuable years down the road!

Disposable income supplies

After getting started, there will be a time when you need more supplies. Filters, if applicable, should be easily replaced and any given system may have filters that can be hard to change. Ask the salesperson about the filtration system and how the system avoids clogging. Microdermabrasion tips can be sterilized and reused on the same patient, depending on the durability and condition after use; tips are relatively inexpensive so it may be a better idea to just use a new tip for each treatment. Crystals will be your largest expense after the initial purchase. Some manufactures will null and void your warrantee if you do not purchase and use the crystals directly from them - this is mostly just a way to generate additional profit. There are also machines out there that have the non-refillable crystal canisters ready to use; this increases the price because you must purchase a canister with every crystal refill. Some manufactures distribute crystals and also allow you to shop for your own crystals and will specify the grit size and types that will not null and void your warrantee. This will save money and is a plus when shopping for a machine.

More on Microdermabrasion Machine Crystals

One question that must be address when shopping for a microdermabrasion system is the type of crystal the machine uses. There has been a lot of controversy and debate on the use of aluminum oxide over sodium chloride, baking soda. Aluminum oxide is a hard crystal that does not cause any adverse skin conditions .It also helps with oily skin because of the mineral being naturally absorbent. Sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) are softer and more regularly shaped than aluminum oxide and only have 25% of the “abrasive” power than aluminum oxide. Sodium crystal will have a stronger impact because of the shape. There also are systems on the market without loose crystals which exfoliates through an abrasive hand piece. Machines utilizing an abrasive hand piece have the advantage of no crystal clean up and that is the machines claim to fame. These machines have possibly regrested by abrading in the same manor as the traditional dermabrasion system. During the demonstration the uncomfortable suction, combined with the abrasive hand piece can leave red abrasions on the surface skin for a couple of days. Pharmaceutical grade crystals are used in toothpaste, deodorants and other products, which are digestible, and are very expensive. There are industrial grade crystals which will be uncomfortable upon impact on the skin and you don’t want to expose our clients to those substances. ”Sterile Crystal” is also available for microdermabrasion use, however; there is no need for the added expense because legally, the spa industry should not be performing any treatments with the use of sterile crystals for non-invasive procedures.

Loaner Microdermabrasion Machines

The manufactures you choose should have a loaner program in case anything was to happen to your machine and technical support cannot trouble shoot the problem over the phone. Usually it takes 24 to 48 hours to receive a replacement machine so you may have to cancel an appointment or use another exfoliation treatment to continue results. Microdermabrasion is a progressive treatment and your clients should not experience downtime or results may be compromised. I cannot stress the importance of the loaner program.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope the information has been informative and beneficial. I wanted to you to have a good idea of the deal you should be shopping for rather than just the machine. When hosting a system demonstration you will find what you like in a machine and hopefully you will know what total package you desire.