Microdermabrasion makes a demonstrated difference
Posted Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Microdermabrasion has long been one of the most popular skin procedures, as it's believed to improve the look of wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, etc. The proof of its effectiveness, however, has been scant, with some studies even proving ineffectiveness.
University of Michigan researchers, seeking to define microdermabrasion's true power, recently tested the treatment on 40 volunteers, ranging in age from 50 to 83 and showing signs of sun damage. Through a biopsy and biochemical analysis, Darius J. Karimipour, MD, and his colleagues found multiple wound-healing and skin-remodeling responses.
Among the compounds that experienced increased production as a result of the microdermabrasion are collagen precursors, antimicrobial peptides, MMP enzymes (which inhibit damaged collagen), and a type of protein called cytokeratin. All of these contribute to an objective improvement in age-effected skin.
But there's a catch.
This response isn't necessarily true of all types of microdermabrasion. The kind used in this study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, is a coarse-grit microdermabrasion with a diamond-studded tool. A medium-grit tool used by the same researchers yielded no such results, and previous studies showed aluminum oxide microdermabrasion is not reliable for stimulating collagen.
However, the researchers feel that the kind of treatment highlighted by their study holds a great deal of promise for those seeking a noninvasive anti-aging treatment.
"We demonstrate that aggressive nonablative microdermabrasion is an effective procedure to stimulate collagen production in human skin in vivo," they explained. "The beneficial molecular responses, with minimal downtime, suggest that aggressive microdermabrasion may be a useful procedure to stimulate remodeling and to improve the appearance of aged human skin."
Have you ever received a microdermabrasion treatment that used a tool with diamond particles? Have you seen noticeable results from other types of microdermabrasion? Tell us about your results by leaving a comment below.
Tags: acne scars, aluminum oxide, antimicrobial, collagen, cytokeratin, diamond, discoloration, enzymes, exfoliation, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, keratin, microdermabrasion, MMP, peptides, procedure, protein, research, study, treatment, wrinkles