A facial can serve many purposes. While some seek out a facial service to simply feel relaxed and pampered, others book a facial to target a specific skincare concern and achieve results.
Depending on your goal, you will choose between a spa facial or a medical grade facial. While they sound similar, they are actually very different!
So, what are those differences? And which type of facial is right for you?
At Cosmedica Skin Centre, we take a medical grade approach to facials, as we believe this delivers the best results. That said, we also appreciate the desire to relax & unwind, which is why we offer a hot mug of herbal tea to begin the facial experience.
Herbal tea or not, we want you to be sure that a medical grade facial is what you are looking for before booking an appointment with us. This article will guide you in understanding the true difference between a spa facial and a medical grade facial based on our expertise.
What is a Spa Facial?
A spa facial is typically administered by an aesthetician using botanicals, exfoliants, and fragrant oils or lotions. By exfoliating dead skin and removing impurities, a spa facial treats the most outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis. With this, the aesthetician will achieve a surface level cleaning of the skin.
Finally, to promote relaxation, the experience is often followed up with an upper body massage.
It is important to mention that, regardless of the client’s skin type or concern, the procedure remains the same from client to client.
The client may experience soft and glowing skin following a spa facial, but these results are not known to be long-lasting. This is because spa facials are ultimately intended to sooth and relax rather than treat the skin clinically.
What is a Medical Grade Facial?
In contrast, a medical grade facial is administered by a dermatologist or a medical aesthetician who has been trained by a dermatologist to have a more complex understanding on the skin.
The facial will begin with an in-depth analysis of the skin and the client’s specific skincare concerns, followed by a customized treatment plan. Using medical grade skincare products, formulated by dermatologists, the medical aesthetician will administer an effective facial that produces visible and long-lasting results.
Medical grade facials can be used to treat a range of skincare concerns such as aging, acne scarring, redness, melasma, or sun damage. In fact, medical grade facials can treat a combination of these skincare concerns at once.
Some common examples of medical grade facials include:
What Sets Medical Grade Facials Apart?
Personalized Treatment
As previously mentioned, spa facials aren’t customizable while medical grade facials are completely personalized with an assessment of the skin and customized treatment plan.
With this, the dermatologist or medical aesthetician will not only guide the client towards the right type of medical grade facial, but they will also customize that procedure using specific medical grade products for skin type and concern.
Medical Grade Skincare Products
Another key differentiator of spa facials and medical grade facials is the products used.
Spa facials use regular skincare products that can only clean, exfoliate, and moisturize the outer layer of the skin. Not to mention, these products are often made with perfumes and oils that irritate the skin.
Medical grade facials, on the other hand, use medical grade products that are approved by dermatologists and backed by science. These products are made with a high concentration of active ingredients to effectively treat a skin concern and promote real results. Further, these products are formulated to promote optimal absorption, beyond just the surface of the skin.
Treats Skin Beyond the Surface
With the use of medical grade skincare and professional techniques, medical grade facials treat the skin beyond the surface. In fact, these procedures target the skin at a cellular level to not only cleanse the skin, but also encourage collagen stimulation, improve blood circulation, deeply exfoliate, remove damaging toxins, and correct skin imperfections.
Long-Lasting Results
Based on a combination of personalized treatment, the use of medical grade skincare, and targeting the skin beyond the surface, medical grade facials produce long-lasting results.
While a spa facial might leave your skin feeling temporarily hydrated and glowing, a medical grade facial has the ability to permanently improve skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, or sun damage.
Cleanliness & Safety
Finally, medical grade facials take place in medical aesthetics clinics, which are considered medical facilities operated by medical professionals. With that, there are strict protocols in place to assure cleanliness and safety.
While receiving a medical grade facial, client’s can rest assured knowing that their skin condition is being treated without being exposed to bacteria or germs.
Get a Medical Grade Facial at Cosmedica Skin Centre!
At Cosmedica, we offer a variety of medical grade facials to target a variety of skin concerns.
If you are new to medical aesthetics, we recommend the Bela MD facial. This treatment provides a great exfoliation, while infusing the skin with a serum of your choice. This relaxing treatment is a great refresh to the skin and can be done regularly.
Bela MD can improve acne, scars, texture, tone, sun damage, wrinkles, and fine lines.
For more dramatic results, we also recommend our Clinical Peel, also known as a chemical peel. A chemical peel solution is applied to the treatment area, causing a tingling or stinging sensation. The peel then releases dull and damaged skin cells. Once the peel is neutralized and removed, your skin will appear fresh and rehydrated.
Whichever medical grade facial you choose, we believe that consistency is the key to results. Book a consultation with our team to discover which facial and frequency is right for your unique skin concern and goals!