Microdermabrasion: a review

Microdermabrasion is used by clinicians and aestheticians worldwide to rejuvenate facial skin. The microdermabrator contains aluminum oxide or sodium chloride crystals that strike the skin and produce superficial trauma. It is theorized that the repetitive intraepidermal injury causes gradual improvement in damaged skin by stimulating fibroblast proliferation and collagen production, leading to new collagen deposition in the dermis. In this review of microdermabrasion, we discuss studies performed to elucidate the mechanism of action by which microdermabrasion promotes facial resurfacing. We also discuss other existing techniques for facial rejuvenation and resurfacing.