What is HydraFacial™?
HydraFacial™ is the brand name for a dermabrasion device that uses water for exfoliation rather than tiny crystals – as in microdermabrasion. The dermabrasion process scrubs the surface of the skin, removing make-up and old skin cells.
Optional add-ons to the HydraFacial are offered as “boosters” to target specific skin concerns. Those boosters are light layers of chemical peels and are key to elevating the service from merely a good cleanse to a more professional treatment.
Does HydraFacial™ do all it claims to do?
Absolutely not. It claims to give you “The Best Skin of Your Life” with 3 steps, in 30 minutes.
Without the optional add-ons, it’s just an exfoliating facial. It’s ONLY a facial. (There’s nothing magical or mysterious about exfoliating. You’re doing it at home every time you wash your face with a washcloth.) It won’t transform your skin and you certainly can’t get “The Best Skin of Your Life” with a facial, even if you do it every month for the rest of your life.
A facial feels good, it smells good and it’s relaxing, but it’s only a good cleansing with a nice massage. If that’s all you’re looking for, then it’s a great service, but if you want to see changes in your skin you must add medical-grade products that penetrate the surface of the skin.
Products used in a facial merely sit on the surface of the skin, but chemical peels delve deeply past the surface where they can address skin concerns where new cells are forming.
To elevate the HydraFacial™ beyond mere facial status, you must add in the optional “boosters”. (This is where it starts to get really expensive) Each booster is a very light layer of chemical peel. By adding in peels, you will start seeing good results. Regular, light chemical peels can be amazing for your skin.
BUYER BEWARE: One specific concern with the HydraFacial™ is how often patients are cheated on this critical step in the treatment. Unfortunately, because these boosters are expensive for practitioners to purchase, many aestheticians, med-spas and salons are using black-market boosters. These cheaper alternatives are frequently NOT what they advertise to be, and are often nothing but water. The providers are still charging patients for the boosters (they may not even be aware themselves of this rampant scam) but patients will see no added benefits beyond a facial.
So…does HydraFacial™ deliver on their claims? No. Even with add-on boosters that are legitimate peel solutions, you cannot achieve the level of results that HydraFacial alludes to.
Why is HydraFacial™ so popular?
HydraFacial’s massive success is all about Branding and Marketing.
The Branding: The device itself is very simple technology-it’s basically a water pic for the face, but who would pay for that? So it’s been brilliantly dressed up to look very sexy with cool blue lights behind canisters of cleanser, water and boosters, all which look great in photos
add to the mystique and help justify the inflated price of a simple dermabrasion service. (Anyone else remember the glowing colored lights of the “oxygen bars” in the ‘90s?)
The Marketing: HydraFacial™ is one of the most aggressively marketed brands in the aesthetic industry this decade. Print ads have consistently appeared in almost every female-targeted magazine for years and millions upon millions have been spent on social media influencer and Hollywood celebrity campaigns. The marketplace was flooded with the brand and it has been very successful; almost everyone knows the name, has seen the cool pictures and has heard influencers talk about it.
Why is HydraFacial™ so Expensive?
The same reasons that have made HydraFacial™ such a well-known brand and so popular are the same reasons the treatments are so expensive. All this marketing costs a lot of money and these costs are passed on to the med-spas in the prices of the devices and canisters. The costs eventually trickle down to the customer, who is paying more for branding and marketing than they are for the treatment.
If HydraFacial™ is all hype, then what causes the HydraFacial™ “glow”?
It’s not all hype. The HydraFacial can be a good treatment and give good results if someone is spending the extra money to add on optional boosters- light layers of very gentle chemical peels (and if they are actually getting the peels they are paying for).
Everyone looks fabulous for about 24-48 hours after a light chemical peel. The peel solutions gently lift the epidermis for a brief time, which gives skin that dewy “glow”. (It’s a great treatment to do right before a party, date night or big event!)
Even if you don’t do the add-ons and only get the exfoliating facial, your skin will look rosy and extra-healthy for the next few hours or rest of the day. Because the dermabrasion process includes pushing fluid onto the face, then suction to remove it, the skin is subjected to repeated pushing and pulling. This massage-like process increases blood flow to the skin surface and gives the face a lovely, rosy appearance. (Ever notice how great your skin looks after a work-out?)
What is Better than HydraFacial™ for ½ the cost?
HydraFacial™ can be a good treatment. However, they are expensive for what they actually are: dermabrasion with or without a light chemical peel. Dermabrasion itself is a very simple, older technology and, without the fancy window-dressing (big rolling cart and blue glowing lights), it’s a relatively inexpensive service.
Chemical peels are wonderful and gentle peels consistently done can transform your skin. The HydraFacial™ boosters are generic (not customized for each client) and include a lot of financial baggage that the patient has to pick up.
Clients are paying for expensive branding and marketing campaigns rather than for a service that will get them excellent results.
What does Skin Deep Laser MD do that is MUCH Better than HydraFacial™ for WAAAY LESS than ½ the Price?
We give you a no-frills, no hidden costs, scientifically proven, gentle but effective, relaxing, no down-time chemical peel that will get you serious results. Dermabrasion can be included if you like. Your peel will be customized specifically for your skin and may change with every visit just as your skin concerns change. Additional layers of peels and serums are included at no up-charge. This is the equivalent of a HydraFacial + multiple Boosters that would cost $800-$1200 (depending on where you go) but at Skin Deep Laser MD is only $200, and even less if you are in our Peel Membership.
We don’t think you’ll even miss the glowing lights.
At Skin Deep Laser MD, serving Fort Worth, Weatherford, Benbrook, Burleson, Mansfield, Granbury, Arlington, Dallas, Texas and more, Dr. Riehm offers a range of skin care, scar treatments, age reversal and skin rejuvenation options, tattoo removal, body sculpting, chemical peels, better-than-HydraFacials and more.
To learn more about each treatment and what it targets specifically, arrange for a consultation with Dr. Riehm and her team. They will examine your skin type and explain each treatment to help you decide which ones are right for you. You can schedule an appointment by calling 817-263-7546 or book online.