Are there risks associated with microdermabrasion?

If you’re a healthy adult, the procedure poses no serious risks. If your skin is sensitive, you may experience a little temporary irritation and your skin will look pink for a bit, but this isn’t something to be concerned about. It will go away on its own, given some time. If you have any of the skin or medical conditions mentioned above, or if you’re a user of Retin-A or have recently had a chemical peel, you shouldn’t have the treatment done at all. It is essential to check out the clinic and technician first; if you make sure you’re going to a reputable clinic and that the procedure is being done by someone with experience, risks should be relatively low. An inexperienced technician can cause scrapes or abrasions, and improperly sterilized machines can lead to infections. The field is unregulated, and anyone with a machine can call themselves a “microdermabrasion expert,” so be careful! Here are a few tips to help you choose a plastic surgeon to perform your microdermabrasion procedure:

• Ask for references and before-and-after photos. If you can talk to other clients who have had the same procedure, do.
• Make sure the surgeon has malpractice insurance.
• Check to see if the surgeon or clinic has had any malpractice judgments or disciplinary actions. You can usually obtain this information from the clerk of courts for the county in which the clinic is located. Three malpractice judgments in a period of five to ten years indicate a warning sign.
• Check to see if the surgeon is verified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. You can verify this status at the website of the American Board of Medical Specialties (www.abms.org) or by calling 1-866-ASK-ABMS.
• Ask your prospective surgeon about his or her training and credentials.
• Check the accreditation of the clinic. Whereas all states require hospitals to be certified, most states don’t require clinics that only perform outpatient services to have certification. But there are three national accrediting organizations that inspect and certify such facilities: the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Each respective group has its own website where their certified facilities are listed.