What skin treatments include
Skin treatments is a broad label. At most med spas it covers four kinds of service: facials, chemical peels, microneedling, and light-based skin treatments. Each one works on the skin's surface or just below it, and each comes in many versions.
A facial usually means cleansing, exfoliation, a mask and sometimes extraction. A chemical peel is a solution applied to the skin for a set time, in strengths that run from light to deeper. Microneedling uses a device with very fine needles to make tiny punctures in the outer layer. Light-based treatments use devices that send light energy into the skin.
Which of these, if any, suits you is a decision for a licensed provider at a consultation.
What a provider looks at first
Before suggesting any skin treatment, a licensed provider usually asks about a handful of things:
- your skin type and how it tends to react to products
- your health history, including conditions such as eczema, rosacea or cold sores
- medicines you take, including acne medicine by mouth and vitamin A creams
- whether you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding
- recent sun exposure, tanning or self-tanner
- past treatments and how your skin handled them
These answers shape which treatments are an option and at what strength. If a provider skips these questions, it is fair to ask why.
What to bring
You do not need much for a skin consultation. Bring:
- a photo ID
- a written list of medicines, including vitamin A creams and anything taken by mouth for acne
- the names of the skin care products you use most days
- notes on past treatments and how your skin reacted
- a short list of questions
If you have photos of a flare-up that is not showing on the day, those can help the provider see what you mean. Do not stop any prescribed medicine to prepare unless the person who prescribed it agrees.
Questions about skin treatments
What is the difference between a facial and a chemical peel?
A facial is a hands-on service built around cleansing, exfoliation and masks. A chemical peel is a solution applied to the skin for a set time, in strengths that range from light to deeper. Peels usually come with more specific aftercare. A provider can explain which, if either, suits your skin.
What are light-based skin treatments?
They are treatments that use a device to deliver light to the skin, such as intense pulsed light or LED panels. Settings and devices differ, and some are less suitable for deeper skin tones or recently tanned skin. A licensed provider looks at your skin and history before suggesting one.
Can I have a skin treatment if I am pregnant?
Some skin treatments and products are usually avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and others may still be an option. Tell the provider at the start of the consultation, and they will decide what is suitable. For questions about your pregnancy, your own doctor or midwife is the right person to ask.
A licensed provider decides what is suitable for you. Send a request to begin that conversation.
Request a consultMore consultation topics
Injectables
Wrinkle relaxers and dermal fillers, given by licensed providers where state law allows. Ask a local provider about them.
Laser consultation
Tell a local provider which area you have in mind, and they can talk through laser hair removal with you.
Body treatment consults
A provider can explain how a non-surgical body treatment works. A licensed provider decides what is suitable for you.