If you read lots of magazines and lurk on beauty forums you might have noticed an upsurge in the mention of microdermabrasion.

Microdermabrasion is intensive exfoliation using either or both mechanical and chemical methods used regularly to change the speed at which skin cells renew for younger looking skin.

However you don’t need harsh abrasives and sandblasting! You can get amazing results with gentler and natural alternatives to microdermabrasion.

DIY home microdermabrasion kits are available in the high street and online with their promises of skin resurfacing, renewal and new younger looking skin. This is all very tempting, but if you are like me and shudder at the thought of all the harsh abrasives and chemicals there is an easier, gentler way that doesn’t require aggressive action such as ‘abrasion’!

Firstly, what is Mircodermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion, or microderm is a skin-resurfacing procedure designed to remove the top layer of dead skin cells, stimulate skin cell renewal and result in smoother, younger and fresher looking skin.

The surface layer of your skin is made up of dead skin cells that constantly shed. Long term exfoliation of this outer layer sends the message to the lower layer to reproduce new skin cells more often. This results in the faster production of surface skin cells to replace the cells removed by exfoliation, which in turn means fresher, softer and younger looking skin and a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.

Originally microdermabrasion was carried out by plastic surgeons using a hand held tool similar to a sandblaster that sprayed and circulated tiny crystal particles on to the skin.

Today professional microderm is carried out by beauty therapists, dermatologists and spas, and you can also purchase home microdermabrasion kits.

The home microderm kit usually consists of a battery powered tool and sponge applicator and some sort of ‘resurfacing’ or ‘rejuvenating’ microdermabrasion cream to be used together regularly.