What Does a Facial Do?

The answer to what a facial does is entirely dependent on what you are looking for out of the process and what type of facial treatment you choose.

There are a variety of products, techniques and equipment all meant to address different issues.

Some use vitamins and proteins to nourish skin, others use products to curb acne, even more use electricity to attempt to shape the skin topically rather than through surgery.

At its core, though, the purpose of a facial is to leave skin looking healthier and more radiant.

Types of Facials

While there are a variety of facials, here are a handful of the most popular and reasons you might consider them:

• Basic cleanup – This facial includes a steaming to open the pores and exfoliation process with the application of moisturizing cream to finish.
• Regular Facial – A step up from the basic cleanup, this includes a mask.
• Acne reduction – While the previous two methods are not recommended for people with acne, this treatment is designed to reduce excess oil on the skin to treat acne long term. It also includes cleansing, steaming and exfoliation but with methods that are more geared toward treating acne.
• Fruit facial – This method uses antioxidants and vitamins present in fruit to give the skin a healthier look that’s suitable for any skin type. This method is also popular for at-home use.
• Aromatherapy facial – This difference in this method is the addition of essential oils to face masks. This treatment has added therapeutic benefits and is a good option for someone wanting a full sensory relaxation from their facial experience.
• Wine facial – A popular addition to some masks is red wine. Being rich with antioxidants, this method both improves metabolism and helps moisturize the skin.
• Anti-aging Facial – These treatments use microdermabrasion, glycolic acid and collagen to reduce wrinkling and sagging. This is a popular alternative to more invasive strategies such as botox treatment.
• Chemical Peel – While not as intense as the name suggests, this method removes the top layer of skin to reveal younger and more healthy looking skin.
• Microdermabrasion – This is essentially a deep exfoliation facial, so expect a lot of scrubbing.
• Microcurrent facial – These facials utilize mild pulses of energy called galvanic electrical currents to increase skin cell regeneration. This method aims to reshape the skin which is why some call it a facelift without the surgery. This method will reduce wrinkles, tighten pores and increase blood flow to help replenish skin.

Massage methods

Some of these products involve massages that stimulate blood flow and skin elasticity.

One method of massage is acupressure, also known as Shiatsu or finger-pressure therapy, is a pressure-point massage that signals the body to activate self-healing or regulatory mechanisms which can help tone facial muscles. Another possible massage includes lymphatic drainage massage, a gentle massage that encourages lymph fluid movement which can help decrease puffiness. Other types of massages include classic facial massages and the Kobido massage, which targets 16 superficial facial muscles utilizing 47 different techniques.

Equipment

Therapists can also utilize different equipment during the facial process. These vary from machines to small tools and include:

• Facial steamers – These tools help moisten and cleanse the skin. The steamer can also help with cell oxygenation and expand the skin’s pores, increasing blood circulation. 
• Facial vaporizers – These tools are similar to facial steamers, utilizing both steam and ozone. However, vaporizers are also used in aromatherapy, giving an added therapeutic bonus to the procedure.
• Ice Rollers – These tools utilize cooling gel to reduce skin redness, wrinkles and facial lines while also tightening the skin and relieving muscle pain. Ice Rollers are popular in treatments like microdermabrasion, skin peels, microneedling and others.
• Ultrasonic skin scrubbers – Also known as a skin spatula, ultrasonic skin scrubbers offer a way to take a facial one step further, using ultrasonic vibrations to undergo deep exfoliations and draw out excess oils and impurities.
• Skin scanners – To go deeper in identifying skin issues than what you can see in a mirror, professionals use skin scanners. These devices use blacklight blue lamp technology that highlights conditions such as clogged pores, poor circulation, dehydrated skin, which exist beneath the skin’s outer layers.

Choosing the best treatment for you is entirely dependent on knowing your type of skin and what issues you’re hoping to address. But whether you’re hoping to address acne, aging, or simply want a relaxing beauty treatment, there’s a litany of options that promise healthier, more radiant skin. 

Ready to get a facial? If you are in the Omaha area, call (402) 384-8400 or book an appointment with Faces Spa today!