I have spent over 25 years working as a doctor with a special interest in skin. I think the psychological impact of having acne at whatever age is often overlooked. I have many clients come to the clinic looking for help with their skin, and one of the most frequently asked questions is “which is the best facial I can have?”

I don’t just advise on facials, I like to look at medical history, medication, hormones, diet, nutritional supplements, make-up, stress, sleep and of course home skincare regimen, before embarking upon a journey of restoration with in-clinic treatments.

When it comes to facials you can choose from a relaxing and therapeutic facial or a results-driven treatment. When it comes to acne, you may want to relax, but more than anything you want results.

When it comes to machines, HydraFacial has won hands down with its award winning, patented technology. It is a non-invasive treatment that detoxifies, rejuvenates and protects your skin, giving immediate results and long-term benefits. The tip of the hand-held device is a cleverly designed spiral with multiple abrasive edges to get maximum exfoliation whilst at the same time infusing serums into the skin.

The treatment is designed to simultaneously target several causes of acne. It works by removing impurities, reducing the production of oil, and improving scarring by deep exfoliation.

There are six steps to the HydraFacial:

1.Lymphatic drainage-using a glass cylinder which applies a vacuum suction to the skin, old lymph is gentle drawn away and emptied into your lymph nodes which subsequently, empties into the lymphatic drainage system. The lymph drains all the toxins from our body, and if this isn’t removed promptly inflammatory problems can worsen.

2.Cleanse and exfoliate-the skin is cleansed, and dead skin is exfoliated using lactic acid, glucosamine and many botanical extracts. The serum that is specific to acne and congestion delivers nutrients pack with anti-inflammatories including salicylic acid and honey extract. Salicylic acid penetrates the pores and softens the sebum, allowing the impurities to be more easily extracted. The honey extract contains anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural antiseptic and opens the pores to aid extraction. Removing dead skin cells and oil reflects more light leaving a brighter and healthier skin.

3.Brightening agent-gentle glycolic and salicylic acid solutions (of varying strengths) help dissolve the debris in your pores ready for extraction, which can otherwise contribute to pustules in acne.

4.Extraction-the specially designed vortex tips make it easy to extract the congested impurities in your skin with painless vacuum suction.

5.Hydration-the skin is then infused with a cocktail of serums including hyaluronic acid, powerful antioxidants, and potent peptides, to nourish and protect the skin.

6.LED light therapy-is used to both reduce redness, stimulate collagen, and kill surface bacteria. It also stimulates production of vit D.

All the impurities are collected in a container ready for your viewing if you wish!

Problematic skin may need one HydraFacial weekly but on-going maintenance for good skin health requires only a monthly treatment.

The HydraFacial is not only great for acne prone skin, but also for Rosacea, Pigmentation problems and anti-aging. Additional serums can be added to the classic HydraFacial to tailor it to different needs.