What It Is

• Diamond microdermabrasion is a procedure in which a special machine, the tip of which is covered with real or synthetic diamond, is used to gently rub off the topmost layer of skin. The procedure usually is painless and improves circulation and cleans pores while getting rid of dead or damaged cells. Knowing how the procedure works will help you maximize the benefits.
  
  

Tip Size

• Select the right size tip for your skin type and the area of the body on which you want work done. There are three main sizes of diamond microdermabrasion tips. The first is 100, which is coarse. This would be used for very rough patches of skin, such as on the elbows or the feet. 200 is considered a "normal" tip and can be used on most parts of the body, while 300 is considered sensitive. You can think of these different sized tips like different grades of sandpaper; the lower the number, the coarser the tip is and the more skin cells you will remove at one time. If you aren't sure what is best for you, ask the technician, and if there are any doubts, use the finer tip.
  
  

Skin Care

• Treat your skin well before you go to your microdermabrasion appointment. This means not smoking, since smoking constricts blood vessels. It's counterproductive to smoke and have microdermabrasion because one of the points of the procedure is to improve circulation to the skin. Also, avoid other activities that are harmful to the skin, such as sunbathing or getting a chemical peel, as these can make your skin more sensitive and damage the layer of skin that would be brought to the surface through the procedure.
  
  

Moisturizing

• Be prepared to moisturize. Microdermabrasion takes off a layer of skin cells, leaving new cells exposed to heat, sunlight, and chemicals. All of these things can take the moisture right out of the newly exposed cells and damage them. You can prevent this by gently rubbing in a bit of moisturizing lotion with aloe and vitamin E into the skin after the procedure. If you are going to be in the sun, put on sun block.
  
  

Hydration and Diet

• Get and stay hydrated, and eat well. Hydration will plump up the cells under the layer of cells the procedure takes off, which means that fine lines and wrinkles will be minimized and more of the dead cells within these problem areas can be removed. After the procedure, hydration and a healthy diet will give you the moisture, vitamins, and minerals needed for good skin healing and health.