Will I Break Out After A Facial?
Truthfully, it is a possibility, but most people don’t. While it’s easy to put all the blame on your aesthetician, it all really depends on a few factors and what your skin’s condition is in the first place. (I promise I am not just saying this because I am an aesthetician!)
Purging
If you don’t exfoliate regularly, you very well could have a lot of dead skin cell build-up. Then you get a facial and receive a thorough professional exfoliation stimulating cellular turnover and, boom, a breakout. It’s the “worse before better” situation, and while it’s not that fun to go through at the moment, your skin will be in better shape in the long run. If you would like to read a more in-depth explanation of purging, check out this blog.
Reactive or Sensitized Skin
If your skin is already sensitized from the products you're using, a reaction like tiny whiteheads or rash could occur.
Allergies
Maybe you are allergic to an ingredient you weren’t aware of, or your skin doesn’t agree with the new products. If you have known allergies/sensitivities, let your esthetician know. There are all kinds of fruit and flower extracts, nut oils, sulfur, etc., in skincare products.
The Aesthetician
When to blame the aesthetician is if she doesn’t properly finish the job she started or uses tools that aren’t sanitary (unfortunately, yes, that can happen.) After extractions, a toner should be used to clean the skin of any bacteria that may have happened during the extraction process. If you are particularly acne-prone, you may request the use of high frequency (the thing that sounds like a bug zapper) after extractions to put an antibacterial layer on the skin. (FYI: High frequency can’t be used during pregnancy.)
If you haven’t received a facial before and are nervous about breaking out, I recommend scheduling your appointment when you don’t have a lot going on/a big event. Many spas will allow you to book a consultation with an aesthetician before scheduling an appointment to address your concerns.
