This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PMD Personal Microderm. The opinions and text are all mine.
I think that goes for most of us in the Northern states, but the skin really does get drier in the winter. My cheeks and chin in particular get flaky and scaly, so I try to fix the situation by using AHAs and physical scrubs. My exfoliating arsenal recently welcomed another member – PMD Personal Microderm [$159 for a kit, available here] – and based on my results so far, it’s here to stay. But let’s start from the beginning…
PMD Personal Microderm was developed as an at-home alternative to expensive salon treatments utilizing the same aluminum-oxide crystals on patented spinning discs. The device works by gently pulling at skin with a vacuum-action that promotes exfoliation, revealing healthy, clear complexion in as little as three uses.
I’m often told that I have perfect skin, but having good skin is hard work for me. My skin is prone to hyper-pigmentation, so even the tiniest blemishes leave long-lasting scars, and that’s the issue I was hoping to address with the help of this beauty device. First time using it was a bit intimidating, but the box PMD Personal Microderm came in had a helpful instructional DVD inside, along with the printed booklet. The kit also comes with an assortment of exfoliating discs for different parts of the body and to customize the intensity of the treatment.
The instructions recommended using the device every 5-7 days, which is what I did. Since my cheeks are always slightly irritated in the winter, I decided to use the grey discs designed for ultra sensitive skin. That first swipe when your skin gets sucked in by the vacuum cup always spooks me at first, and I don’t think I will ever get used to it 🙂 Make sure you don’t glide over the same area twice or you risk getting irritated, over-exfoliated skin. I’ve accidentally done that in the past with physical scrubs and the result was not pretty. Luckily, PMD Personal Microderm leaves pink-ish lines on the skin that fade after a few minutes, so the path is easy to trace.
Despite my expectations, the changes are not visible immediately, or at least they weren’t to me. I even assumed that I must have been doing something wrong, because I envisioned more drastic results. However, about an hour later I looked at myself in the mirror and my face had that healthy radiant glow. Even my cheeks that are normally not pigmented at all had a proper rosy color to them [not flushed!]. I also noticed that my skincare absorbs better, so it probably works more effectively too. Today, three treatments later the acne scars on my chin are less visible [can you tell in the picture below?], and hopefully with regular use I can stave off the formation of any new ones.
I think this goes without saying, but any type of exfoliation must be followed by a generous helping of sunscreen because recovering skin is more prone to sun damage. With so many sunscreens to choose from, protecting your biggest organ is now easier than ever before. I personally love using physical sunblocks with finely milled Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, because they don’t get absorbed and are easy to remove with oil cleansers.
You can buy PMD Personal Microderm at getpmd.com [use coupon HEART20], Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, and other fine beauty retailers nationwide.
Have you tried microdermabrasion before? Do you prefer physical or chemical exfoliants? Let me know in the comments below!
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That’s an awesome gadget and you got great results! I must try microdermabrasion for scarring once my skin recovers.
Yes, definitely give it a try as long as your derm agrees! It’s a nice way to get rid of those acne scars.
I have one of these. I saw some results from it, but I hated how long it took to use it!
You’re right, it does take a while, and at first I wasn’t even sure if there was any result at all. I only noticed improvement from looking at my own before & after photos.
I tried one of these years ago and got too aggressive with it.
I almost overdid it on my first try, too! Luckily I stopped in time and gave my skin some rest 🙂
Sounds like an interesting device. I have to set up an appointment at a Boston salon for a microdermabrasion session. I haven’t had one in quite a while. I like both physical and chemical exfoliators, depends on the day.
Same here, I like both, but chemical peels are my preferred method of exfoliation. However, I just love a good polish from a scrub or a microderm device once a week or so.
I tried this a few years ago but was so klutzy I kept sucking up my skin making red marks.
I had to read the instructions several times and watch the demo to see how to do it correctly. I’d be a total klutz if I didn’t haha! I learned my lesson that nothing is too obvious the hard way.
I have a similar machine and I like it a lot. It’s nice to have something at home to use. It’s a slow process to see the improvement but I see it in your before and after pictures.
You’re right, the process is pretty slow, but I think it does work as intended which is more than I can say about many of the gimmicky beauty gadgets haha 🙂
WOW – I have a bunch of acne scars too. This sounds like it’d be worth a try.
So far it’s working great on mine! Just make sure you don’t use it too often – over exfoliation is bad news.
It looks like I’m going to have to give this another try– my acne scars are out of control!
Girl, mine too! Even the tiniest pimple leaves a big fat pigmented scar 🙁 I have discolored stripes on my ankles from accidentally cutting myself with a razor a few times, and people probably think I got bitten by a shark.
I have one of these somewhere in a closet. I haven’t used it in years, I need to check it out again.
Fun! That may be a nice rediscovery 🙂
I have the original PMD in my closet somewhere and when I tried to use it initially and for the first year, sometimes it seemed like it worked really well while other times it caused my Eczema to flare up substantially. I really try to nurture my skin because once my eczema flares up… I’m screwed. I’m gonna pull this out, order more heads and try it again on a small area and see how it works for me.
I think the result depends on the condition of your skin. I use it on the days when I feel like mine needs a lot of hard scrubbing, which is about once a week but not more than that.
I was really curious about the PMD. Thanks for the review!
You’re welcome! I was super scared using it for the first time 🙂