If you are bothered by acne, age spots or wrinkles on your face, you don't have to go through the invasive surgery of a facelift. The facial skin care technique known as microdermabrasion has been a favorite of Hollywood stars for decades.

Now, you too, can take advantage of this treatment for your skin problems. Often simply called microderm, this type of skin treatment is performed by dermatologists and in spas, but you can also save yourself a lot of money by purchasing a kit you can use at home.

Microdermabrasion works by lifting off the top layer of your skin. The outer layers of the skin are called the epidermis and the deeper layers are called the dermis. The top layer of skin on your face that is exposed to the elements of the weather and air pollution is called the stratum corneum and is a protective layer.

Because of age and the effects of being outdoors, this layer of the skin can become rough and reddened and suffer from acne when the pores become clogged. Simply washing your face is not enough to revitalize this layer of skin but extremes such as laser acne (http://www.vfhcinc.com/procedures.html) or peelings are not always necessary either.

The tiny grains and crystals used in microdermabrasion help to remove all the dead skin particles from this outermost layer as well as bits of dirt and bacteria from the pores. Once you remove the dead skin from your face, this will reveal a new layer of skin that is fresher and brighter.

Blemishes, such as age spots and areas of hyperpigmentation, occur on the outer layer as well, so once you remove them with this treatment, you no longer have problem areas to contend with. You also will not have to get repeated medical grade peelings (http://www.vfhcinc.com/aesthetic.html) or purchase pricey skin care products

The facial area is not the only one that will benefit from microdermabrasion. You can heal cracked hands and feet by using this method to remove the top layer of skin. It is essential to use a skin moisturizer after you give yourself a treatment so that you can replenish the water that the skin loses through the loss of the top layer.

There are four categories of microdermabrasion kits that you can purchase for home use. You must read the information about the product to find the one that is best for your needs. Those products that say they will help with your complexion are the least effective of all. What you get from such a kit is really a good facial but you will see very little difference in the blemishes on your face.

If you choose a microdermabrasion kit that will help cleanse your pores do give you a good skin peel which is beneficial in cleaning the dirt and bacteria from the pores. Such a system is a good choice is you want to get rid of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and clogged pores on your face.

Then there are microdermabrasion products that deal with skin tone. These are the ones to choose if you want to lighten your skin to lessen the effects of hyperpigmentation spots and the coloring of the skin that occurs with age and damage from overexposure to the sun.

The best products for home use are those that deal with the skin surface. These really do remove the top layer of skin and are the closest to the treatment you would receive from a specialist.