If you suffer from regular breakouts, we understand your frustration. Controlling acne is a balancing act that involves managing the sebum that your body produces, as well as paying attention to your diet and other factors like hormones, stress, and climate. Committing to a regimented cleansing, toning, and moisturizing routine at home with the correct products for your skin type on a day-to-day basis helps. While there’s no quick fix for eliminating acne, facial treatments can significantly help boost your regular routine and give you that extra deep cleanse. We set out to find the best facials in Dubai to treat all degrees of oily and acne-prone skin—read below for some facts about acne that you should know, followed by our reviews of the best facial treatments in the Emirate.
Five Facts About Acne
1. Clogged pores under the skin’s surface cause whiteheads while clogged pores on top of the skin’s surface result in blackheads.
2. Sebum plays a significant role in the skin’s health. Too much of it can have a negative effect.
3. When pores become clogged with sebum, dirt, or dead skin cells, bacteria are likely to grow and cause acne.
4 .We all know not to pick or squeeze our pimples. If you do, you’re likely spreading bacteria, which will make the spot worse.
5. If you must pick or squeeze, allow the scab to fall off naturally. This will help prevent scarring.
The MediSpa Deep Cleansing Facial
We met with senior skin therapist Dora Atakul at the Obagi MediSpa in Dubai Mall to try the deep cleansing facial designed for mild to severe acne. As the name suggests, Obagi is a medical spa and is accredited by the Ministry of Health. They focus on skin restoration treatments and cosmetic procedures. Atakul assured us that this would be the ultimate treatment for eliminating clogged pores.
What to Expect
This facial packs a lot into 90 minutes; it starts with cleansing and toning to remove makeup, followed by a 10-minute steam and relaxing enzymatic exfoliation massage. Extraction by (gloved) hands is performed under a magnified facial lamp and for deeper blackheads, a small needle is inserted into the pores to release trapped dirt. For those who haven’t experienced extractions previously, it can be an uncomfortable process. On the plus side, it’s quick and the benefit of having squeaky-clean pores is worth it.
Post-extraction, a calming AHA toner is applied before the iontophoresis, a mild electrotherapy performed with gentle, circular movements of two metal rollers (positive and negative electrodes) that help the active ingredients. Depending on your skin type and condition, the ingredients can include hyaluronic acid, zinc, anti-inflammatory serum, mild retinol, or collagen. The rollers penetrate the ingredients deep into the layers of the skin. High frequency is used to oxygenate and energize the skin cells as well as create antibacterial effect. There’s a tingling sensation throughout this process, which left my skin with an energized feeling.
A welcoming cold sulphur mask with anti-inflammatory topical agents is applied and then peeled off. A second alginate mask is applied to close the pores and calm the skin. Once the mask is removed, the facial comes to an end with an anti-inflammatory calming cream and sun protection.
The Outcome
The first two days after the treatment, I had some redness and scabbing from the extractions. By day five, the scabs were gone and I was left with smooth, radiant skin. I’m writing this on day 10 and my skin is still blemish-free and glowing.
Cost: AED/SAR 750
Recommended home skincare
—Dannielle Blaker
