Patient Selection

With predictably superficial results, microdermabrasion has been safely done on all skin types. The concerns of hyperpigmentation limiting many patients from elective resurfacing procedures are greatly reduced in microdermabrasion. If present, posttreatment hyperpigmentation is short lived. The key, in part, to patient satisfaction is in choosing the type of patient who can most likely benefit from this procedure. In a telephone survey including the opinions of 43 patients with a mean number of 4.51 treatments, the overwhelming reason these patients chose the procedure was for the treatment of fine lines plus wrinkles [88]. In this group, satisfaction with the procedure was correlated with an increased number of treatments (three or more). People whose expectations for dramatic change are high, or photodamage and/or acne scars are too extreme,would not be appropriate for microdermabrasion as a sole therapy.Contrary to the opinion of Hernandez- Perez et al.,who stated that patients on isotretinoin can be microdermabraded, most authors recommend abstaining from microdermabrasion for at least 1 year following isotretinoin [87]. Other poor candidates include those with cutaneous malignancies, recent herpes outbreak, warts involving the treatment area, flared rosacea, draining acne vulgaris, unstable diabetes, and autoimmune disorders [81].