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HydraFacial

Written by: Alice Hart-Davis

Last Updated: 22 September 2023

What is a HydraFacial?

A HydraFacial is a deep-cleansing, exfoliating facial that gives your skin a quick acid peel and plumps it with hydrating serums, all in the space of half an hour or so. It uses a machine to get deeper and do more than a normal facial ever could. Scroll down for all the info and FAQs about HydraFacial.

EXPECT TO PAY

£ 75 - 125

TWEAKMENT TIME

30 minutes

LONGEVITY

10 days

ANAESTHESIA

None

DOWNTIME

None

Find a Practitioner

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FAQ ABOUT HydraFacial


How do HydraFacials work?

The Hydrafacial uses a device that looks like an overgrown pen with a whirling vortex of water at its tip and a tube at the other end of it. Somehow, this water-vortex whirls in and out of the device without spraying everywhere and, by changing the tip of the device, it can be used to cleanse the skin and do a spot of lymph-draining massage, exfoliate the skin to get rid of old dead skin cells, then apply glycolic acid to soften blockages in the pores. The softened gunk is then vacuumed out, leaving the skin much smoother and more receptive to the dose of complexion-boosting vitamins, peptides, and moisturising hyaluronic acid that follows to plump up wrinkles. The final step is a few minutes of soothing red light that calms the skin and stimulates collagen formation. Depending on what your skin needs, you can have either some or all of the various steps.

What are the benefits of a HydraFacial? Is it worth it?

It’s quick and easy and gives great results. It’s like a deep-cleansing ‘reset’ for the face. My skin was a bit pinked-up by the end but it also looked fresh and glowing, very clean and plumped up from the hyaluronic acid and peptide solution.

I find the results make it a really worthwhile treatment, and love to have this done after, say, a holiday where I have been piling on sunscreen and paying minimum attention to my skin, to really clean out the pores and make it more receptive to the active skincare products I like to use at home. Many practitioners recommend having one of these every month. I don’t have one as often as that, but like to fit in a few of these each year.

One of the best things about HydraFacials is how consistent the results are. This is helped massively by the machine itself, which is a high-tech feat of engineering and has been through endless testing to make it as efficacious as possible.

What’s the difference between a HydraFacial and microdermabrasion?

The HydraFacial provides a much gentler exfoliation than microdermabrasion. Both procedures will exfoliate the skin, but microdermabrasion does this by scouring off the top (dead) layer of skin, usually with a fine powder of crystals. The water-jet used by HydraFacial performs a more gentle exfoliation, and as a treatment, a Hydrafacial goes further and adds a gentle acid peel, extraction of blocked pores and the infusion of serums into the treatment.  There’s also a great deal more scope for customisation with HydraFacial, which allows your practitioner to finely tune the procedure to cater to your precise needs.

What happens during a HydraFacial treatment?

If it’s your first appointment, you’ll have a consultation to establish what it is you’re looking to achieve from the HydraFacial. This procedure can treat a wide range of concerns so your practitioner will want to get a good idea of what you’re trying to treat so they can tailor the session to you.

Then it’s into the chair. This may have ‘facial’ in the name, but it’s not like a day at the spa. It’s not painful at all, but it’s also not mega-relaxing. First, there’s the cleansing step, where all the nasty surface impurities are whisked away so that there’s nothing in the way for when the real work starts. Then it’s time for the hydradermabrasion portion of the treatment (that’s exfoliation to you or me) where the HydraFacial pen is used to remove the very top layer of skin (don’t worry, this is made up predominantly of dead skin cells that you’re really not going to miss). After that, a gentle glycolic acid peel is applied to the skin to soften up the impurities clogged up in your pores and the pen is used to hoover up all these impurities, simultaneously providing lymph drainage to remove toxins. Finally, the pen is used to infuse your newly exfoliated skin with serums that help to target your specific concern. Because of the preceding steps, these serums can penetrate up to 20 per cent deeper than usual, making them all the more effective.

Do HydraFacials get rid of blackheads?

HydraFacials are great for removing blackheads because of the thorough cleansing, exfoliation, and glycolic acid application that precedes the extraction process. This multi-step process enables the tool to remove blackheads efficiently and effectively.

Do HydraFacials help acne?

The HydraFacial is a great addition to your acne-fighting regimen. While the treatment of acne is usually a long-term process that often requires a combination of approaches, you can be sure that a HydraFacial – which boils down to cleansing, exfoliation, extraction and application of specialised treatment serums – will always be a good move.

The only thing I’d say is to avoid going for a HydraFacial in the middle of a severe breakout. The abrasive techniques are mildly irritating, so wait for your skin to calm down before going through that.

Where can I get a HydraFacial?

HydraFacials are much more widely available nowadays owing to the broad range of skin concerns it can treat, level of customisability, and overall effectiveness. To get the best out of a HydraFacial, use a qualified practitioner who has the necessary experience to tailor the procedure to your concern. Since there are so many people offering this treatment, the quickest way to find the best is to use the practitioner finder on The Tweakments Guide website.

How much do HydraFacials cost?

Around £140, but look out for multi-session packages which can bring the cost down in the long run.

How long do HydraFacials take?

The procedure itself takes about 30 minutes. If it’s your first session with a particular practitioner, add on another 15 minutes for an in-depth consultation. All in all, this is something you can easily do in under an hour.

How long do HydraFacial results last?

The glow lasts for several days and the super-clean, super-fresh feeling lasts for around a week. It does leave you a little pink afterwards, so I’d do this a day before a big event to give your skin time to calm right down.

How often should you get a HydraFacial?

Your skin will thank you if you get HydraFacials regularly. For the best ongoing and long-term results, figure on one every 2-3 months. I would try to time them with chances in the season so your skin can enjoy a reset before being exposed to different environmental elements. Supplement this with the occasional HydraFacial before a big event and you will reap the rewards.

Are there any side effects to HydraFacials?

This is a minimally invasive treatment, but unless you have particularly hardy skin you should expect some pinkness straight afterwards. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Give it a day and you’ll be back to normal, just with much cleaner and healthier skin.

What is it like to have a HydraFacial?

Not pampering, so it’s not relaxing, but it’s extremely effective. It might sound a bit like putting your face through a high-speed car wash, but no, you don’t end up being hosed down — that clever vortex tip sucks the water back up as fast as it delivers it, so you don’t end up covered with water, serum, or exfoliating solution. It’s generally comfortable, although it can feel a little rough during extraction.

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