The Real Difference Between An Oxygen Facial And A HydraFacial

When getting a HydraFacial, estheticians use a specific wand and a serum that removes dead skin cells. Unlike microdermabrasion, the treatment is less painful, as experts do not do manual extraction (via Elle). But while it sounds promising, there are some downsides to this facial. "I never felt like it penetrated the skin that deeply. I didn't see much actual improvement in blackhead or acne issues," explains Jennifer Warmann-Bloss of Elemental Esthetics. "In fact, it was necessary to do extractions with this treatment to really get the skin clean."

OxyGeneo, on the other hand, offers gentle exfoliation with the help of a microderm-like tool. Unlike HydraFacial, it has "no harsh vacuum procedure." Even without using traditional extraction, you can still "get the exfoliation benefits of microdermabrasion" with this facial (via OxyGeneo). But that does not mean people with highly sensitive skin can't have HydraFacial. In fact, the treatment is "customizable," says cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Ariel Ostad. Meaning, estheticians can tweak the intensity of the treatment depending on your skin. Then again, you might want to consider how much dead skin cells you need extracted and, most importantly, your skin condition. Experts suggest staying away from HydraFacial if you have sunburn, rosacea, and active rashes to avoid damaging the skin further.