Hydrafacial: what it is, what the maker says, what to ask

MedSpaGrades editorial teamUpdated 22 Oct 20263 sources checkedHow we write

Hydrafacial is a brand name for a branded facial treatment and the device used to give it. It is not a medical term. This page says what the maker says it is, and what a professional society says about the kinds of treatment it is made of. It is the thinnest of our treatment pages, because we found no independent source about the Hydrafacial brand itself, and the page says so.

What the maker says it is

The maker's own website describes the Platinum Hydrafacial as a combination of steps. It lists: gentle suction; a physical exfoliating step that it says lifts away dead skin cells; chemical exfoliation that it says assists in unclogging pores; a crystal-free microdermabrasion tip that it says resurfaces and exfoliates dead skin cells; serums infused into the skin; red and blue light; and an antioxidant serum at the end. These are marketing statements by the company that sells the device. We have not verified them, and we do not repeat the company's claims about results.

What the parts are, according to ASDS

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), a society of dermatologists who do surgery, describes two of the techniques the maker names.

ASDS describes microdermabrasion as a machine that applies a slightly rough applicator tip, made of tiny rough particles or a diamond tip, to the surface of the skin to remove the uppermost layer. It says this gives a smoother skin texture, that the procedure is painless and non-invasive, and that multiple sessions may be required in some cases. It says recovery time is generally minimal. It says people with fragile capillaries or vascular lesions, or who are prone to cold sores unless treated with antiviral therapy, may not be good candidates.

ASDS describes a superficial or lunchtime chemical peel as using an alpha-hydroxy acid or another mild acid to penetrate only the outer layer of skin to gently exfoliate it. It says new skin after a peel is temporarily more sensitive to the sun. See our page on chemical peels.

We did not read ASDS or any other source on the red and blue light or the serums.

What we did not find

We did not find an FDA page, a label or a study about the Hydrafacial brand itself. We did not check its FDA status. Whether a clinic's "Hydrafacial" is the branded device or something similar named after it, we cannot say. Ask the clinic which device it uses, and ask for the written information that comes with it.

What to ask

Ask the clinic which device it uses and what steps are included. These questions can help.

What it costs

We do not give prices on this page. Our guides cover how clinics quote prices as they are published.