Healthy-skin seekers find results in ?abrasive? method

BOULDER — The word ?abrasive? conjures a negative connotation; however, a little abrasion goes a long way toward healthier-looking skin.

Developed by Mattioli Engineering in the mid-’80s, microdermabrasion is a skin-care technique introduced to the United States when it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1997.

Susan Melching, owner of Susan Melching Inc., said she spent about $11,500 on the special equipment needed so she could be one of the first in the United States to offer microdermabrasion. The procedure involves applying and vacuuming mineral crystals off the skin ?at very high velocity to remove dead and damaged cells,? said Melching, a licensed aesthetician. ?It’s a very effective form of healing that works with every skin type.? Aestheticians are schooled in skin care.

Microdermabrasion costs clients between $120 and $150 per session and takes about an hour for preparing, treating and providing follow-up care. Most clients need weekly treatments for one month to achieve the results they want and monthly treatments thereafter to maintain the look, but frequency depends upon why the client seeks treatment.

Sylvia Wyant, homeopath and owner of Via One Ltd. in Boulder, sought Melching’s help to rid her of pockmarks that had plagued her since she was a teen-ager.

?It was stunning,? Wyant said. ?After the fourth treatment, I cried because the pockmarks were going away. If made me feel better about myself.?

Microdermabrasion may be used to treat lines, wrinkles, active acne, scars, hyperpigmentation, thickened skin, dull appearance, stretch marks and remove tattoos.

Some clients opt for entire body treatments, which take longer and cost more.

?It’s good for sunspots, fine lines, wrinkles and acne,? said Dr. Richard Levine, who practices at Mountain View Dermatology in Boulder. ?It’s not good for enlarged pores, redness or spider veins.?

Microdermabrasion is replacing older methods such as chemical peels. ?(Microdermabrasion) is very physical, not chemical,? Melching said. ?The biggest key is that it’s not aggressive.?

Unlike dermabrasion, the smaller-scale procedure is non-surgical, uses no anesthesia and has no recovery time. Many clients say that it feels like a cat licking their face, according to Melching.

?(With dermabrasion), people had their faces sanded down with a wire mesh brush or a diamond fraise,? Melching said. ?It was a very messy procedure, and it’s not widely used anymore.?

The threat of blood-borne diseases was another reason dermabrasion was phased out, according to Melching.

Most of Melching’s microdermabrasion clients are baby boomers, and 20 percent of her clients are men. Perhaps this is because microdermabrasion is an active treatment with immediate visible results, according to Melching.

Although Melching does offer some frou-frou treatments such as facials, waxing and electrolysis, microdermabrasion isn’t one of them.

?(Men) aren’t embarrassed to get microdermabrasion done,? Melching said. ?It’s relaxing, but it’s not a fluffy kind of treatment, and it’s not pampering.?

Education is also part of the reason the number of Melching’s male clients has increased from 5 percent to 20 percent in recent years.

?Men are much more aware today of the importance of their appearance,? Melching said. ?We educate our clients so they can make better decisions.?

Although Melching’s first venture into skin care was offering electrolysis, additional training and equipment has allowed her to expand into skin care and anti-aging techniques. Melching’s facility balances between being a salon and medical clinic.

One example of the medical side of her business is Melching’s expansion into skin screening for melanoma using a digital camera and the Skin Max system.

Melching’s 2000 revenue was $650,000. She employs five aestheticians, one of whom is also an electrolysist. The economic slowdown has impacted Melching little.

?Recently, in the past month or two, people aren’t coming in quite as often,? she said, ?but overall, it’s no different.?

Dr. Levine’s office has not been greatly impacted either.

?For the first couple of weeks (after Sept. 11) it slowed down,? he said, ?but now people are back going about their lives.?

Melching said that the secret of her survival is knowledge. ?I stay on the edge of everything to provide the very latest,? she said. ?(My customers) demand it. My target market is very knowledgeable these days. I want to make sure I have the answers.?

Last year, Melching expanded from 1,100 square feet at 2595 Canyon Blvd., to 1,700 square feet when she purchased a building at 2449 Pine St. ?I have better traffic than on Canyon,? she said. ?It was upstairs and had no visibility. This is a great facility. The Bolder Boulder runs right past my front door.?

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