Can Facials Ruin Your Skin?

Your favourite regular beauty treatment may be doing your face more harm than good. Our experts weigh in.

- Anne-Marie Guarnieri

Six months into a regimen of monthly treatments with one of Sydney’s most in-demand facialists, Samantha * was thrilled that her skin was radiant and was convinced her pores looked smaller. But what were those pockmarks on her temples? A trip to her dermatologist confirmed what she feared: Samantha had developed scars from too frequent extractions. A laser treatment to smooth them would cost thousands of dollars. “I felt so stupid that I had let someone do that to my face. Yet I was somewhat relieved — my doctor told me he had another patient come in that day with a terrible burn all over her face from a facialist acid peel.”

Facials can be good for your skin if you’re in the right hands, says dermatologist Dr Dendy Engelman. “Licensed aestheticians have equipment to treat problems you can’t treat at home and can evaluate your skincare protocol,” she says. But a facialist is not a substitute for a dermatologist. “They are not trained to assess skin disease and cancers. A doctor ensures that you are getting proper care.”