What's Covered on This Page
- The Difference Between a Medical Grade Facial vs. A Spa Facial
- Treatments Best Suited for Clinical-Grade Facials
- What to Expect During Your Medical Grade Facials Visit
- The Off-Season Advantage for Corrective Skin Treatments
- After-Care for Post-Treatment Skin in the MarshWalk Climate
- What makes a medical grade facial different from what I can get at a regular spa?
- Is a medical grade facial safe for sensitive or rosacea-prone skin?
- How does living near the Murrells Inlet coast affect my skin and what I need from treatment?
- What should I expect during my first appointment?
- How many sessions do I need before I see real results?
- Can I get a medical grade facial if I am currently breaking out?
Need medical grade facials?
Book An Appointment. Call Jolie Visage Rejuvenation Centre now.
The Difference Between a Medical Grade Facial vs. A Spa Facial
We hear this question all of the time, and we get it, on the surface they look very similar. One involves someone treating your face in a quiet room and leaving you with calm. Yet, this is the only point of similarity you'll encounter between these two very distinct treatments.
The spa experience is great, and yes, you will feel better leaving it and your face will feel soft. But many spa facials employ products that only sit on the top of the skin. In order to treat any real issues, the product must penetrate deeper into the skin. Clinical-grade facials use higher concentrations of active ingredients and are overseen by licensed skin care providers.
Consider this to be a short cheat sheet to see what makes clinical-grade facials unique:
- Product Concentration. Most clinical-grade products contain high amounts of retinoids, glycolic acid, and vitamins. These ingredients penetrate the top layers and go further.
- Assessment. We examine what's bothering you before we touch your face. Our goal is to treat based on how your skin is doing, not to just offer a menu of services.
- Procedures. Some skin care treatments use enzyme treatments for gentle exfoliation. We are also able to use extractions, enzymes and clinical exfoliants during your visit.
- Professional Guidance. The medical staff in Murrells Inlet are trained to work with the products that are used during clinical-grade treatments. If something unexpected happens, they are equipped to take care of you immediately.
Here's the bottom line: you don't want to pay for comfort, you want to pay for results that show up a week later. We work with many clients from Inlet Square and around the Inlet Square area who have received spa facials every single month and still have acne breakouts and uneven skin texture. It will be an eye opener when they try a clinical-grade facial and realize that the results you experience are anything but minimal. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) reports that clinical-grade treatments may help accelerate the rate at which skin cells turn over.
It's not hype. It's just biology.
We can also use clinical-grade facials as a way to get the skin ready for additional treatments like chemical peels and microdermabrasion. Start with your skin healthy and work from there.
Treatments Best Suited for Clinical-Grade Facials
So you've tried the drug store serums. You've tried the overnight masks and the fancy $40 cream from your sister who said it was her best friend. The results? If your skin doesn't look more even or healthy, there's nothing wrong with you.
The only thing wrong is that certain issues will not respond to anything but clinical-grade products and treatments.
Clinical-grade facials go a lot deeper. What we use in the treatments has a higher concentration of actives, smaller molecular sizes and deeper penetration. That is the difference between hoping it works versus actually seeing it work in the mirror. Here is what we treat most frequently in our Murrells Inlet location:
- Stubborn acne and acne scarring that lasts months past a breakout
- Hyperpigmentation and melasma aggravated by the coastal sun
- Early signs of aging, fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, forehead and mouth
- Poor texture and pores not smoothable by a foundation or concealer
- Dull and dehydrated skin that remains lackluster despite increased water intake
From Garden City we frequently see clients that come in frustrated, having spent $100s of products with little to no results. 9 out of 10 times, the problem is that retail ingredients don't go deep enough.
Also, many have sun damage from life around the coast, resulting in age spots and age spots, uneven pigmentation, and leathery texture, which this treatment treats on the deeper cells, not only surface cells.
You might also not know that sensitive skin often responds very well to medical-grade facials. Many feel that "medical grade" means "too harsh," but it doesn't have to be. Our licensed providers will custom tailor each step and product to your specific skin needs for the day. Including skin that is red, prone to rosacea, and sensitive, all treated in a way that is safe and effective.
Wondering if a treatment can address your skin concern? Most people will be surprised by how much our treatment can improve.
What to Expect During Your Medical Grade Facials Visit
Arrive. We talk first.
We start all of our appointments this way in our Murrells Inlet location. Before we ever touch your skin, we get to know what's actually happening. Jawline breakouts? A stubborn dullness that persists even after trying different routines at home?
Sun damage from time spent outdoors and on the water by the MarshWalk? We want to hear everything. Our licensed aesthetician performs a full skin assessment with a magnifying lens so we're not guessing.
Once your skin needs, the treatment flows in the following order:
- Skin is cleansed.
- Skin is examined more closely, under professional lighting, to determine pore congestion, texture, and hydration.
- Active treatment products are applied. We use medical-strength products that are not available at retail stores.
- Extractions may be performed. This isn't required for every medical-grade facial.
- Treatment serums, moisture, and sun protection are applied.
This whole process takes about an hour, but many clients will fall asleep while we're doing the masking.
The products we use have higher concentrations of active ingredients (glycolic acid, retinoids, vitamin C, etc.), which work deeper and better. Because a trained professional is applying them, we are able to push your skin much further and still have it remain calm and not irritated.
We also adjust your treatment based on your skin that day. If it was too sunny the weekend before, we'll ease back on exfoliation and focus more on soothing and rebuilding. If you have a hormonal breakout, we'll change our tactics. Your facial in January is very different from your facial in July!
Your skin tells us what it needs; we just listen to your skin.
Your skin will glow after your treatment and may be pink, which typically settles down in a few hours. We'll send you home with at-home care instructions to your skin stays calm and you won't be undoing your hard work.
Need help with medical grade facials?
Book An Appointment. Jolie Visage Rejuvenation Centre is ready to help.
The Off-Season Advantage for Corrective Skin Treatments
Most clients make an appointment before they leave on vacation or for an event. We like to recommend the opposite.
Corrective skin work should actually begin in the fall or winter months when you aren't spending every weekend at the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk getting a dose of UV rays. A corrective skin treatment needs a few days of healing in between sessions, and when you go out in the sun afterwards, it not only sets your skin back but also can cause brown spots. We see this year after year, clients who come in in May and are disappointed they aren't getting any results because they've been out in the sun.
Here's why the fall and winter months can be so beneficial:
- There is less UV exposure so the skin is able to recover more quickly after an extraction or treatment
- More powerful products can be used without a worry for increased sun sensitivity
- Skin can look and feel red and peel a little bit and still look good and isn't sweating sunscreen off
- You can start a treatment plan and be ready in time for beach season instead of just starting then
If you have a skin issue or condition, like acne scarring or melasma that has bothered you for years, don't expect your first session to resolve it completely. A proper skin care plan might require anywhere from 3 to 5 sessions at a few weeks apart. By scheduling a session in October, it will be March by the time you are done and ready for spring. A start in June will put you in battle mode with the Lowcountry sun, and that will only slow you down.
The way your skin acts in the humidity of Murrells Inlet also has an impact as summer weather stimulates sebum and clogs pores, increasing the risk of breakouts. A corrective facial during that time will be fighting against the season. Your skin will absorb and hold the benefits of your treatment longer in cooler weather.
For clients who want true transformation, not just one-time fixes, where you come back looking different and ask what has happened to you, we time them to seasons. If you are considering what time is right for you, feel free to contact us.
After-Care for Post-Treatment Skin in the MarshWalk Climate
The thought of a walk to MarshWalk sounds ideal until you recognize the fact that exposure to salt in the air and humidity is counterproductive to newly treated skin. We give all our clients the same after-care advice following treatment: your skin has been reset. Your skin will need 48 to 72 hours of care to determine just how long the results will last. Very few people are aware of the effect our Murrells Inlet climate has on healing skin.
While high humidity levels provide natural moisture, the UV exposure combined with sea-salt air can be extremely irritating to freshly treated skin and needs to be managed wisely.
What to do Immediately after Your Treatment
- Do not expose skin to direct sunlight for a minimum of 24 hours, your skin barrier is freshly exposed.
- Apply a mineral-based sunscreen from the list we have provided before you exit your vehicle. At minimum, you should use SPF 30. If you will be outside, please reapply sunscreen every two hours.
- Stay out of the salt water and swimming pools for at least 48 hours. Both ocean water and chlorinated swimming pool water can be very drying for skin.
- Use a very gentle facial cleanser for that evening. Do not use cleansers that contain acids or exfoliators for 3 to 5 days after treatment.
- Do not touch your face. It is the most frequently neglected post-care instruction we are told!
High humidity is not enough to provide your skin with the barrier cream that your skin needs after treatment, even when the air feels moist. The coastal wind coming off the inlet can be very drying! We also suggest clients refrain from strenuous exercise for at least 24 hours. The combination of fresh treatment plus sweat can actually result in breakouts, which is the opposite of the outcome we are for.
An easy stroll along the boardwalk to Jetty View is fine. How about hot yoga? Not just yet!
What is most important to us is that patients are diligent in their application of sunscreen. Excessive UV exposure is the leading factor in accelerated skin aging according to the American Academy of Dermatology, and post-treatment skin becomes more susceptible to UV rays than ever before. This is not an attempt at fear-mongering: this is what can happen when skin has not had the proper after-care. Patients who follow the proper post-care protocol generally experience longer-lasting results; patients who don't apply sunscreen daily or resume retinol too quickly often call our office complaining of increased skin redness and peeling.
We would hate to see your investment in your skin compromised, so please use common sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about medical grade facials services in Murrells Inlet
What makes a medical grade facial different from what I can get at a regular spa?
A medical grade facial uses clinical-strength products that actually reach the deeper layers of your skin. Regular spa facials use retail-grade ingredients that sit on the surface. Here in Murrells Inlet, we work under medical oversight, which means we can use higher concentrations of actives like glycolic acid and retinoids. You leave with real results you can see, not just relaxed skin that looks the same a week later.
Is a medical grade facial safe for sensitive or rosacea-prone skin?
Yes, sensitive skin can do very well with medical grade facials. Stronger does not mean harsher. Our licensed providers adjust every product and every step based on what your skin needs that day. If you have rosacea, reactive skin, or you flush easily, we work around that. We do a full skin analysis before we start so nothing is guesswork. Most sensitive-skin clients are surprised by how comfortable the process feels.
How does living near the Murrells Inlet coast affect my skin and what I need from treatment?
Coastal living means year-round UV exposure, and that adds up fast. We see a lot of dark spots, uneven tone, and rough texture in clients from the Murrells Inlet area because of consistent sun exposure near the water. Medical grade facials target those damaged skin cells directly. We also adjust treatments based on humidity and seasonal changes here, so what we do for your skin in summer may look different than your winter visit.
What should I expect during my first appointment?
Your first visit starts with a conversation, not a product. We look at your skin under magnification, ask about your history, and find out what is actually bothering you. Then we cleanse, evaluate, apply clinical-strength treatment products, and finish with serums and sun protection. The whole appointment takes about an hour. You may leave with some mild pinkness, but that fades within a few hours. We send you home with clear aftercare instructions.
How many sessions do I need before I see real results?
Many clients notice a difference after just one session. That said, stubborn concerns like hyperpigmentation, acne marks, or deep texture usually need a series of treatments to fully respond. We see clients from the Garden City area who tried products for years with no change, then saw real improvement within a few visits. We will tell you honestly what to expect for your specific skin concern at your first appointment.
Can I get a medical grade facial if I am currently breaking out?
Yes, active breakouts are one of the main reasons people come to us. We treat acne and post-acne marks regularly at our Murrells Inlet location. We adjust the protocol based on what your skin is doing that day. If you have an active flare, we focus on calming and clearing rather than heavy exfoliation. You do not need to wait until your skin is clear to book. In fact, coming in sooner usually helps you get there faster.