First of all, you won’t need to choose if you see a qualified dermatologist or aeshthetician; they will recommend the best treatment. Your physician might ask how much time you have to allow healing after the treatment. If you’re anticipating an important social event like a wedding or vacation, then microdermabrasion is probably the best.

The depth of exfoliation is very precise with microdermabrasion, so you’re less likely to experience side effects like redness or swelling. The typical healing time with microdermabrasion is also very short – usually 3 days at the most.

Chemical peels come in many different formulas, from light to deep. But the healing time for most chemical peels is slightly longer than with microdermabrasion. If you can spare a week to let the skin heal, go for the chemical peel.

Sometimes an aesthetician will recommend doing both. If done carefully, a light chemical peel such as AHA or salicylic acid can work in combination with microdermabrasion. Just make sure you choose an aesthetician or surgeon that has experience combining these treatments.

• Read more about microdermabrasion in Mpls/St. Paul
• Read more about chemical peels at Skin Speaks Spa