SkinWave Facial vs. HydraFacial: How They Work and the Benefits for Your Skin
A great facial can refresh, hydrate, and restore your skin’s natural glow. While traditional facials are performed manually and can be beneficial, today’s advanced, energy-based facial treatments take results to the next level.
Two of the most popular options are the HydraFacial and the SkinWave facial. At O’Donnell Vein & Laser in Annapolis, MD, we offer SkinWave because it provides the same deep-cleansing and hydrating steps as a HydraFacial, plus additional technology for even greater skin health benefits.
How Does a SkinWave Facial Work?
A SkinWave facial is a non-invasive treatment designed to improve multiple skin concerns, including visible signs of aging, in one session. It combines exfoliation, extraction, hydration, and antioxidant delivery into one seamless process — all performed with a patented aqua-delivery system.
Each treatment takes about 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the customizations you choose. The process begins with cleansing to remove makeup, sunscreen, and impurities, followed by the three core SkinWave solutions. This system offers a unique trio of solutions to rejuvenate the skin, which includes:
Hydrogen Therapy
Hydrogen molecules act as powerful antioxidants that penetrate deep into the skin to reduce inflammation and neutralize free radicals — a leading cause of visible aging. This prepares your skin to better absorb hydrating and rejuvenating serums in the next steps.
By including hydrogen as a solution in this treatment, this treatment system can essentially open your skin without exfoliation to allow for better product absorption in the later steps of this treatment. Hydrogen prepares your skin for all the restorative solutions, serums, and hydration that will be delivered with the aqua-wave system. The hydrogen in this treatment will also bond with oxygen in the skin and remove oxygen with the handpiece system to reduce visible aging.
AHA and BHA
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) — like glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid — gently resurface the skin, clear pores, and remove dull, dead cells. This is similar to the exfoliation stage of a HydraFacial, helping improve brightness and texture while reducing breakouts.
This step of your facial treatment will be about physically exfoliating surface layers of dead skin cells, not unlike a chemical peel. This step is performed with the aqua-delivery system to allow for faster, more accurate delivery and gentle exfoliation that will remove dead skin cells without irritating the skin. AHAs and BHAs are key ingredients to control oil production in the skin, reduce bacteria on the skin surface, and prepare skin for moisturization.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is the final solution in the trio that is applied with the aqua-delivery system. You may already be familiar with hyaluronic acid as an intense moisturizer that can plump the appearance of the skin. This ingredient is commonly found in at-home moisturizers because of how gentle, effective, and compatible it is with all skin types and tones.
Hyaluronic acid attracts and holds moisture in the skin, plumping fine lines and restoring a youthful glow. It’s a key part of both SkinWave facial and HydraFacial benefits, keeping skin soft, smooth, and radiant.
Why Exfoliation, Extraction, and Hydration Matter
Most professional facials — including HydraFacial — follow a pattern: exfoliate, extract, and hydrate. This three-step approach ensures the skin is thoroughly cleansed, free of impurities, and ready to receive moisture and nutrients.
The SkinWave facial goes a step further by also incorporating antioxidant delivery and customizable add-ons, helping regulate skin function, protect against damage, and boost long-term results.
Customizable Add-Ons for Targeted Results
In addition to the unique aqua-delivery system, this facial also offers additional handpieces to further customize your facial experience so you can target specific skin concerns. These additional treatment options may be a good idea if you want to address all skin concerns with one aesthetic treatment, or if you have complex concerns that need targeted treatment. Your additional treatment options include:
Electric Pulse and LED
The electric pulse handpiece focuses on enhancing the absorption of serums and antioxidants. As the electric pulse opens the pores, it allows for larger molecules in the hydration step to enter deeper levels of the skin. With this handpiece, you can also use LED light to target specific skin concerns.
Red LED light is known to help produce collagen for anti-aging and faster skin healing, while blue LED is typically used to treat acne, reduce oil production, and kill certain bacteria on the skin. Using this treatment option is a good idea if you are struggling with acne breakouts and acne scarring. You may also use both red and blue LEDs in your treatment.
Double-Lifting
The double-lifting handpiece is designed primarily to address the root causes of age-related concerns and inflammation. This handpiece encourages lymphatic circulation to promote blood flow, improve your complexion, and smooth the appearance of the skin. Lymphatic circulation and drainage are beneficial for the skin because they clear toxins from the skin surface. This additional treatment can improve the muscle relaxation in your face to reduce dynamic wrinkles and also tighten and lift the overall appearance of your skin.
Skin Concerns SkinWave Can Address
Whether you choose a HydraFacial or SkinWave facial, you can expect improvements in:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Uneven skin tone
- Dark spots and sun damage
- Acne and congestion
- Dryness and dehydration
- Redness and inflammation
HydraFacial Benefits vs. SkinWave Advantages
The HydraFacial is well-known for delivering instant radiance, deep cleansing, and long-lasting hydration. HydraFacial benefits include improved elasticity, smoother skin, and reduced pore congestion.
The SkinWave facial offers all these benefits plus targeted antioxidant delivery and customizable enhancements like LED light therapy and lifting technology — making it an excellent option for those wanting more personalized results.
When Will You See Results?
Most patients will see the results of this treatment within days of their appointment. Your skin will appear healthier, brighter, and tighter as collagen production, cellular turnover, and the benefits of the antioxidant hydrating serums begin to take effect. These results can last for as long as one to four weeks, depending on the condition of your skin, your age, and how well you can maintain your results at home.
Maintaining Your Results
After your treatment, the key to maintaining your results will be to use daily skincare products that support the health, tone, and texture of your skin. If you are aiming for anti-aging results, then the use of anti-aging products can be especially beneficial; likewise, if you are trying to treat acne or another active skin concern, then you will need to use acne-fighting products. Not sure what products to use? We can give you recommendations during your appointment based on your skin type and skin needs.
Combine With Other Treatments for Enhanced Benefits
You can combine a SkinWave facial with other treatments like dermal fillers, Botox, or laser therapy to target multiple signs of aging at once. For those who have moderate to severe volume loss in the face, it may be a good idea to incorporate dermal fillers into your treatment to restore facial volume and use this treatment to focus on achieving a brighter skin tone.
Experience the Ultimate Skin Rejuvenation
If you’ve heard about the HydraFacial benefits but want even more customization and skin health improvement, the SkinWave facial could be your perfect match. At O’Donnell Vein & Laser in Annapolis, MD and Easton, MD, we’ll design a personalized treatment plan to refresh, hydrate, and protect your skin for lasting radiance.
Contact us at O’Donnell Vein & Laser in Annapolis, MD to schedule your first SkinWave facial appointment today and see why our patients love it as a next-level alternative to the HydraFacial.
