What's the difference between HydraFacial, micro-needling and mesolift?

HydraFacial, micro-needling and mesolift are three aesthetic medicine treatments that are very much in demand today. All aimed at caring for the skin and revitalising it, these techniques each have their own specificities, benefits and methods. What’s the difference between HydraFacial, micro-needling and mesolift? Who is each of these protocols for? How do they actually work, and what results can you expect? Let’s compare these different skin-tissue regeneration methods in detail, then look together at which one to choose depending on your needs.

HydraFacial, a complete treatment for the skin of the face

HydraFacial is presented as a complete treatment for the face and body. Non-invasive, it uses a patented technology that deeply cleanses and renews the epidermis while regenerating it and protecting it effectively against external aggressions.

How does the HydraFacial treatment work?

The HydraFacial technique works using a pen onto which various tips connected to an electronic device are fitted. This treatment cleanses, exfoliates dead cells and extracts the impurities that clog the pores of the skin.

The aim of HydraFacial is indeed to cleanse, exfoliate and then infuse the various layers of the skin with treatments containing nutrients and serums (antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, copper peptides, zinc, magnesium, etc.) for intense hydration, so that the skin becomes smoother and more radiant. The painless technology used in this treatment protocol gives the skin a fresh new look in just 30 minutes.

Who is it for?

One of the major advantages of this treatment is that it suits all skin types, even those that are usually delicate and sensitive (except for very fragile skin). It is intended for women and men alike and corrects all kinds of skin irregularities. The procedure is suitable for any man, woman or teenager, with or without skin concerns, and all year round.

What are the indications?

The HydraFacial facial treatment is specifically indicated to treat fine lines and wrinkles as well as the signs of skin ageing. It is particularly recommended to firm the skin and restore its full elasticity and firmness. It also helps to revitalise and even out the complexion by cleansing and smoothing away all imperfections. It tackles, for example, blackheads (comedones), enlarged pores, hyperpigmentation as well as oily or congested skin.

The results of this treatment are almost immediate. Right after the first session, the skin already looks clearer, revitalised, better hydrated, softer and more radiant. The nourishing nutrients that make up this treatment help to reduce imperfections and restore firmness to the skin. After being unclogged, the pores of the skin are tightened thanks to the active ingredients penetrating deep into the epidermis.

Micro-needling, the ideal treatment to slow the effects of ageing

A little less well known than HydraFacial, micro-needling is an equally effective treatment that, when performed correctly, can tackle most skin imperfections.

How does micro-needling work?

It is performed using an electric device called a Dermapen, shaped like a pen onto which single-use cartridges of nano-needles are fitted; these penetrate deep into the epidermis and the dermis in order to optimise the skin’s natural self-healing process. This is referred to as a controlled mechanical injury or a collagen induction therapy. In the dermatological literature, this technique is in fact known by the term percutaneous collagen induction (from the English percutaneous collagen induction), first described in 2008 by Dr Desmond Fernandes as a rejuvenation process that stimulates skin repair.

The nano-needles used are applied repeatedly to the areas being treated to trigger a healing mechanism that drives cell renewal. Micro-needling also helps to increase the synthesis of elastin and collagen and to improve local blood flow for better skin oxygenation. The depth of the needles is adapted to the goal and the area: for treating wrinkles and facial rejuvenation, a review published in 2016 in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery (A. Singh) notes that a length of around 0.5 to 1 mm is generally recommended, with greater depths reserved for certain scars.

Who is it intended for?

This treatment suits all skin types and all phototypes but nevertheless remains contraindicated for pregnant women, people prone to skin problems and those with auto-immune diseases. Before any session, the skin must also be perfectly cleansed of make-up and disinfected.

Which areas can it treat?

Micro-needling is a treatment applied to the face, including the contours of the eyes and lips, the arms, the back of the hand, the abdomen, the neck and the décolleté. It makes the skin smoother, more radiant and firmer across these various areas.

What are the indications?

The regeneration mechanism notably helps to correct certain imperfections such as fine, diffuse lines, a crumpled or crepey skin appearance, enlarged pores, certain scars (acne) and a dull or uneven complexion.

Micro-needling also has the particular feature of being a preventive treatment, delaying the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by maintaining the skin’s density and elasticity. This technique is, on the other hand, less effective on deep wrinkles than other aesthetic medicine treatments such as a chemical peel for the face or hyaluronic acid injections or botulinum toxin. To stimulate collagen more deeply, you can also opt for an approach combining micro-needles and radiofrequency, such as Morpheus 8 fractional radiofrequency microneedling.

Mesolift, the revitalising treatment par excellence

The mesolift is a revitalising mesotherapy technique regarded as a maintenance treatment. Its action again points to a technique for maintaining the skin and preventing ageing rather than to a wrinkle-filling process.

The principle of the mesolift

It consists of an injection of multivitamins into the area being treated. The technique involves applying various active ingredients (non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid, minerals, antioxidant vitamins, etc.) into the different layers of the epidermis and the dermis using a mesotherapy needle in order to firm and deeply hydrate the skin tissues.

Who is it for and which areas?

As a revitalising treatment, the mesolift suits both thin skin and damaged, dull and dehydrated skin, restoring its tone through a process of cell renewal. This mesotherapy technique can also, to a certain extent, reduce fine lines and above all prevent their appearance. Maintaining deep hydration is, in fact, the basis of any anti-ageing treatment. Well-hydrated skin then delays ageing as long as possible and protects itself better against external aggressions. The mesolift treatment addresses the neck, the face, the whole décolleté as well as the back of the hands.

By what method?

The mesolift is performed by multiple punctures and intradermal injection of hyaluronic acid combined with vitamins, amino acids and minerals for more supple skin and a rapid disappearance of the crumpled look. The skin of the face or hands is thus softer and more even, and the wrinkles on the décolleté are reduced.

At an early stage of skin laxity, it helps to maintain hydration and so prevent gradual dehydration. At an intermediate level, it is able to restore hydration while nourishing skin that is already fragile. At an advanced stage of laxity, it repairs, tones and replumps the weakened skin.

Procedure, effectiveness and frequency of each treatment for long-lasting results

The HydraFacial treatment, micro-needling and the mesolift more or less meet the same goals, even if how the session unfolds, the number of sessions required and the recovery vary depending on the type of treatment performed.

HydraFacial

HydraFacial takes place in 4 successive steps: cleansing, exfoliation, extraction and protection. Completely painless, a treatment every 4 to 6 weeks is recommended for an even complexion and a lastingly clear skin texture.

Micro-needling

The micro-needling treatment itself lasts between 15 and 20 minutes but in reality stretches over a good hour with the preparatory steps. It begins with a deep cleansing and disinfection of the skin before moving on to the treatment with the device. Circular movements are then performed across the entire face. After the procedure, the patient must wait 24 hours before being able to cleanse the face with water or apply make-up. Sauna and sun exposure are also prohibited for 15 days.

It is generally recommended to perform a total of around 4 sessions spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart, with a maintenance session every 3 months. It is the skin type and the treatment area that mainly determine how often the sessions are repeated. A chemical peel for the face can also be performed 2 weeks beforehand to optimise regeneration and act on the different layers of the skin.

Mesolift

For the mesolift treatment, around 3 to 4 sessions of 20 to 30 minutes each are advisable, spaced 15 days apart, with results visible for around 6 months and, in particular, softer and smoother skin. Maintenance sessions every 6 to 12 months are then recommended. Once again, the pace of the sessions may differ from one skin type to another, particularly for mature skin that was heavily exposed to the sun in the past, for smokers or for menopausal women. The mesolift can also be supplemented with hyaluronic acid or Botox injections for greater effectiveness.

HydraFacial, micro-needling or mesolift: which treatment should you choose for your needs?

The main difference lies in how they work. HydraFacial acts at the surface: it cleanses, exfoliates and infuses hydrating serums for an immediate « healthy glow » effect. Micro-needling acts in the dermis by reactivating the natural production of collagen, with a more structural but gradual result. The mesolift, for its part, focuses above all on deep rehydration and prevention, through micro-injections of vitamins and hyaluronic acid.

As a rough guide, you can choose as follows:

• Dull complexion, enlarged pores, congested skin, a desire for an immediate glow → HydraFacial, ideal before an event and to maintain the skin all year round.
• Early fine lines, skin that is starting to sag, acne scars, uneven skin texture → micro-needling, to stimulate collagen over the long term.
• Dehydrated, tired, crepey skin, prevention of ageing → the mesolift, to rehydrate and tone deep down.

Unlike a chemical peel for the face, which relies on chemical exfoliation to renew the epidermis, these three treatments favour a gentle, gradual approach without marked peeling. Here is a comparative summary to find your way at a glance:

Can you combine HydraFacial, micro-needling and mesolift?

These three treatments are not in competition: they are often complementary. Because they act at different levels of the skin, they can be integrated into a single overall protocol, provided the healing times specific to each are respected. A preparatory HydraFacial, for example, cleanses and deep-cleans the skin before a micro-needling session, whose absorption of active ingredients it then optimises. The mesolift, for its part, can prolong the results by maintaining hydration between two treatment courses.

The choice and sequencing of these treatments must, however, be personalised according to your skin type, your goals and the condition of your skin. That is the role of the consultation: to establish the most suitable protocol, session after session, for natural, long-lasting results.