We have never tried Hydrafacial procedure before, so we were excited to test it because now it became very popular. Many models use this treatment every week to cleanse and keep skin healthy and beautiful after makeup, sun exposure, lights, and stress.

Our expert was very picky when choosing where to go for the treatment. Among different places, she was particularly interested in Shafer Plastic Surgery and Laser Center. The Center was founded by award-winning plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer who also provides BOTOX study materials for surgeons. Of course, after reading all this we really wanted to get hydrafacial at this exact place.

The hydrafacial was provided by esthetician Mara who explained everything and guided through the procedure. We interviewed Dr. Shafer, Esthetician Mara, and Dr. Graceanne about the center, procedure, and their beauty preferences!

Mara, tell us how your beauty journey began?

I would have to say it started with my eyebrows! Growing up I had the infamous greek girl uni-brow. It was difficult because kids in school bullied me for it, so my mom started helping me tweeze them. I eventually tried plucking them on my own and pretty soon I was doing all of my friends and family. I was inspired by this aspect of aesthetics more so than the conventional makeup and hair route. I had a conversation with my personal friend, a skin guru, about the next steps in a career in the Aesthetics field. 6 years after my middle school eyebrow experiment I found myself at the Atelier Esthetique School of Aesthetics. The rest was history!

2. What exactly is involved in Hydrafacial?

At our practice, we always start with the Lymphatic Drainage which helps to detoxify the skin and improve circulation. Immediately after, you can see deflating of any puffiness in the face. After that, we begin with the first step of the Facial, the cleansing. (If a patient is wearing makeup I usually do a manual cleanse first to help take off the majority of it.) The cleansing is a deep, vacuum-like suction that helps remove dead skin from the surface and clean out the pores. Next, comes the Acid peel which has 3 different strengths and is a combination of Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid. Afterward, my favorite part, the extractions! Again, it’s a vacuum-like suction that extracts debris from the oily T-zone while infusing the skin with serums to tighten the pores. Very satisfying! Finally, the last step is the Vortex-Fusion which infuses the skin with a cocktail of antioxidants, peptides, and hyaluronic acid which helps promote hydration and long-term anti-aging.

3. Is Hydra Facial suitable for everyone?

It sure is! It’s great for any skin type, condition, or gender. It is even a great treatment for our pregnant ladies that still want to maintain their beauty regime.

4. Why Hydrafacial so good for skin?

Well for starters who doesn’t love a great and effective facial? The Hydra Facial differs from a mundane conventional facial because it does it all! It’s a combination of exfoliating while removing impurities out of the pores all the while infusing the skin with the Hydra Facial’s unique vortex of moisturizers and antioxidants.

5. How long the treatment take?

The treatment can be from 30 to 60 minutes. Of course, it depends on the customized treatment based on each person’s needs.

6. What’s your recommendation for home skin care after the Hydrafacial treatment?

Luckily with the Hydra Facial, you can carry on with your normal at home routine. Of course, you want to be cleansing, moisturizing and in the morning, protecting from the sun. What I love to follow the Hydra Facial with is Skin Medica’s HA5 Hydrator and to top it off with Sente’s Pollution Shield Tinted Sunscreen.

7. How many treatments are needed to see results? How long do the results last?

This beauty treatment shows results with just one treatment! You walk out with a radiant glow, and very “clean” feeling skin. To maintain this glow, I recommend getting the treatment once a month, or at every change of the season. Also, combining it with a laser like the Clear & Brilliant you are cleaning out your pores with the Hydra Facial and then tightening them with the laser. It’s a great combo to do and my personal favorite!

8. What your personal favorite must-haves for skin care?

Aside from the much needed Hydra Facial. My skin definitely can’t do without Skin Medica’s AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. ( Surprisingly, It really helps take off makeup!) In the summer I love to use Skin Medica’s Antioxidant Serum in the morning. It’s hydrating and has a great blend of antioxidants. Additionally, you’ll never see my medicine cabinet without Thayer’s Witch Hazel ( I love the Lavender Scent!) And as always, SUNSCREEN! I am really liking Skin Medica’s Mineral Sunscreen. A sunscreen with Zinc & Titanium Dioxide is a must, especially for the coming season!

9. Graceanne please tell us how your beauty journey began?

My beauty journey began as a very young girl playing with makeup, masks and potions I found in my mother’s cabinet. She and my grandmother always had mysterious looking products and beautiful, vintage compacts of powder and pretty lipsticks. When I got a little older, my best friend and I used to raid her big sister’s stash, and then dress up and have fashion shows. I came of age in the late 70’s when glam was in no matter what color your skin, or whether you were male or female, gay or straight. It was all so fabulous. David Bowie, Grace Jones, and all the Disco divas captivated me. As I became a competitive disco dancer, I started to look at fashion magazines for inspiration. When Disco died and Rock was in my makeup routine changed too and I began to wear less and care for my skin more.

As I’ve grown, my passion has become more about the health of the skin. My skin has always been truly sensitive and I have to had be mindful and creative about learning how to care for my own skin. I found in my late thirties, after having my daughter, that I really wanted to help other Moms who had skin issues post childbearing with hormonal issues like PCOS. As I evolved from more of a European style facialist, laser therapy really got my attention and I realized I could blend holistic healing and ancient techniques with technology.

10. What your beauty secrets for radiant skin?

Lots of water, a little sun, and fresh air. Moving a lot, even walking is great for your skin. Having a true sense of yourself and following your heart shows on your face. As a certified health coach, I understand the importance of patients having a career or day to day activities and people they love around them is so important for radiant skin.

I don’t overcleanse my skin and use a lot of serums. The molecules are smaller so they penetrate easier and are less irritating. My current favorite is TNS Recovery Complex by Skin Medica, Lytera 2.0 for pigment and Sente Dermal Repair Cream. Glycolic Acid is still a classic and I love the GlyPro line by Skin Medica.

I absolutely, 100% never go to sleep wearing makeup and don’t wear any makeup on the weekends. On the weekends I use a ton of Vitamin C like the ampoules from Isdin and Hyalis by Neocutis.

HydraFacials whenever possible. And most definitely any laser treatment I can get from Dr. Shafer or Mara as time permits! My faves are VBeam Perfecta, Elos Sublative Fractional RF and PIco Way Resolve.

11. What’s your favorite treatment which you perform in Shafer Plastic Surgery?

All of them. I am a frustrated artist and consider being a facialist marrying art and science with healing. The more I know about all the modalities we have in the office, the more I study, the more of my favorites they become. As a Clinical Trainer for Syneron-Candela, I was studying Pico Way yesterday so that’s a favorite right now. I was rummaging through our closet at the office this morning and found a bunch of attachments for our facial machine so I’m nerding out on MicroCurrent which I love to lift and tone facial muscles.

12. What’s your recommendation for summer time which almost in the corner to safe dewy glowing skin and keeps it hydrated?

Wear only mineral based SPF like Pollution Shield SPF 34 by Sente. It not only protects against UV damage but also screens out dirt and pollution grime. Have more facials to counteract the oiliness from the humidity. Drink extra water and hydrate your skin more. I love Sente’s new ATP Reset Moisturizer in the summer for light moisture with HSA molecule for tightening and firming. Helps with stressed-out skin.

Don’t forget your injectables in the summer since we tend to wear less makeup. Gentlemen need skin and injectables as well since their skin is thicker and can get folliculitis.

13. David, what brings you to open Shafer Plastic Surgery?

I created Shafer Plastic Surgery & Laser Center as a destination for top-notch plastic surgery care in a comfortable and relaxing setting. One of my driving mottos is to treat every patient as if they are a member of our family. One of the most rewarding parts of our job is seeing patients year after year, almost like a reunion, catching up on their lives and helping them maintain their appearance or “age gracefully.”

14. What’s your beauty goal?

My goal for every patient is for people not even know they had a plastic surgery or cosmetic treatment. I love when I hear feedback that they saw someone they know that they had not seen in a while and the person says, “you look great” or “you look so happy” or “did you lose weight” without even having plastic surgery come to mind. The objective is to achieve a natural appearing result through a combination of non-invasive and surgical procedures with the fastest recovery and shortest downtime.

15. What’s your beauty advice for our readers about aging process and fillers?

Botox and Fillers are an excellent maintenance and preventive treatment with aging. While Botox helps reduce dynamic lines, fillers such as Vollure helps replace lost volume and lifts the tissues to a more youthful appearance. The endpoint is not how much Botox and filler would be used, but choosing the appropriate filler and injecting artfully to achieve the best results.

16. What’s your personal beauty routine?

Men are a great part of our practice. While men may not talk openly as much as women about their treatments, Botox, and dermal fillers are an essential component in addressing the male patient. For me, I regularly use Botox (I inject myself) and occasional maintenance dermal fillers. I also enjoy a hydra facial, V beam laser to reduce redness and Picoway laser for fine lines, texture, and discoloration of the skin. Daily skincare at home is also essential to maintain the best results. I like SkinMedica HA-5 moisturizer and Senté Dermal Repair and Eye Cream.

Our expert reported that she liked the procedure a lot – ‘Hydrafacial is not a painful procedure and is very safe”- she says. It’s very quick and perfect fit for everyone who’s looking for deep skin cleansing. After one week our expert reported that skin produced more collagen, pores became less visible and skin started glowing. Now we would like do hydrafacial every week like top models do – you should try it too!