What Do We Extract?

Olivia Alatorre is a leader in the esthetics industry. Olivia owns a corrective med spa, Body Lab Aesthetics, in Saint Petersburg, Florida. She has recently started E.L.T. Retreats (Estheticians Learning Together). We love how she supports new and upcoming estheticians, generously sharing her knowledge. Olivias current favorite Dolce Dew product is the Glass Skin mask... she uses it weekly for added exfoliation and loves how it leaves her skin smooth and glowy. 

As a Certified Acne & Scar Revision Specialist, she is an expert at all things extraction. Today she is going to be talking about what is ready to be extracted vs. what needs to be left alone on the skin. 

Sometimes it can be challenging to tell the difference which can lead to further irritation of the skin. As a trained acne specialist and esthetician it is vital to your clients' results that you know what should be extracted and what should be left alone to heal on its own. 

The first three “comedones” (small, flesh-colored papules that make the skin appear bumpy - think whiteheads, blackheads) can be safely extracted with minimal pore damage. Whereas, the large lesion on the end is a “pustule” (small blister or pimple on the skin containing pus) and should be left alone to heal. 

Pustules tend to be inflamed and red in appearance. So many people attempt to extract these and instead they leave the skin further irritated and torn. This prolongs the body’s natural healing process, which can lead to lingering pigmentation or scarring even after the pustule is gone.

As for the process, estheticians use special tools known as “comedone extractors” to safely remove comedones from pores. These tools allow for minimal discomfort and require no tearing of the pore walls to extract the debris. We use soft even pressure to apply the edges of the tool around the lesion, allowing for the debris to slide out without blood or torn tissue.

Trust me leave extractions to your licensed professional. 

Check out The Body Lab at https://www.thebodylabfl.com/  or on Instagram @body_lab_aesthetics.