I keep seeing people say you should steam every face before extractions, and I think that's a bad blanket rule.

At my place, we had a regular with rosacea who came in after another spa gave her a full steam treatment. Her face was bright red and inflamed for days. Her dermatologist actually told her to avoid it. I've had better results for sensitive or compromised skin by using a warm, damp towel for just a minute to soften things up without the intense heat. It's not about skipping prep, it's about tailoring it. What's your go-to method for clients who can't handle traditional steaming?

3 comments

3 Comments

morganhill5d ago

My own sensitive skin taught me the warm towel trick after a steam session went hilariously wrong.

quinnr405d ago

Agree completely. That blanket rule is how you hurt people. Saw a client with perioral dermatitis once, face looked like a topographical map after a full steam. My go to is a lukewarm saline compress for maybe ninety seconds. It softens without the aggressive vasodilation. Sometimes the simplest fix is just not doing the thing that causes the flare.

evan_burns955d ago

Ever think the whole "steam opens pores" thing is just marketing for facials? Pores don't have muscles, they can't open and close. That heat just swells the skin and can wreck a moisture barrier. Your saline compress idea is smart because it deals with the actual problem, which is usually swelling and irritation, not some mythical pore gate.