I must admit I was never a big fan of cosmetic surgery, so when microdermabrasion procedure became a hype, as a good alternative to botox and nip-and-tuck treatments for fine wrinkles and crow's feet, I had to look it up.

So what's it all about? From How stuff works we learn:

"The idea is that if you remove or break up the stratum corneum (uppermost skin layer), the body interprets that as a mild injury and rushes to replace the lost skin cells with new and healthy ones. The healing process brings with it newer skin cells that look and feel smoother. Some of the skin's visible imperfections, like sun damage, blemishes and fine lines, are removed. Also, without the stratum corneum acting as a barrier, medicinal creams and lotions are more effective because more of their active ingredients and moisture can find their way down to the lower layers of skin."

Stripping one skin layer off my skin did not sound appealing to me at first, especially if my body thinks it's and injury, bit than I remembered that I use scrubs to remove 'dead cells', which is quite similar, only that ordinary scrubs have much harsher exfoliants (such as ground apricot pip).

You can get microdermabrasion done professionally, with diamond dust or crystal particles and tools which bombard your skin and vacuum the residue. This is probably the most effective way to do it, and will cost you round $200 in a salon.

But, you can also save considerable amount if you do it yourself, although the results might not be as visible at first. One of the best microdermabrasion kits is Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion and Peel (at Drugstore for 26.99), which uses Baking soda instead of aluminum crystals, supposedly better for skin. I also hear raves about Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion (at Beauty for $75).

But, whatever you do, don't overdo it. There is a reason the box says 'massage gently for 1-2 minutes' - you can hurt your skin or reveal deeper layers of it if you are not careful. The power of home microdermabrasion is in one part due to repeating the process every week, so, if you want to reduce fine wrinkles, blemishes and skin discoloration, you have to be persistent. Always use a sunblock cream for days after microdermabrasion and be prepared for your skin needing more moisture.