Quick, what’s the largest organ in the human body? That’s right - the skin! As you’ll further recall from fifth-grade biology, this suit of highly flexible semi-permeable armor we’re all born wearing is quite the hard worker. Skin does a lot more than keep our insides nice and moist; it protects against infections and airborne pollutants, regulates body temperature, takes a beating from the elements every time we step outside. What do we do for our skin in return? We forget the sunscreen and keep piling on birthdays. Way sooner than we would like, the ol’ epidermis is not as dewy and supple looking as it was in our prime.

If your skin is showing signs of wear and tear but you’re tired of facials and wouldn’t dream of resorting to the scalpel, consider microdermabrasion. It won’t take ten years off your face or address serious skin issues like deep acne scars. (For this, topical exfoliants such as Retin-A might be just as effective and cheaper in the long run.) Cynics consider microdermabrasion little better than sandblasting. But compared with more invasive procedures like laser skin resurfacing, microdermabrasion is easy, low impact, and reasonably priced. If you’ve been looking for something quick and gentle and will be happy with subtle improvements, it might be just the thing to put the pink back in your cheeks.

A relative newcomer on the beauty scene, microdermabrasion was imported from Italy in the late 1990’s. It quickly flourished in dermatologists’ offices and day spas and is now the fourth most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure in the U.S. after Botox injections, fillers and laser hair removal. Also known as the lunchtime peel, microdermabrasion is fast, painless, and fairly affordable at $75 to $300 a pop. It can be safely performed by specially trained aestheticians so you don’t have to make an expensive doctor’s appointment. And though the face is the most popular treatment site, you can spiff up your back, arms, legs, too - wherever you’ve got skin.

The premise is simple enough: your skin has two main layers, the dermis, which is the deep, underlying layer, and the epidermis, the outer layer. Then there is the outermost part of the epidermis, the skin we see, called the stratum corneum, which is composed largely of dead or “cornified” cells. These cells continuously slough off to make room for new, younger-looking skin cells. In microdermabrasion, the technician accelerates this natural exfoliation process with a small handheld tool that shoots abrading particles.

As you’re basically scrubbing your skin raw, a possible side effect of microdermabrasion is a little redness and swelling right after treatment. But the reward comes within minutes as fresh new cells the body manufactures to heal itself start kicking in. Almost immediately, skin looks a little brighter and feels softer. After several treatments, fine lines, age spots, crow’s feet, and mild-to-moderate acne scarring fade.

The biggest downside is the number of treatments necessary to achieve optimum results: between 5 and 12 sessions, spaced one to three weeks apart, depending on your skin problems. After that it gets easier (and a lot cheaper), with a pick-me-up session needed every six weeks or so to maintain a rosy glow. Just don’t expect miracles. Neither microdermabrasion nor its gentler cousin, Vibraderm (which encourages sloughing with vibrating paddles), will treat acne pits, deep wrinkles or baggy skin.

Microdermabrasion is considered a great alternative to rougher treatments such as dermabrasion for those with sensitive skin. The only people who should steer clear are those who have taken Accutane or another drug with skin-drying Retin-A, or are having an oral herpes outbreak. Microdermabrasion can spread the virus

This is one cosmetic procedure you can feel fully relaxed about. With no pain or anesthesia to worry about, just show up at your appointed time, sit back, and enjoy.

Once your face is prepped with a quick wash and dry and you’ve donned a pair of goggles, the procedure will commence. Typically, the technician wields a small wand that emits a steady stream of aluminum oxide microcrystals and simultaneously sucks up the spent crystals and dead skin cells . Many spas and clinics have switched to a diamond-tipped tool that gently scrapes rather than blasts away the stratum corneum. But the results are the same: fewer dead cells, better looking skin.

The technician will make anywhere from one to three passes with the tool, varying the pressure to control the amount of penetration and concentrating on your problem areas where there is the most damaged skin to be removed.

The session ends 15 minutes to an hour later with application of a soothing moisturizing cream. Because microdermabrasion dries out your skin you’ll want to invest in your own supply of moisturizing face creams at home to use between treatments.

Microdermabrasion isn’t called a lunch-hour procedure for nothing. You’re in and you’re out and back to your normal activities in the time it takes to grab a sandwich. The most common complaint is a tight feeling or a sunburned or windburned sensation.. But just as many patients report feeling nothing out of the ordinary or a pleasant tingling sensation.

The lack of any real need for recovery is one of the beauties of this procedure, so whether it’s back to work or running the kids to their piano lessons, no one will suspect you’ve had anything done. You can even wear makeup. Throwing your towel down at the beach is not recommended, though. The purpose of microdermabrasion is to remove the outermost layer of skin, and though this gives you a healthy-looking glow, it also leaves you extra vulnerable to ultraviolet rays. If you must be in the sun, use a high-SPF sunscreen and wear a hat. And until your next treatment, moisturize and drink plenty of water. Your body will thank you as it works overtime to regenerate the layer of skin that was removed.

Microdermabrasion in the comfort of your own home! Yes, there are over 100 different home kits on the market that include a specialized microdermabrasion tool. They run upward of $200, which is pricey, but this covers a full set of treatments for a lot less than what you’ll pay at a clinic or spa. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for; the results are not as satisfying as a professional treatment.

Microdermabrasion creams and scrubs have been around for a long time and work on the same principle as the kits by using their own tiny, gently-abrasive crystals to grab and remove cells of the stratum corneum, thus exposing the smoother, healthier skin below it. Containing a variety of nutrients and moisturizers, they typically run about $50-$80 a jar. But again, they don’t do much beyond softening and brightening the skin.

For a truly effective and cost-savvy alternative to microdermabrasion, Retin-A, Renova and similar topical treatments work just as well or better. And if you’re up for some risk? Then consider laser skin resurfacing. It costs about the same as multiple microdermabrasion treatments and results are much more dramatic.

-- Bret Negro