Those of us who enjoy getting a facial know a little bit about the tools that aestheticians use to help our skin look its best.  Such tools include steamers, high intensity UV light to treat breakouts, and of course, the tools to extract material from clogged pores.  More and more patients are able to purchase certain tools to perform do-it-yourself skincare.  While it is great that patients have more opportunities to practice good skin care beyond their dermatologist’s office, there are some pitfalls – especially with extraction tools that can be purchased anywhere from the local drug store to online shopping sites.  At West Houston Dermatology, our aestheticians have occasion to not only evaluate our patients’ skin, but to talk to them about their skincare.  The biggest mistake we see is patients using extraction tools and doing so incorrectly.  Nobody likes to have active break outs, but the solution is not to go to work on your own face with extraction tools or your fingers.  We have seen the aftermath of many patients’ use of extraction tools where the incorrect use has resulted in broken capillaries around the nose and other areas, permanent scarring, as well as infections.  Our aestheticians are licensed and have many years of experience in working on all types of skin – especially skin subject to frequent break outs.  Additionally we have an autoclave device that sterilizes the implements used during facials.  Regular facials by a professional not only helps manage and prevent blemishes, but also improve the skin’s tone and collagen production.