Baking Soda VS. Aluminum Oxide

Why the Move to Baking Soda Crystals?

Many microdermabrasion service providers are moving away from aluminum oxide to Baking Soda Crystals. Why? For a wide range of reasons. Baking soda makes the microdermabrasion experience a very pleasant one. Dramatic results speak for themselves... immediately. The Dermaglide is the first microdermabrasion system on the market specially designed to use this exciting new organic and therapeutic abrasive.

As the news on aluminum hazards began spreading... our search for an alternative abrasive became top priority. In addition to the news reports, we learned about the hazards of aluminum oxide exposure first-hand at our manufacturing and testing facility.  As demand and production increased, we began recognizing that our shop technicians and other microdermabrasion professionals (using aluminum oxide) commonly suffered from scratchy eyes and throat, headaches, persistent low-grade fevers, and various respiratory ailments. We knew there had to be a safer abrasive... and had to find it fast.

Adapting the Dermaglide to other abrasives was easy because of its unique Gravity Crystal Injection System. Like an hourglass, it works with gravity, instead of struggling against gravity at high vacuum as other systems do. Medical grade salt crystals revealed inferior abrasive characteristics and often caused skin irritations. Finely pulverized ruby gemstone crystals provided great results; however, like aluminum, they still left a gritty post-treatment residue even after a post-treatment wash-off. After formulating and testing a wide variety of alternative abrasives... We discovered that the perfect skin abrasive was literally right under our noses all along!

For centuries people have been brushing their teeth with baking soda because it cleans, polishes & whitens. With so many therapeutic qualities, baking soda showed promise for more than just solving the safety issues. The challenge was to create crystals that were hard, abrasive, and resistant to humidity, but easily dissolvable. Our Research and Development Department formulated and tested over 30 varieties of baking soda crystals. At last, we finally developed a process for making baking soda crystals that flowed even better than aluminum oxide.  Baking soda crystals now comfortably produce visible results immediately, without irritation or redness. They also eliminate all the safety questions. Baking soda is fast becoming the skin abrasive of choice. It simply makes better sense... for many reasons!

Baking soda is friendly to the skin and to the environment. It doesn't contaminate groundwater reservoirs like aluminum oxide. Baking soda is an alkaline with a natural pH balance effect on the skin and the environment. Baking soda crystals do not leave undissolved particles trapped in pores or follicles. They easily dissolve when they come into direct contact with moisture. Any post-treatment residue easily blends in with body chemistry and tones the skin, therefore a post-treatment wash-off and toner are unnecessary. Aluminum oxide inflames and irritates the skin, leaving it red, whereas, baking soda has a natural ability to calm, tone and soothe the skin. It minimizes any post-peel itch or irritation, even when used immediately after chemical peels, because the skin affected by the acid is efficiently scrubbed away, leaving polished, toned and soothed skin without chemical or particulate residue. The inconvenience of any post-treatment peeling is minimized or completely eliminated. Baking soda efficiently and immediately abrades away the dead outer skin affected by acid peels. Aluminum microdermabrasion would only further inflame the skin after a chemical peel, leaving even more excessive and prolonged redness. Baking soda is a natural antiseptic. It aids in prevention cross-contamination between clients or patients. To Contaminate or to Decontaminate? That's the Question.

Baking soda crystals are lighter in weight than aluminum oxide crystals; therefore less vacuum is needed to create effective microdermabrasion via their high velocity impact to the skin. Numerous scientific studies have shown that vacuum can be beneficial to circulation and general skin health, but too much vacuum can cause excessive redness, bruising, spider veins, skin stretching, stress bumps and atrophy (especially on delicate tissues). Baking soda crystals flow very fluidly even at the ultra-low vacuum levels necessary for treating very sensitive tissues. Aluminum oxide, on the other hand, is not efficient at low vacuum levels. Baking soda crystals now make it easy to provide the benefits of vacuum to the skin, without the risks of going to excess.

The Dermaglide and Microglide microdermabrasion systems are specially equipped with advanced Gravity Crystal Injection Systems that do not struggle against gravity like most other microdermabrasion systems do. They require far less vacuum to work effectively with a very wide variety of abrasives. They are specially suited for providing effective stimulation and abrasion at ultra-low vacuum, especially when using the light baking soda crystals. Both systems provide an unparalleled level of comfort and immediately visible results without redness. Many other manufacturers now claim their microdermabraders can work with baking soda too, however, most manufacturers will tend to discourage you from even trying baking soda. They usually say that baking soda doesn't abrade or "cut" as well. The truth is that baking soda will quickly clog most microdermabrasion systems because they have less advanced crystal injection and filtration mechanisms. Some people assume that baking soda can't penetrate the skin as well because baking soda is not as hard as aluminum. That is a mistaken conclusion. It is an established fact that harder surfaces can be penetrated by soft, light objects if propelled at high velocity upon impact. This fact became evident to scientists investigating tornado touchdown sights decades ago as pine needles were found imbedded three or more inches deep into pine trees. Modern industry has even developed advanced water laser cutters that can cut through almost anything, including steel.

The superior airflow qualities of baking soda can be easily demonstrated as follows: If you stood in front of a fan with equal amounts of aluminum oxide and baking soda crystals in each hand, the baking soda would dissipate almost immediately, but the aluminum oxide would take a while to dissipate, if ever. We don't recommend that you try this test indoors, however, as we would not want to be responsible for aluminum oxide contaminating indoor air and surrounding indoor surfaces. Baking soda, on the other hand, is certainly safe for indoor use (the main ingredient in carpet deodorizers). It even has various therapeutic uses for human consumption.

The Dermaglide and Microglide microdermabrasion systems work more efficiently/effectively with baking soda than all other aluminum oxide machines. Of course, this isn't the baking soda you buy at the grocery store, which is full of moisture and would cause immediate clogging problems. Our process begins by making a fine paste consisting of 99.9% pure baking soda and 0.1% of a food-grade flow additive (100% Organic and Safe for consumption & incidental inhalation). We then pour it into a form and bake it into a hardened brick at very high temperatures. The brick is shock pulverized and the perfect sized crystals are screened out (100-120 microns). This process has been perfected to produce hard baking soda crystals that move fluidly, yet resist humidity... The perfect organic abrasive for the skin!

Although aluminum oxide is certainly abrasive, it is a skin irritant with a very questionably safety record. In any case, it is unquestionably unpleasant. If it gets into your eyes, it can scratch your cornea. If it gets into your ears, it can cause earaches. If it gets into your mouth, you will experience the unpleasant sensation of tooth enamel grinding away until it's all washed out. Accidental ingestion can cause a scratchy or sore throat accompanied by a low-grade fever. Some people have increased allergic sensitivity to aluminum and can not use any products with aluminum in them (antiperspirants for instance). Aluminum accumulation in the brain has been medically linked to Alzheimer's disease. It is also suspected to play a role in various other similar neurological disorders such as Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, and Attention Deficit Disorder. As the theory goes, when aluminum concentrates in your brain, you can't concentrate... because it short-circuits your neural networks. This is only a partial list of potential health hazards. Microdermabrasion with aluminum oxide is controversial to say the least. Whether fact or theory... bad news about aluminum keeps coming out. Microdermabrasion service providers that continue on using aluminum oxide are increasingly finding themselves in the awkward and undesirable position of having to defend its questionable safety record to an increasingly aware public. Worse yet, clients who conclude that you are willing to risk their health in pursuit of profits may not ask you any questions at all... and may simply choose to go elsewhere. Client trust is certainly very important... Why risk it?

Even industrial sand blasting companies will not use aluminum oxide when blasting in confined areas, over bodies of water, or anywhere toxic materials are prohibited. Read the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) on aluminum oxide. Why would anyone who knows the potential risks allow themselves to be exposed to high levels of this substance for any reason? Why do some microdermabrasion companies continue to promote the exposure of your clients (and technicians) to very high levels of this substance on a regular basis? WHO KNOW$?

Microdermabrasion manufacturers warn technicians to use a breathing mask while using aluminum oxide (in equipment manuals). Ask why. The MSDS reveals why and what to do in the event of unintended exposures in the course of utilizing hazardous materials. Ask for a copy. Even if technicians did use breathing masks as recommended, exactly what would that say to the clients who are left unprotected during their treatments? Clients would certainly wonder, "Is there something I'm not being told about the risks of breathing this stuff?" Maybe sales reps don't wear breathing masks for similar reasons. MSDS information on aluminum oxide is available from various industrial providers based on many independent university studies. Now that a safe, organic, and therapeutic skin abrasive is available... Why continually expose yourself or anyone else to very high levels of this potentially harmful substance?

The internet makes it easy for anyone to investigate the risks. Simply type: "Aluminum Health Hazards" into any internet search engine. Credible and unbiased information is widely available for anyone who really wants to know the truth about aluminum exposure risks. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a credible unbiased government resource provided through The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services @ http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts22.html

These are just some of the links you will find under the keyword "Aluminum oxide hazards". The following information has been provided to alert you to the risks and causes of using Aluminum Oxide. If you currently are using Aluminum Oxide please reconsider for the health of yourself and your patients. 

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts22.html

http://www.skylighter.com/msds/ALUMINUM%20OXIDE.htm

http://www.camd.lsu.edu/msds/a/aluminum_oxide.htm

http://www.itcilo.it/english/actrav/telearn/osh/ic/1344281.h

Of the several links we researched this is the only one which condones the use of Aluminum oxide in microdermabrasion. However, the credibility of this information is in question as you see  a link to another microdermabrasion manufacturer. 

http://www.drhainer.com/oxide.htm

Few people will ever go back to aluminum oxide treatments after experiencing the baking soda difference just once. Just try and see why for yourself!  Whenever possible, our representatives demonstrate the Dermaglide and Microglide systems alongside other microdermabrasion systems. The Dermaglide and Microglide systems produce better results by a wide margin in every category, including comfort. These systems safely tighten even the most delicate of all tissues. When a client's face glows... It shows! Satisfied clients are very happy to become your walking-talking billboards. Satisfied clients certainly are your least expensive and most effective form of advertisement, so... Why offer your clients anything less than the absolute best?