Visited a fancy spa in Seattle and they skipped the extraction step, is that normal now?

I went to this high end spa in Capitol Hill last Saturday, paid $180 for a facial. The esthetician did a cleanse and a peel but then went straight to a mask, never did any extractions. She said some clients prefer it that way because it's less invasive. I've always thought extractions were a core part of deep cleaning pores. Is that becoming a standard thing now or did I just get a lazy esthetician? Has anyone else run into this at a spa?

2 comments

2 Comments

carter.jennifer10d ago

You said "she said some clients prefer it that way because it's less invasive" but I gotta push back on that. I've had a lot of facials over the years and skipping extractions feels like skipping the whole point. Yeah it's uncomfortable and your face might be red for a day, but that's how you actually get the gunk out. A good esthetician knows how to do it without damaging your skin, not just skip it to make you happy for an hour. Sounds like they're going for more of a relaxing experience than a real deep clean. Are you sure this place is actually focused on skincare results or just making you feel pampered?

thompson.christopher10d ago

I actually just read an article from a dermatologist that said extractions aren't even recommended for a lot of skin types now, like if you have rosacea or broken capillaries. The gist was that consistent use of gentle acids and retinoids at home does more for clearing pores over time than one aggressive extraction session. So maybe this place is onto something for some clients, even if it's not the traditional approach. I can see both sides though, hard to argue with the satisfaction of seeing everything come out.