Dermatologist Review of DermaNew

DermaNew is a skin care line designed for at home microdermabrasion and general skin care. The name DermaNew was originally coined by Fayetteville, Arkansas based plastic surgeon James Beckman, Jr., MD in 1993 as a proposed name for a line of skin care products. The line was never developed and in 1999 the DermaNew name was resurrected by Dean Rhoades and Amby Longhofer of Beverly Hills and applied to a novel skin care line that incorporates the use of a battery powered buffing/massaging device.

Dean and his wife Amby both began their careers as hairdressers. Amby’s parents were also hairdressers. Dean and Amby met in 1989, married shortly thereafter and began working together in the Dean Rhoades Salon for Hair/Skin/Body on Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills which, over the years, has been a breeding ground for innovative spa/salon concepts including the original prototype for a major brand concept salon and, of course, DermaNew.

DermaNew, a leader in at home microdermabrasion, was founded over ten years ago and has sold countless machines and skin care products. The company was one of the first to promote a skin care device and product line specifically developed and formulated for at home microdermabrasion. At its heart the DermaNew system consists of a battery operated dual headed vibrating device. The device employs disposable foam applicators and gentle brushes that are used with DermaNew skin care products in the self-administration of a skin care routine incorporating home microdermabrasion.

The idea of a personal microdermabrasion device developed shortly after the meteoric rise of clinical microdermabrasion treatment in 1999. Many clients/patients desired an at home style microdermabrasion to augment the results of spa/clinic treatments. Dean and Amby were well established salon/spa operators in Beverly Hills at the time and recognized this unmet home care need in many of their salon/spa microdermabrasion clients. Through creativity, initiative and investment Dean and Amby were able to respond to this unmet need with the roll out of an at home microdermabrasion and skin care system - DermaNew. Since that time many other at home microdermabrasion systems have been developed but DermaNew remains a prominent and well received product offering within the at home microdermabrasion skin care arena.

The general concept at the heart of microdermabrasion is that mechanical stimulation of the skin can stimulate both the epidermis and dermis in favorable ways. There is some science to support these claims but use of the term of ‘microdermabrasion’, whether at home or in a clinic/spa setting, varies considerably from light exfoliating scrubs to aggressive mechanized abrasion of the epidermis with or without suction. This variability in the definition of microdermabrasion and its dependence upon a wide range of materials and techniques create difficulties in assessing the utility of the process. For this reason, there is no official consensus with respect to the degree and nature of microdermabrasion benefits overall and for any particular person. While there are many people that find good results from microdermabrasion treatments of various types, for others the treatments have the potential to cause irritation and skin problems or simply may not provide exceptional results.

DermaNew’s product offering has essentially four parts. First, there is the microdermabrasion device discussed above. This tool is reminiscent of an oversized electric toothbrush and runs on two AA batteries. It creates a vibration that sets the stage for the at home microdermabrasion treatments. The second part of the offering is the disposable brushes and foam pads that are hooked onto the device. These can be likened to the disposable toothbrush heads on electric toothbrushes. The third part of the offering consists of skin care products specifically designed for cleansing and/or microdermabrasion when employed on a properly equipped device. There are several microdermabrasion creams in the line including specialized offerings for acne & oil, hand & foot, facial rejuvenation, and an Accelerated Formula Crčme for rapid results. These products are the ‘bread and butter’ of the DermaNew line and consistently win positive customer reviews. The fourth part of the DermaNew offering consists of skin care products that are not specifically designed for use with the vibrating microdermabrasion device. These products have not been extensively marketed and retain a low profile within the overall DermaNew offering.

DermaNew is synonymous with at home microdermabrasion. DermaNew’s product offering has pleasant but generic packaging. The stylized DermaNew brand name serves as the identifying moniker and the packaging is, for the most part, otherwise a nondescript white. Certainly there is consistency in branding but that branding is just not particularly interesting. The packaging, similarly, is competent but feels uninspired. DermaNew also appears to have had a subdued marketing presence in recent years. While the brand has remained popular with consumers it does not seem to have been aggressively promoted. Still, DermaNew has maintained its familiar brand name and stable reputation over the years and continues to be held in good regard for its contributions to the skin care community.

Skin care products and routines remain in flux as time passes. It remains to be seen what the role for home microdermabrasion will be in the long run. Certainly there are many people for whom the DermaNew offering is of great value for its novel ability to promote skin clarity and cleanliness. Will at home microdermabrasion products generally, and DermaNew in particular, withstand the test of consumer markets over time and continue to thrive? This remains an unanswered question. DermaNew’s product offering is, however, clearly worth exploring as it is safe and, for certain individuals, provides unparalleled results.