One of the best skin care devices on the market is the microdermabrasion machine. However, the downside to this type of technology is that it’s expensive to buy.

The beauty of these machines is that you can perform serious skin care treatments from home, whenever you feel like it. No more trips to the doctor, no booking appointments. You can’t argue with the convenience that owning your own microdermabrasion machine brings.

There are a lot of skin care machines out there, such as the facial steamer -- but the microdermabraion devices are probably the most effective of the bunch -- and they deliver nearly instant results.

These machines are quickly becoming popular with the public. However, purchasing a new microdermabrasion machine will cost you over 500 dollars. However, you can find used microdermabrasion machines between 100$ to $200 – a much better deal.

Now before you actually go out and buy a microdermabrasion device, you should understand the two types of microdermabrasion technology utilized.

The older technology uses crystal microdermabrasion. This device has a special ant that blasts tiny crystals onto the top surface of your skin. There is an attached vacuum that sucks both the particles and your dead skin away.

Before making a purchase a thorough investigation into what machine is best for you will be necessary. You need to consider if you prefer the older method of crystal microdermabrasion or the newest technology of the diamond microdermabrasion machine.

The crystal microdermabrasion machine has a wand that will blast granular crystals (such as aluminum oxide) onto your skin. A high velocity vacuum attached to the wand will suction the debris away.

The new technology uses a special diamond tip that scrapes your skin at very high speeds. The advantage is that you don’t need to load it with crystals. Like the crystal microdermabrasion machine, it features a vacuum from which it sucks up debris.

As to which technology is better, it depends on who you talk to. Some prefer the crystals as a much more efficient method of skin treatment, while other feel the diamond tip is less messy. If in doubt, visit the various skin care forums and see what people are saying. Most opinions are mixed. I personally prefer and own the diamond tip microdermabrasion machine; I find it does a better job cleaning and it’s less messy.

In general, these devices are the best skin care treatments you can find, short of getting surgical treatments. Microdermabrasion treatments are sometimes called "lunch time peals" because how quickly you can get a treatment session. However, these machines do a much better job then facital peels (such as the glycolic acid peel).

When looking for a used microdermabrasion machine, the best places to start are online auction sites such as eBay. EBay will likely have the biggest selection of devices to choose from. You can also check Amazon which sells new and used machines. If you are looking for something more local, check out the craigslist for you city.

Once you do decide on a machine that fits your needs and tastes, you need to do a quick check to make sure the machine is safe. In the world of skin care, there are lots of gimmicks and even more unscrupulous companies that will sell you dangerous, unlicensed products!

I suggest you log on to the US Food & Drug Administration website to make sure the machine you wish to buy is FDA approved. You can search by the brand name or the manufacturer. The reason why you need to do this is that some foreign manufactures are shipping unlicensed models to the states, especially over the internet. These machines may not be safe.

Buying a used microdermabrasion machine is much more economical than purchasing a new one. This is especially true if you are strapped for cash. You can save hundreds of dollars buying cheap microdermabrasion machines on EBay, so get out there and start taking a look to get the best deal!