In my mid-thirties it looked like I had it made - to everyone but me that is! When I looked in the mirror, a woman in her forties looked back at me. I read about celebrities getting "microdermabrasion" instead of plastic surgery so I tried it. The doctor explained that his $20,000 microdermabrasion machine "abrades" the skin with special medical-grade crystals, removing a layer of dead, damaged cells and stimulating the growth of new skin. It worked! Wrinkles faded. Those fine lines around my mouth almost disappeared. Best of all, it made a huge improvement with my acne scars. I looked 10 years younger. It was well worth the $125 each of my six treatments treatment cost!

Then, just as I was beginning to enjoy looking younger, I lost my job. Suddenly, I couldn't afford the dermatologist. I panicked when I looked in the mirror! I had interviews and needed to look my best, but how could I afford it? I became self-conscious. I didn't date. I avoided friends. And I bought just about every anti-aging product on TV. Some didn't do a thing. Some helped superficially but didn't last. Some called themselves microdermabrasion, but didn't work like the real thing. Nothing came close to the treatments I could no longer afford.

One morning, while putting on my makeup, I suddenly wondered if microdermabrasion crystals could be bonded to a cosmetic sponge that I could apply myself - just like the makeup! I called a friend in the cosmetics business who thought it was a great idea. Before long I had a team of skin care professionals and we developed a new microdermabrasion process based on my crystal-bonded sponges. I couldn't wait to try our prototypes. When I did, my skin felt like it did after my doctor's microdermabrasion treatments, with that mild sunburn-like effect which only happens after real microdermabrasion! My doctor said that means a treatment is working - removing a layer of dead, damaged skin cells.

Soon, my skin looked and felt great! My wrinkles were clearly diminished and even my acne scars looked smoother. Each time I used the product my skin looked better. It really was comparable to a doctor's microdermabrasion treatments! I started my own company so I could bring affordable microdermabrasion directly to as many people as possible for a fraction of the price of professional treatments. You can't imagine how satisfying it is - I'm not only looking ten years younger myself, but I'm helping others do the same.

About the author:

Kathleen Williams is the developer of the Dermanesse Professional Home Microdermabrasion System, an alternative to professional treatments. She is an expert on skin problems.