Can we talk about how we all used to handle extractions

Five years back, I was taught to go in right after the steam, no matter what. Now, after a course in Denver last fall, I wait a full ten minutes for the skin to soften more. The difference in client comfort is huge, and I get way less redness. When did you all switch up your extraction timing?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray_king2mo ago

Oh man, this is SO real. I was taught the exact same thing, rush in right after the steam. Made me feel like I was in a race. Switched to waiting a solid ten minutes a couple years ago after a master class totally changed my mind. The pore softening is just on another level. Clients barely flinch now, and the clarity I get by the next day is honestly wild. It’s a total game changer for skin that marks up easy.

terryr461mo ago

Yeah for sure! I think a lot of people miss that whole waiting period thing. It's not just about letting the skin cool down, it's about giving the pores time to actually soften instead of just being propped open from the steam. When you go in right away the skin's still kind of tight underneath all that moisture. Those ten minutes let everything relax and the oil in the pores actually gets more fluid. Plus you're right about the trauma thing... less redness and irritation means the skin heals faster and looks better the next day. I tell my clients all the time, patience is the real trick here.

iris_mason882mo agoMost Upvoted

But you're losing all the heat benefit. The steam opens things up, that's the whole point. Waiting ten minutes just lets everything tighten back down before you even start. I've tried it both ways and the immediate extraction is way more effective for clearing deep congestion. That next day clarity you see is just from less trauma, not better results. Sometimes old school methods are old school for a reason.