Medical Facial · Kensington, London
HydraFacial in London for Clearer, Fresher Skin
A HydraFacial is a non-invasive medical facial that cleanses, exfoliates, clears congested pores and infuses the skin with active solutions in a single 45 to 60 minute appointment, from £190. It suits most skin types, including oily, congested and rough-textured skin, and at Faciem the treatment is given inside a doctor-led dermatology clinic, not a beauty salon.
HydraFacial treatments are available at Faciem Dermatology & Medical Clinic on Kensington Church St, London, where Dr Prasad leads the clinical side of the practice. Every appointment opens with a check that the treatment is safe and appropriate for your skin, and any lesion, rash or undiagnosed condition is assessed face to face by Dr Prasad, a GMC-registered doctor, before treatment goes ahead.
- 45–60 minutes, from £190
- Doctor-led Kensington clinic
- Suits most skin types
- Suitability checked first
96%
Patient satisfaction
- Medically reviewed by Dr Prasad
This page describes how HydraFacial treatments are carried out at Faciem and is reviewed for clinical accuracy.
Last reviewed: 14 July 2026.
Patient information only. A HydraFacial is not a diagnosis, and any skin lesion or undiagnosed condition is assessed by Dr Prasad before treatment.
Patients since 2019
Procedures
Satisfaction
TL;DR
A HydraFacial is a non-invasive medical facial that combines microdermabrasion with active solutions delivered through a handheld vortex tip, cleansing, exfoliating, extracting and hydrating in one appointment. At Faciem it is performed by the clinic’s senior therapist inside a doctor-led dermatology clinic on Kensington Church St, and prices start from £190 for a treatment lasting 45 to 60 minutes. Skin usually looks smoother and brighter the same day, downtime is limited to minimal peeling, and treatments are generally repeated every four to six weeks — roughly the time the top layer of skin takes to renew itself.
- Cleanse, exfoliate, extract, infuse, LED
- No downtime, same-day return to work
- Repeated every four to six weeks
Treatment at a Glance
What to Expect from a HydraFacial
Procedure time
45–60 minutes
A 30-minute express version leaves out the lymphatic drainage step.
Treatment price
From £190
Express, standard and Deluxe treatments are priced differently.
Results visible
Immediately
Skin is usually left smooth and brighter on the day.
Results maintained
Every 4–6 weeks
The top layer of skin renews in about six weeks; two weeks is the shortest interval advised.
Downtime
None, minimal peeling
Some people notice light flaking over the following days.
Back to work
Same day
Lunchtime and early-evening appointments are realistic.
HydraFacial prices start from £190 and vary with the version you have and any serum added. Every appointment includes a check that the treatment is safe and appropriate for your skin, and where a diagnosis is needed a face-to-face consultation with Dr Prasad comes first.
About the Treatment
What Is a HydraFacial and How Does It Work?
A multi-step medical facial that cleanses, exfoliates, extracts and hydrates in one sitting, finished with LED light.
A HydraFacial is a non-invasive medical facial that combines microdermabrasion with active solutions delivered through a handheld vortex tip — an approach described as hydro-dermabrasion. In one appointment the skin is cleansed, exfoliated, treated with a glycolic acid solution, cleared of congestion by suction, then infused with antioxidants and finished under LED light. The whole sequence takes 45 to 60 minutes.
What happens at each stage of a HydraFacial?
The HydraFacial runs a fixed sequence, and every stage does a different job. The face is cleansed first, then lymphatic drainage opens the lymph channels. The handheld probe, fitted with microdermabrasion tips, is passed rapidly across the skin to lift away dead surface cells, and two passes are made so that layer is properly cleared. Copies of the device are widely sold; the HydraFacial itself is the original trademarked machine from the United States.
A glycolic acid peel solution then resurfaces the skin further. It stays on for a few minutes depending on how tolerant your skin is, and only minimal tingling is usually felt. Suction and an extraction tip follow, clearing the pores while salicylic acid is infused to help prevent congestion and breakouts. With the dead layer removed and extraction done, antioxidants are pressed in, and the treatment finishes under two LED lights: red, which calms redness and supports collagen and elastin, and blue, for its anti-inflammatory effect on the bacteria involved in acne.
How is a HydraFacial in a clinic different from a salon facial?
A HydraFacial at Faciem is carried out by the clinic’s senior therapist, and the appointment includes a consultation to check the treatment is safe and appropriate for your skin. That check matters more than it sounds. A facial cannot diagnose anything, and skin that looks congested or inflamed is sometimes something else — rosacea, a fungal folliculitis, perioral dermatitis, or a lesion that needs assessing before anything is done to it.
Where that turns out to be the case, the therapist will suggest a consultation with Dr Prasad so you have an accurate diagnosis and the right treatment, and sometimes a different treatment is recommended in place of the facial you booked. Being told honestly that a treatment is not the one your skin needs is, in our view, more useful than being sold it.
What does a HydraFacial feel like?
Most people find a HydraFacial comfortable. The microdermabrasion tip feels like a firm, quick sweep across the skin. The glycolic solution usually produces only minimal tingling, and it is left on for a few minutes according to how well your skin tolerates it, so the strength of that step is adjusted to you.
The extraction stage feels like a steady tug of suction, most noticeable across the nose and chin where pores tend to be congested. Serum infusion and the LED stages feel like almost nothing. The device works with minimal discomfort and minimal downtime, and the skin is left smooth and bright. If any stage feels uncomfortable, say so during the treatment — the settings and the peel time can both be changed as you go.
Which solutions and ZO Booster serums are used?
The patented vortex technology sits within the tip, and the device delivers botanical ingredients, horse chestnut seed extract, copper, zinc, magnesium and other bio-active ingredients while it cleanses. The large surface area of the tip increases the time serums are pressed into the skin, which supports barrier function and hydration.
Faciem’s preferred skincare range is ZO Skin Health, and two ZO Booster serums can be added before the LED stage as the Deluxe version of the treatment. Brightalive is used for extra brightening and an anti-pigmentation effect, including melasma and acne with hyperpigmentation. Rozatrol is used for its anti-redness and anti-inflammatory effect, for rosacea and red, inflamed skin. Both are optional; the standard HydraFacial is effective on its own.
Skin tone is assessed on the Fitzpatrick scale before the glycolic strength and its contact time are set. Deeper skin tones, Fitzpatrick IV to VI, are suited to a HydraFacial because it is superficial and non-ablative, but exfoliation is kept conservative and the peel solution left on for less time. The risk being managed in richly pigmented skin is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation — a dark mark left behind after the skin has been inflamed — which is why daily SPF afterwards matters more, not less, and why Brightalive is often the serum chosen. Where Laser Genesis is added as Hydra-Genesis, skin tone also governs the laser settings and whether a patch test is advised first.
Can a HydraFacial treat the back, and what can it be combined with?
The HydraFacial is not limited to the face. The same device can be used on the back, arms, hands and feet, which is useful where congestion, roughness or breakouts extend beyond facial skin.
It can also be combined with Laser Genesis by Cutera, a laser that uses micro-pulse technology to gently heat the skin. Heating the skin this way is thought to improve collagen, tighten it and help acne by causing the sebaceous glands to shrink down, and the clinic offers that combination as Hydra-Genesis, with ZO Booster serums if wanted. Where the concern is deeper pigmentation or texture, a chemical peel may be the better route, and results from any facial are usually extended by what you use at home between appointments.
Versions & Areas Treated
Which HydraFacial Suits You, and Where It Can Be Used
HydraFacial is offered in several versions at Faciem, and it is not confined to the face. What changes between them is the length of the appointment, whether lymphatic drainage is included and whether a ZO Booster serum is added. Which version suits you depends on your skin and how much time you have.
ZONE I
Versions of the treatment
The same sequence, run over a shorter or longer appointment, with optional additions.
Express HydraFacial
A 30-minute version without the lymphatic drainage step, realistic in a lunch hour or before an evening out.
Standard HydraFacial
The full sequence in a 45-minute appointment, including lymphatic drainage, extraction and LED. This is the version most people start with, from £190.
Deluxe with a ZO Booster serum
A longer treatment with Brightalive or Rozatrol applied before the LED stage, chosen according to whether pigmentation or redness is the greater concern.
Hydra-Genesis
The HydraFacial combined with Laser Genesis, a micro-pulse laser used to gently heat the skin. Suitability is assessed before booking.
ZONE II
Beyond the face
The device can be used on body areas where skin is congested or rough.
The back
Congestion and breakouts across the back respond to the same cleansing, exfoliation and extraction sequence used on the face.
Arms, hands and feet
Rough, dull or dry skin on the limbs and extremities can be treated with the same device. Results vary with the condition of the skin.
ZONE III
Concerns it is used for
What the treatment is used for, and what to expect from each.
Congestion and enlarged pores
The suction and extraction stage clears blocked pores, and repeated treatment may make enlarged pores look less obvious. Pore size itself is not changed.
Oily skin and rough texture
Exfoliation and salicylic acid infusion may help oily, uneven skin feel smoother. Oil production itself usually needs addressing with skincare between treatments.
Mild to moderate acne
Extraction, salicylic acid and blue LED light are used together for mild to moderate acne. Severe or scarring acne needs medical assessment and usually prescription acne treatment.
Pigmentation and redness
Hyperpigmentation and rosacea are both concerns the treatment is used for, usually with the matching ZO Booster serum. Rosacea also needs its underlying inflammation managed.
Choosing the Right Treatment
HydraFacial vs a Chemical Peel: What’s the Difference?
A HydraFacial and a chemical peel both remove dead surface skin, but they work at different depths and suit different problems. The HydraFacial combines mechanical exfoliation, a brief glycolic solution, extraction and serum infusion in one appointment with no downtime. A peel relies on the acid alone and works deeper, which is why it usually involves visible shedding.
| HydraFacial | Chemical peel | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Microdermabrasion tips, a brief glycolic solution, suction extraction and serum infusion delivered through a vortex tip, finished with LED. | A chemical solution applied to the skin and left to act, working deeper than surface exfoliation and causing controlled shedding. |
| Best for | Congestion, enlarged pores, oily and rough-textured skin, mild to moderate acne, dullness. | Pigmentation, sun damage, texture and acne that has not responded to surface treatment. |
| Results appear | Immediately — skin is left smooth and bright on the day. | After the shedding phase settles, so usually not on the day of treatment. |
| Results last | Treatments are generally repeated every 4–6 weeks, roughly the time the top layer of skin takes to renew. | Varies with the depth and strength of the peel and the concern being treated. |
| Downtime | None, with minimal peeling. Same-day return to work. | Visible flaking or peeling is usual, and social downtime should be planned for. |
| Ideal candidate | Someone wanting a visible refresh with no recovery time, or regular maintenance of congested skin. | Someone treating a specific concern who can accommodate a recovery period. |
Chemical peel figures are left qualitative here because they depend on the peel chosen and the concern being treated. Results vary between individuals. Where neither treatment is the right one, or where a skin condition needs diagnosing before any resurfacing goes ahead, Dr Prasad will tell you so and explain what would work instead.
Transparent Pricing
How Much Does a HydraFacial Cost at Faciem?
A HydraFacial at Faciem starts from £190. What you pay depends on which version suits you: the 30-minute express treatment without lymphatic drainage, the standard 45-minute treatment, or a longer Deluxe treatment with a ZO Skin Health Booster serum added before the LED stage. Single treatments and packages are both available.
Facial pricing across London ranges widely, and two headline numbers rarely cover the same thing. Ask who performs the treatment and what they are qualified to treat, which serums are included and which are charged on top, and whether a course has to be paid for upfront. A low starting price with every stage added separately is not a saving.
Your price is confirmed before treatment starts, and nothing is added on the day without being discussed first. Course and package pricing is available where treatments are repeated at regular intervals. If a combination outside the listed packages suits your skin better, ask — the plan is built around the skin in front of us.
| Treatment | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard HydraFacial, 45–60 minutes | From £190 |
| Express HydraFacial, 30 minutes, without lymphatic drainage | Confirmed when you book |
| Deluxe HydraFacial with a ZO Booster serum, or Hydra-Genesis with Laser Genesis | Confirmed at consultation |
| Consultation with Dr Prasad, where a diagnosis is needed | Confirmed when you book |
Why Faciem
Why Have a HydraFacial Inside a Dermatology Clinic?
A HydraFacial at Faciem is given in a clinic where skin is diagnosed as well as treated. That changes what happens when something turns up mid-appointment: congestion that proves to be fungal folliculitis, redness that proves to be rosacea, or a lesion that needs assessing before anything is done to it.
- Carried out by the clinic’s senior therapist, with Dr Prasad in the same building
- Every appointment includes a check that the treatment is safe and appropriate for your skin
- A different treatment is recommended where the facial is not the right answer
- ZO Skin Health Booster serums available where brightening or anti-redness is wanted
- Clinic operated by a provider registered with the Care Quality Commission
- Skin lesions and undiagnosed conditions assessed by a GMC-registered doctor, not treated blind
Experience & Expertise
Who Treats You, and Who Oversees It
A HydraFacial is a therapist-delivered treatment, and at Faciem it is usually performed by the clinic’s senior therapist. What sits behind it is a dermatology practice: Dr Prasad has 20 years’ experience in dermatology and aesthetics, and the clinic exists to diagnose skin as well as improve it. The therapist knows when a skin problem falls outside the scope of a facial and refers it on instead of working around it.
That matters because exfoliating and extracting skin that is inflamed for a medical reason can make it worse. Rosacea, perioral dermatitis, fungal folliculitis and some forms of pigmentation all behave differently from ordinary congestion, and a treatment that suits one can aggravate another. Where a diagnosis is needed, a face-to-face consultation with Dr Prasad comes first and the facial follows the plan, not the other way round.
- Dr Anamica Prasad — MBChB (1999), Dip Dermatology (2001), MRCGP, DFFP, DRCOG · a GMC-registered doctor
- Member of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP), British Medical Laser Association (BMLA), Royal Society of Medicine and the Aesthetic Complications Group · ZO Skin Health UK Faculty & Trainer
- Clinic operated by Derma Medical UK Ltd — registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for diagnostic and screening procedures, surgical procedures, and treatment of disease, disorder or injury (Location ID 1-25573003746)
- Every appointment includes a face-to-face check that the treatment is safe and appropriate before it begins
- HydraFacial performed by the clinic’s senior therapist, with Dr Prasad assessing any lesion or undiagnosed condition
Patient Reviews
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Your Journey, Our Promise
What Happens When You Book a HydraFacial
A HydraFacial booking moves through four stages: your skin is assessed at the start of the appointment, the version that suits it is chosen, the treatment runs, and you leave with advice on what to use next. The first three happen in one visit for most people.
STEP 01
Skin assessment
Your appointment opens with a consultation to check a HydraFacial is safe and appropriate for your skin, covering medical history, current skincare and anything you have had done recently. Where a lesion or undiagnosed condition is found, a consultation with Dr Prasad is arranged before treatment.
STEP 02
Choosing your version
Express, standard, or Deluxe with a ZO Booster serum chosen for brightening or for redness — the decision is made here, with you. Glycolic peel strength and contact time are matched to how tolerant your skin is, and occasionally a different treatment altogether is recommended.
STEP 03
The treatment
The full HydraFacial sequence runs 45 to 60 minutes: cleanse, lymphatic drainage, two passes of microdermabrasion, glycolic solution, extraction with salicylic acid, antioxidant infusion and LED. Any stage can be eased at any point — just say so while it is happening.
STEP 04
Aftercare and your next interval
You leave with advice on what to use and what to leave alone, typically a gentle routine and SPF 50 for the first 48 hours, with retinol and other actives restarted after 3 to 5 days. HydraFacial treatments are generally repeated every four to six weeks, and whether you need a review appointment, and when, is agreed before you leave.
Side Effects & Safety
Is a HydraFacial Safe, and What Are the Side Effects?
A HydraFacial is a superficial, non-invasive treatment and is generally well tolerated, with minimal discomfort and minimal downtime. Safety depends less on the device than on who assesses your skin beforehand: exfoliating and extracting inflamed or undiagnosed skin is where problems come from.
Common, temporary effects
- Mild redness for a short time after treatment, particularly after extraction
- Brief tingling while the glycolic acid solution is on the skin
- Minimal peeling or light flaking over the following days
- Temporary sensitivity, so gentle products for a few days are usually advised
Uncommon effects
- Less commonly, skin reacts more than expected to the glycolic or salicylic stages, leaving it tight, dry or blotchy for several days, and extraction can leave small marks where a pore was congested. Reactions of this kind normally settle on their own. Anything that is not settling should be reported to the clinic instead of treated at home, and Dr Prasad reviews it.
When a HydraFacial is not recommended
- A HydraFacial is not recommended if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, undergoing cancer treatment or radiotherapy, or have an active cold sore. It is also postponed where skin is broken, sunburnt or actively inflamed for an undiagnosed reason. Tell the clinic about prescription skincare, recent peels or laser treatment, and any history of cold sores, so the plan can be adjusted.
Looking After Your Skin
HydraFacial Aftercare: What to Do and What to Leave Alone
Aftercare following a HydraFacial is straightforward because there is no recovery period to manage. The skin has had its surface layer removed and actives pressed into it, so for the first 48 hours it is more reactive than usual. Where light flaking happens at all it tends to show on days two and three and settles within a week, and the skin looks its best from about day three onwards. Keeping the routine simple and protecting it from sun is most of the job.
Do
- Keep to a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser and moisturiser for the first 48 hours
- Apply a broad-spectrum SPF 50 every morning for at least two weeks, since freshly exfoliated skin marks more easily
- Moisturise morning and night for the first three days — freshly exfoliated skin absorbs more than usual
- Tell the clinic if redness or soreness has not settled within 48 hours
- Book your next treatment 4 to 6 weeks ahead; two weeks is the shortest interval advised
Avoid
- Retinol, other acids and benzoyl peroxide for 3 to 5 days afterwards, or longer if your practitioner says so
- Picking, squeezing or scrubbing extracted skin for at least a week
- Strong sun exposure and sunbeds for two weeks afterwards
- Saunas, steam rooms, hot yoga and very hot showers for 24 to 48 hours
- Booking waxing, a peel or laser within two weeks without checking with the clinic first
This is general guidance and does not replace the personalised advice given on the day, which reflects your skin and the version of the treatment you had, and which sets out when active skincare can be restarted.
HydraFacial FAQs
Your Questions, Answered
Answers to what people ask before booking a HydraFacial in London — price, timing, comfort, suitability and how often to repeat it. Anything not covered here can be raised at the start of your appointment.
How much does a HydraFacial cost in London?
A HydraFacial at Faciem starts from £190. The final price depends on which version you have: the 30-minute express treatment, the standard 45-minute treatment, or a longer Deluxe treatment with a ZO Booster serum added. Single treatments and packages are both available, and your price is confirmed before treatment begins.
How long does a HydraFacial take?
A standard HydraFacial takes 45 to 60 minutes. An express version runs to about 30 minutes and leaves out the lymphatic drainage step, which makes it realistic in a lunch hour. Deluxe treatments, including those with a ZO Booster serum added before the LED stage, take longer.
Does a HydraFacial hurt?
Most people find a HydraFacial comfortable, and no numbing cream or local anaesthetic is used or needed. The exfoliation tip feels like a firm sweep across the skin, the glycolic solution produces only minimal tingling for the two or three minutes it is on, and extraction feels like steady suction, most noticeable on the nose and chin. Sensitive or inflamed skin may feel more, and the peel time can be shortened as the treatment goes on.
How often should I have a HydraFacial?
The top layer of skin takes about six weeks to renew itself, so HydraFacial treatments are generally spaced every four to six weeks, and two weeks is the shortest interval advised. How often you actually need one depends on your skin, the concern being treated and what you use at home between appointments.
Is a HydraFacial good for acne?
A HydraFacial may help mild to moderate acne. The extraction stage clears congested pores, salicylic acid is infused during that stage to help prevent congestion and breakouts, and blue LED light is used for its anti-inflammatory effect on the bacteria involved in acne. Severe or scarring acne usually needs medical assessment and prescription treatment.
Who should not have a HydraFacial?
A HydraFacial is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, during cancer treatment or radiotherapy, or while a cold sore is active. It is postponed where skin is broken, sunburnt or inflamed for an undiagnosed reason. Most other skin types are suitable, including oily, congested and rough-textured skin, and suitability is checked at the start of every appointment.
Can men have a HydraFacial?
Yes. A HydraFacial improves exfoliation and rejuvenates skin for all skin types, in men and women alike. Men often come for congestion, enlarged pores, oily skin and rough texture, and for the back. Raise shaving irritation and ingrowing hairs at the appointment, since they may need separate treatment.
How soon before an event should I have a HydraFacial?
HydraFacial results are immediate, so the treatment can be booked close to an event, and the express version was designed for exactly that. Minimal peeling is possible in the days afterwards, so if this is your first treatment, leave a few days’ margin instead of booking on the morning itself.
Can I wear makeup after a HydraFacial?
Leave makeup off for the rest of the day after a HydraFacial — about 12 hours — so the serums that have just been pressed into the skin are not disturbed and freshly extracted pores are not immediately blocked again. From the following morning, mineral makeup over SPF 50 is fine. Most people find they need less of it, since the point of the treatment is that skin looks smoother and brighter without cover.
Can a HydraFacial be combined with other treatments?
Yes. Faciem combines the HydraFacial with Laser Genesis, a micro-pulse laser used to gently heat the skin, in a treatment the clinic calls Hydra-Genesis, and a ZO Booster serum can be added to either. Which combination suits you depends on your skin and is agreed before booking, not upsold on the day.
Can I exercise or go to the gym after a HydraFacial?
Leave 24 hours before a hard gym session, and 48 hours before anything that involves sustained heat — hot yoga, a sauna or a steam room. Sweat and heat on skin that has just been exfoliated and extracted can leave it flushed or irritated, and gym equipment on open pores is worth avoiding for a day. A walk or anything gentle the same day is fine. Shower and cleanse afterwards with something mild.
What should I change in my skincare before a HydraFacial?
Stop retinol, other acids and benzoyl peroxide three days before your HydraFacial, since they leave skin more reactive to exfoliation. Mention any prescription skincare, recent peels or laser treatment when you book. An active cold sore means the treatment is postponed until it has cleared.
HydraFacial in Kensington, London
A Doctor-Led Clinic in the Heart of Kensington
Faciem Dermatology & Medical Clinic sits on Kensington Church St, W8, between two Underground stations: a few minutes’ walk from High Street Kensington and roughly ten from Notting Hill Gate. HydraFacial appointments are booked here by people living and working across Kensington, Chelsea, Notting Hill and Holland Park, and by patients travelling in from further across West and Central London.
With no downtime to plan around, the appointment fits a working day better than most treatments. The express version was built for a lunch hour, the clinic is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm, so early-evening slots are realistic, and there is Kensington council underground parking nearby if you drive in.
Three questions are useful before booking a facial anywhere in London. Who performs it, and what are they qualified to treat? Which serums are included in the quoted price, and which are charged on top? And is the full price agreed before treatment starts? At Faciem the treatment is given by the senior therapist in a clinic where a GMC-registered doctor sees any skin that needs a diagnosis, the serums are named, and the price is confirmed in writing beforehand.
There is no obligation to have treatment on the day. If your skin needs something other than a facial — a diagnosis, a prescription, a different procedure — we would rather say so and explain what would work better.
Plan Your Visit
- Faciem Dermatology & Medical Clinic
- Phone: +44 20 7131 3539
- 7 Kensington Church St, London W8 4LF, United Kingdom
- Tube: High Street Kensington (few minutes’ walk) · Notting Hill Gate (~10 minutes)
- Parking: Kensington council underground car park nearby
- Open Monday–Saturday, 10am–7pm · Sunday closed
- HydraFacial appointments bookable online, including 30-minute express treatments in a lunch hour
- Consultation-first — no treatment without medical assessment
- Serving Kensington, Chelsea, Notting Hill & Central London
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Faciem Dermatology & Medical Clinic · Kensington
Book a HydraFacial at Our Kensington Clinic
Appointments run Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm, on Kensington Church St. Your skin is assessed at the start, so the version you have — express, standard or Deluxe — is the one that suits it. If you would like to hear from people treated here first, read our patient reviews.
Prefer to talk? +44 20 7131 3539