Treatment comparison · medical facials · Battersea

Hydrofacial vs a regular facial. Why the difference is more than skin deep.

A regular facial cleanses and relaxes at the surface. A hydrofacial, delivered on our medical-grade HydroMED Pro platform, works deeper: it extracts, resurfaces and hydrates with clinical tools, curated to your skin. One is a lovely treat. The other is a measurable skin treatment. This page explains the difference, the downtime and the cost, so you know which you are actually booking. Led by Catia Zaki in Battersea, South London, for all skin types.

Book a hydrofacial HydroMED Pro in detail

★ 5.0 Google · 53 reviews ·MediMD certified practitioners ·All skin types, Fitzpatrick I to VI ·Battersea SW11

What actually separates them?

A regular facial is a manual, surface treatment: cleanse, massage, mask, glow. It is relaxing and pleasant, and the effect is mostly short-lived. A hydrofacial uses a medical-grade device to deep-cleanse, gently resurface, extract and hydrate in one structured session, with the tools chosen for your skin. You feel refreshed the same day, and the skin-quality benefit builds with a course. If you want an hour of calm, book a facial. If you want your skin measurably clearer and more hydrated, book a hydrofacial. Results vary between individuals.

Surface treat, or skin treatment.

Our hydrofacial runs on HydroMED Pro, a nine-in-one medical-grade platform. Each session uses three to five of its tools, curated by the practitioner for your skin, never all nine at once. That is what a beauty facial cannot match.

Hydrofacial (HydroMED Pro) compared with a regular facial
What to compare	Hydrofacial (HydroMED Pro)	Regular facial
How it works	A medical-grade platform. Three to five tools per session, curated for your skin, for deep-cleanse, extraction, resurfacing and hydration.	Manual, hands-on cleanse, exfoliation, massage and a mask at the surface.
Depth	Works through the skin, with device-assisted extraction and hydration.	Stays largely at the surface.
Best for	Congestion, dullness, dehydration, tired or uneven-looking skin.	Relaxation and a short-lived glow.
Who performs it	A MediMD-certified practitioner, under clinical oversight.	A beauty therapist.
Result	Same-day freshness, with skin-quality gains that build over a course.	Pleasant, mostly temporary.
Downtime	Little to none. Occasional short-lived redness.	None.
Price at Melatone	From £79.99 for the one-hour facial (£65 for the 30-minute eye reset).	Varies by salon.
Skin of Colour	Non-abrasive settings, no wavelength or acid burn risk, calibrated for darker skin.	Depends on the products and therapist.

Guidance only, confirmed for your skin at consultation. HydroMED Pro uses three to five of its nine tools per session, curated by the practitioner. Suitability and results are individual.

Is a hydrofacial the same as a salon deep-cleanse facial?

People search "hydrofacial" to mean a deep-cleanse, hydro-dermabrasion facial: the kind that extracts and hydrates with a device rather than by hand. That is exactly the category our treatment sits in. At Melatone it runs on the HydroMED Pro platform by MediMD, our medical-grade system, rather than any single branded machine. So if you have been looking for a "hydrofacial in Battersea" or a "hydra facial near me", the HydroMED Pro facial is what you want. See the full HydroMED Pro page.

Gentle enough for melanin-rich skin.

Some resurfacing facials are too aggressive for darker skin and can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The HydroMED Pro facial is different: the practitioner sets non-abrasive parameters, and there is no laser wavelength or high-strength acid involved, so it is a comfortable, controlled option across Fitzpatrick I to VI. As a Skin of Colour founded clinic, that safety is the first thing we plan for. Read about our Skin of Colour clinic.

Hydrofacial vs regular facial, answered.

What is the difference between a hydrofacial and a regular facial?

A regular facial is a manual, surface treatment: cleanse, exfoliate, massage and mask, mostly for relaxation and a short-lived glow. A hydrofacial uses a medical-grade device to deep-cleanse, extract, gently resurface and hydrate in one structured session, with the tools chosen for your skin. The hydrofacial reaches deeper and gives skin-quality gains that build over a course. Results vary between individuals.

Is a hydrofacial the same as a salon deep-cleanse facial?

They are in the same family. "Hydrofacial" usually means a deep-cleanse, hydro-dermabrasion facial that extracts and hydrates with a device. At Melatone that treatment runs on the HydroMED Pro platform by MediMD, our medical-grade system, rather than any single branded machine. If you are looking for a hydrofacial in Battersea, the HydroMED Pro facial is what you want.

Does a hydrofacial hurt, and is there downtime?

It is comfortable, often described as refreshing rather than uncomfortable, and there is little to no downtime. Some people have brief redness that settles quickly. You can usually return to your day straight after. We confirm what to expect for your skin at booking.

Is a hydrofacial safe for darker skin, Fitzpatrick IV to VI?

Yes. The practitioner uses non-abrasive settings and there is no laser wavelength or high-strength acid involved, so it avoids the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation risk that harsher resurfacing can carry on melanin-rich skin. Melatone is a Skin of Colour founded clinic, so this is central to how we deliver it.

How much is a hydrofacial and how often should I have one?

The HydroMED Pro one-hour facial is from £79.99, and the 30-minute eye reset is £65. A glow membership is available from £69 per month. Frequency depends on your skin and goal, often a course to start, then maintenance. We plan it to your skin rather than selling a fixed package.

Who performs the treatment at Melatone?

Our hydrofacials are led by Catia Zaki, our Hydrofacial and Laser Lead, with Vanessa Paz, our Senior HydroMED Pro Practitioner, all MediMD-certified and under the clinical oversight of Arman Zaki, our founder and GMC-registered Physician Associate. Treatments are for adults aged 18 and over after a suitability check.

Hydrofacial vs a regular facial. Why the difference is more than skin deep.

What actually separates them?

Surface treat, or skin treatment.

Is a hydrofacial the same as a salon deep-cleanse facial?

Gentle enough for melanin-rich skin.

What a hydrofacial costs.

Hydrofacial vs regular facial, answered.

Book a real skin treatment.
Not just an hour of calm.

Continue exploring

What we use in clinic, now on your shelf

Hydrofacial vs a regular facial. Why the difference is more than skin deep.

What actually separates them?

Surface treat, or skin treatment.

Is a hydrofacial the same as a salon deep-cleanse facial?

Gentle enough for melanin-rich skin.

What a hydrofacial costs.

Hydrofacial vs regular facial, answered.

Book a real skin treatment.Not just an hour of calm.

Continue exploring

What we use in clinic, now on your shelf

Book a real skin treatment.
Not just an hour of calm.