Skin & skincare

JetPeel or Aqua Facial: how the two treatments differ

By Rocío Furger · Published August 24, 2026 · Updated August 26, 2026

Comparing JetPeel with an Aqua Facial means comparing two routes towards a similar goal. An Aqua Facial uses a liquid-fed tip and suction on the skin; JetPeel uses a fine stream of saline and compressed air without touching the skin. Both are described as non-invasive and normally require no downtime. Neither is free of possible side effects, and suitability still needs to be assessed. This guide explains what those differences mean in practice and what has actually been published.

The difference is in the handpiece

Both types of device cleanse, exfoliate the outermost layer and apply solutions to the skin. The physics separates them. It determines whether the handpiece touches the skin, whether material is drawn from pores and which concern may make an appointment useful.

How an Aqua Facial works

The Aqua Facial offered at Beauty Rocío uses a liquid-fed spiral tip placed on the skin. The handpiece combines a flowing solution with suction, loosening superficial debris while drawing material from pores and distributing skincare solutions. The tip remains in contact with the skin throughout this step.

Device brands and providers describe different numbers of steps, so the count itself is not a quality measure. At our institute, the appointment has six stages: consultation, cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, application of selected solutions and sun protection at the end. We do not offer LED light. Lymphatic drainage can be booked as a paid add-on after treatment. The skin assessment, rather than a telephone conversation, determines the tips and solutions used.

A well-known name in this treatment category is a protected brand, not a generic term for every hydrodermabrasion device. The treatment described on this English page is therefore called Aqua Facial. Evidence on one branded system cannot automatically be transferred to a different device or protocol.

How JetPeel works

JetPeel is made by the Israeli manufacturer TavTech. The device uses compressed air to atomise a liquid, usually saline, into fine jets which the manufacturer says travel at more than 200 metres per second. The handpiece moves above the skin without touching it. That is the central difference. TavTech describes lymphatic massage, gentle exfoliation, infusion and booster infusion as stages in its protocol.

Compressed air or oxygen

Sources differ. A 2005 paper by Golan and Hai in Annals of Plastic Surgery, the only published study of facial treatment with this device, describes a two-phase stream of oxygen and saline microdroplets. The current manufacturer page refers to compressed air and no longer mentions oxygen, while many provider pages still quote the older description. Ask which device model a studio actually uses.

Supersonic or subsonic

The same publication refers to supersonic speed. Sound travels through air at around 343 metres per second, whereas the current manufacturer page only gives a lower limit of more than 200 metres per second. Public information does not establish whether the two descriptions refer to the same operating condition, even though advertising copy often places them side by side.

The two methods side by side

One row is deliberately absent: a direct comparison of effectiveness. No published study has tested the two treatments head to head. Any statement that one is categorically better is therefore an opinion, whoever makes it.

Which concerns each method may suit

Without a comparative trial, the most useful distinction is the operating principle. Suction and a contact-free jet have different practical strengths.

Congested pores and blackheads

For congested pores, blackheads and a coarse-looking skin texture, suction is the more direct mechanism. It draws material from pores into a collection container. A contact-free jet does not do this: it exfoliates and applies liquid but does not evacuate a pore. This mechanical distinction is not evidence that either treatment cures acne.

Dry or highly reactive skin

Conversely, the lack of skin contact may favour a jet treatment when mechanical contact is poorly tolerated. The separation is not absolute: suction level and solution strength can be adjusted. On sensitive skin, we use a gentler setting and monitor the response. The guide to identifying your skin type and choosing care explains the starting point.

What has and has not been published

This field contains many claims and little robust evidence. The publication record needs to be read with clear limits.

Evidence on branded hydradermabrasion systems

Scientific literature often uses the term hydradermabrasion. A 2024 imaging study by Razi and colleagues in Skin Research and Technology, with no apparent involvement from the manufacturer, assessed eight volunteers using line-field confocal optical coherence tomography. The stratum corneum measured 9.42 micrometres before treatment and 6.67 micrometres immediately afterwards. Two weeks later it measured 9.75 micrometres, close to baseline. No visible changes in collagen fibres were found.

Two honest conclusions follow. A single treatment had a superficial, temporary effect; lasting tightening was not demonstrated by the cleansing and solution-delivery steps. Claims that this alone “builds collagen” go beyond what the imaging showed. The authors themselves note that robust research is scarce. The paper concerns the studied protocol, not automatically the Aqua Facial device used at Beauty Rocío.

Two further small studies exist. In 2008, Freedman compared a device plus antioxidant serum with the same serum applied by hand in 20 women over six treatments spaced seven to ten days apart. Tissue samples showed a thicker epidermis, thicker papillary dermis and higher antioxidant levels in the device-treated group, with no measurable change from serum alone. This is the one finding that reaches beyond the surface: it was small, histological rather than imaging-based and has not been replicated.

A 2022 study of inflammatory acne, also with 20 participants, reported clear or almost clear skin in 20 per cent before the course and 65 per cent afterwards. It was open, uncontrolled, included a co-author from the manufacturer and used blue LED light, which we do not offer. It is a signal, not proof. Acne should be assessed by a dermatologist, not presented as a condition cured by a cosmetic facial.

Evidence on JetPeel

Only one paper on cosmetic facial treatment with this device has been published: the 2005 case series of 50 people, without a control group or blinding, whose authors call for further research. Later JetPeel records in the Europe PMC medical database concern transdermal drug delivery rather than skin rejuvenation. The manufacturer nevertheless describes the method as clinically proven. Clients should understand the gap between that claim and the publication record before buying a course.

This is not a judgement on how treatment feels. It means that choosing JetPeel is based on consultation and personal preference, not a strong comparative evidence base.

Why we offer Aqua Facial

Beauty Rocío has an Aqua Facial device and does not have a JetPeel. That commercial interest must be stated for the comparison to be transparent. Three practical reasons informed the decision; none proves that the other method is ineffective.

• Many clients come with congested pores and a tired-looking complexion. Suction is the more direct tool for that concern.
• Robust evidence is limited for both approaches. We do not present small studies on other branded hydradermabrasion devices as proof for our device.
• Collected material is visible in the container, which makes the extraction step easy to explain.

If you specifically want JetPeel, we will tell you that we do not offer it, so you can look for a provider that does. We do not claim our treatment is better simply because the device is in our room.

If you contact a JetPeel provider, ask which model it uses and whether it works with compressed air or oxygen. The answer shows whether its description reflects the current device or the 2005 publication. Ask for the full price at the same time; there is no authoritative public benchmark.

What an Aqua Facial costs and how often it may make sense

Prices are fixed, and the consultation and skin assessment are included. All levels and packages are listed on the Aqua Facial in Lucerne page.

The three levels and their prices

• Basic, 60 minutes, CHF 169 – cleansing, exfoliation, extraction and care.
• Deluxe, 75 minutes, CHF 189 – adds a targeted solution step, with a choice of Glow or Even Skin.
• next Level, 90 minutes, CHF 209 – Deluxe plus neck and décolletage.

We choose the most suitable level after assessing your skin at the appointment. Packages reduce the average price for clients who attend regularly.

How often an Aqua Facial may make sense

Four to six weeks is a common practice interval, sometimes shorter initially for congested skin. This is a practice convention, not a proven optimum for the Beauty Rocío device. The 2022 acne study on a branded system used six treatments two weeks apart, the 2008 study used intervals of seven to ten days, and the 2024 imaging study followed a single treatment for two weeks. The measured thinning of the outer layer had returned to baseline after two weeks. In our experience, the visible fresh-skin effect lasts around four weeks; maintaining it requires repeat treatment.

The opposite is equally valid: if you simply want to look refreshed before an event and have no ongoing concern, one appointment may be enough without a package.

What to know about Aqua Facial devices for home use

Home devices are sometimes sold under names that imply an affiliation they do not have. A protected brand name is not the generic term for suction-based water dermabrasion, and many such devices come from unrelated manufacturers. “Aqua Facial” is used here as a descriptive treatment name, not a claim of affiliation with another brand.

A home device may also differ materially: weaker suction, no professional skin assessment, limited control over solutions and nobody checking the skin beforehand. It may be useful for simple cleansing, but it is not automatically equivalent to an in-salon protocol.

Regulation is often described incorrectly. Pure suction, liquid and compressed-air devices do not fall within the six product groups in Annex 1 of the Swiss Medical Devices Ordinance merely by operating on skin; the relevant listed skin devices use high-intensity electromagnetic radiation. A CE mark on a casing proves little on its own. Swissmedic explains that a CE mark under low-voltage or electromagnetic-compatibility rules is not the same thing. The declaration of conformity identifies the applicable legislation.

Where microneedling and RF microneedling begin

Exfoliation and extraction remain at the surface in both facial methods. Our console also has a radiofrequency attachment that warms deeper layers at substantially lower intensity than RF microneedling. If the aim is to work deeper, the question is no longer JetPeel versus Aqua Facial; it is a different treatment category. Microneedling creates controlled microchannels that initiate a wound-healing response and collagen remodelling. This is distinct from the superficial hydradermabrasion effect measured in the imaging study. RF microneedling additionally delivers radiofrequency heat below the skin surface and is used with tightening as a goal.

These treatments have downtime, require consultation and are not suitable for every skin. Conversely, our classic facials are the gentler option if you prefer a hands-on treatment. That too can be a valid answer.

Sources & review date

• Razi et al.: Hydradermabrasion through the lens of LC-OCT – imaging before, immediately after and two weeks after treatment.
• Freedman: Hydradermabrasion for nonablative facial rejuvenation – randomised study with 20 women.
• Storgard et al.: a branded hydradermabrasion protocol for active acne – open, uncontrolled study with 20 participants.
• Golan and Hai: JetPeel for facial rejuvenation – case series with 50 people.

Sources reviewed: 24 August 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is an Aqua Facial?

It is a device-based facial using a liquid-fed spiral tip on the skin. The treatment combines surface exfoliation, suction-based extraction and the application of skincare solutions. Beauty Rocío uses “Aqua Facial” as a descriptive treatment name and does not claim affiliation with another brand.

How often should I have an Aqua Facial?

Four to six weeks is a common practice interval, sometimes shorter initially for congested skin. It is not a proven optimum for every device or person. One appointment may be enough before a particular event.

What does an Aqua Facial cost in Lucerne?

Basic costs CHF 169, Deluxe CHF 189 and next Level CHF 209. Consultation and skin assessment are included. Package prices are listed on the Aqua Facial in Lucerne page.

Can I buy an Aqua Facial device for home use?

Home suction devices are sold, but their power, solutions and documentation vary. They do not include a professional skin assessment and are not automatically equivalent to the in-salon protocol. A brand-like product name alone does not prove who made the device.

Can I rely on online Aqua Facial reviews?

Only to a limited extent. Many images come from device sellers, while lighting, camera angle and makeup can explain much of the apparent difference. Comparisons are useful only with consistent lighting and angle and a clearly stated time after treatment.

Is JetPeel better than Aqua Facial?

There is no evidence-based answer because no published study has compared the two directly. The practical question is the concern: suction may suit congested pores, while a contact-free jet may appeal to highly reactive skin.

Can an Aqua Facial cause side effects?

No facial treatment is guaranteed to be free of side effects. Temporary redness, tightness, dryness, stinging or itching may occur. Published adverse-event data from one small branded acne protocol cannot be assumed to quantify the risk of every Aqua Facial device, so we assess the skin and avoid promises.

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