What can I do about my pigmentation?

Most unfortunately the skin on our faces is very prone to freckles, sun spots, Melasma, and acne post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Depending on the type of pigment and its origin, there are a few treatments that can reduce or eliminate the pigment.

Types of pigmentation

Freckles

Freckles are small clusters of pigment that become more accentuated after sun exposure. They more common in people with fair skin.

Sun spots/Liver spots

They are caused by overexposure to the sun during the early years but they usually don't become visible till the person is over 40. The body tries to protect itself from harmful UV by creating melanin  clusters in the deep layers of the skin. As age advances the pigment raises to the surface becoming visible.

Birthmarks

They appear at birth and are characterized by light to dark brown spots

Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation
It is the result of minor skin injuries. It can arise due to acne inflammation, psoriasis, eczema and even harsh skin care products.

Melasma

Melasma is the result of an overproduction of melanin by the pigment cells. Usually there is an inherited tendency and it's more common in people with dark skin. It can be triggered by the sun exposure, hormonal changes, pregnancy, Hypothyroidism, and certain medications. For further information about Melasma please visit this link: http://www.dermnetnz.org/colour/melasma.html

Available Pigmentation Treatments

Foremost, it's important to use a good sunscreen, even in cloudy days. No matter what type your pigmentation is, it's likely to get worse with UV exposure.

All types of pigmentation will also benefit from a good skin care regime. Products containing AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), Retinoids (Vitamin A), Salicylic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) are specially good at reducing pigmentation and inhibiting the formation of melanin.

Chemical peels and dermabrasion can also help with pigmentation, however caution is needed with these treatments because they are quite harsh on the skin and can cause post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, specially on sensitive skins. It is best to try a gentle peel such as lactic acid, which exfoliates the skin without destroying the live cells barrier.

Lasers and IPL work by burning the top layer of the pigment without affecting the surrounding area. Depending on the depth of the pigment you may need a number of treatments to resolve the condition.

Melasma is the most difficult condition to treat because of the underlying causes:

•  If the Melasma is caused by pregnancy it may disappear by itself a few months after childbirth.  In any case it cannot effectively be treated during pregnancy.
• If you are on the pill or undergoing hormonal replacement therapy they should be discontinued
• Depending on the depth of the pigment and the colour of your skin it may be possible to treat Melasma with lasers or IPL. These treatments are not suitable for very dark skinned people.

Unfortunately even with great results after treatment, pigmentation may reappear after sun exposure or hormonal changes.

I just had a Laser Hair Removal treatment and my hairs are all still there.

A couple of my clients have called me a day or two after their IPL or Laser hair removal treatment to complain that all their hairs are still there and growing.

If you have not had a permanent hair removal treatment before, you may expect it to be like waxing or sugaring and think that at least some of the treated hairs will be gone completely right away. This is not the way it works.

Firstly you need to shave 1 or 2 days before your appointment, so only the little black dots are showing. You may ask why?:

How does IPL and Laser hair removal works?

The machine have a headpiece that emits light at different frequencies. These light waves will be attracted to the melanin (the colour) in your hair.

In contact with the hair the light gets converted in heat energy and travels through your hair to the follicle, destroying the follicle.

If your hair is long most of that energy would be wasted on your hair instead of the follicle. You could also cause damage to the skin surface that is in contact with the hair.

If your hair has been shaved the energy has to travel a very short distance to the follicle and the treatment is more effective.

Why you can still see all your hair after the treatment and they even appear to be growing?

IPL and Laser hair removal does not vaporise the hairs. After the treatment all the hairs remain there and they are a few millimeters deep into the skin.  Even when the hair follicle has been destroyed, to your eyes it looks like if the hair is still growing because the skin is slowly shedding the dead hair.

It usually takes about 7 days for the skin to shed dead hairs. You have also to consider that IPL and Laser are only effective on hairs that are in the anagen stage (growing stage) and not all hairs grow at the same time. Only 15-30% of the hairs are in the anagen stage at any one time.

If you are going out and don't want to show a hairy skin, you will need to shave. It is not good to wax or pluck your hairs in between treatments because you disrupt the natural growth of the hair and your treatment will not be as effective.

When would I see results?

You will start to see clear patches after the second or third treatment.


It takes 6-12 treatments (depending on the area to be treated) to achieve an 85-95% hair reduction.  Results vary from person to person. Sometimes hormonal imbalances can make the cells produce new hair, it is also possible that some treated follicles regenerate.

How do I know if IPL or Laser hair removal will work for me?

When you go to your initial consultation, the therapist will evaluate the area to be treated as well as your medical history to determine if the treatment is suitable for you.

Some medical conditions such as hormonal imbalance, Polycystic Ovary disease or Hirsutism can cause abnormal hair growth. IPL and laser do not produce permanent results on people with these conditions.

If your hair is very light or very fine, it may also be difficult to achieve permanent reduction.

There is also the possibility that even though your hair is dark and coarse and you don't have any medical condition, the treatment may not work for you. In this case you won't know till you try it.

Many years ago the treatments were very expensive and you ran the risk of loosing quite a bit of money if the treatment didn't work for you. Today IPL and Laser hair removal treatments are very cheap. Most clinics offer specials once or twice a year and they tend to work out at almost the same price than waxing. If you can afford waxing, you can afford trying IPL or laser because if it works, you won't have to worry about the hairs anymore.


 

Should I be using Peptides on my skin?

Being bombarded with new discoveries and beauty hype every day, it is difficult to know what is really good for your skin. Understanding the structure of the skin and how it is affected by aging and the environment helps us determine what we can do to preserve its youthfulness.

 

Why do you get wrinkles and lax skin? 

Collagen and Elastin make up 80% of your skin. These proteins are what keep your skin plump and flexible. Environmental factors such as the sun, pollution, smoking and eating sugar break down collagen fibres causing wrinkles and sagging skin. To make things worse, your body's ability to produce collagen fibres diminishes with age.

What helps rebuild collagen?

 Antioxidants are important, specially vitamin C and A. Vitamin A is probably the most important ingredient in a good skin care product. Vitamin A not only helps produce collagen, but also repairs the DNA of damaged cells allowing them to produce healthy collagen. Vitamin A also disperses melanin granules (the colour in our skin) so they don't group and form brown spots and pigmentation.

Other functions of vitamin A are the control of oil production; the reduction of acne; the exfoliation of dead skin cells; and because of its correction of the DNA, the prevention and reduction of skin cancers.


Hyaluronic acid is also very important for your skin. It is the filler between collagen fibres. It helps retain water in the skin, improving skin hydration, stimulating the production of collagen, and maintaining the skin's elasticity.

Some beauty treatments such as Skin Needling stimulate the production of collagen by causing micro injuries that prompt the body's natural healing responses. 

What are Peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids.  The proteins in our bodies are made out of long chains of peptides. Peptides send messages to the cells and tell them what to do. 

By applying the right peptides to your skin you can tell the cells to produce more collagen, to protect the collagen, and even to relax the muscles, decreasing wrinkles such as the brow frown (a similar effect to Botox).

Beauty treatments such as IPL/Laser photorejuvenation and Radio Frequency treatments heat up the damaged collagen fibres breaking them down into peptides which signal the skin cells to produce more collagen.

Other things you should do to protect your skin's collagen

The sun is the major culprit when in comes to collagen damage. Always use a broad spectrum sunscreen, zinc or titanium dioxide are best. Remember to reapply every 2 hours, more often if you are swimming because it may rub off with the towel. Also wear a hat, try to keep out of the sun, and wear long sleeves.

The second culprit is eating sugar. Sugar in the bloodstream attaches to proteins creating AGEs (Advanced Glycation End-products). AGEs are harmful molecules that damage collagen and elastin in a domino-like effect. The more sugar you eat the more AGEs your body creates.

Smoking is also very harmful to the skin. The toxins in cigarette smoke damage your collagen causing deep lines around the mouth.

An Introduction to Essential Oils and their Uses

Essential oils are extracted from the flowers, bark, leaves and fruits of plants. They are organic volatile compounds in high concentrations. Depending on the plant one drop of essential oil can equate to more than a kilogram of that particular fresh flower or leaf. Because of this essential oils are used sparingly and highly diluted.

Essential oils are extracted through steam distillation, cold pressing and solvent extraction and have been used since antiquity for a variety of purposes. Properties include: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, relaxant, detoxifying, anti-fungal, healing, etc. Lately Aromatherapy has become very popular with essential oils being added to cosmetics, candles, soaps, etc.

How to apply essential oils

Topical application
Essential oils have a very small molecule, so they can be absorbed through the skin. Some oils are capable of entering the blood stream to treat different areas of the body.

Oral
Some essential oils like peppermint, lavender, lemon, grapefruit, and frankincense oil can be ingested to relieve common ailments. However, note should be taken that essential oils are very powerful and like with any medication it is advisable to seek professional guidance. It is also important to use Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils and buy from a trusted supplier, to ensure they are not adulterated with harmful chemicals.

Inhalation
Essential oils can be absorbed by the bloodstream when inhaled. You can use with a diffuser or humidifier.
Lavender oil is great for relaxation and the relief of stress. Eucalyptus oil helps decongest and clear the lungs and air passageways.

How to buy essential oils

It is not easy to purchase unadulterated essential oils. Steam distillation and cold press are very expensive procedures, hence about 98% of the oils in the market are obtained by using solvents or carbon-dioxide which leave a toxic residue.

To complicate matters, in most countries, there are no standards for testing oils and no regulations in regards to production and labeling.

The quality of the oil will depend not only on the species of plant used, but where the plant was grown, if it was grown organically and at what time of the year.

Price is a good indicator because, for example, to make a drop of therapeutic rose oil you need around 40-60 roses which makes it very expensive.

Having that in mind here are some things you should look for when buying therapeutic grade essential oils:

• The company must use steam distillation
• The company must use organic grown plants
• The oil should come in a sealed dark glass container.
• The label should have the common and scientific name as well as the chemotype of the plant, say that it is 100% pure therapeutic grade oil, usage instructions and company information

Essential oils and what they are good for:

Basil: Good for infections and muscular pain. Clears the mind

Bergamot: Relieves stress, good for colics and arthritis

Cardamon: For a healthy digestive system, helps with diarrhea and gas.

Carrot Seed: Good for digestion and as a natural sunscreen against UVB rays

Clove: Supports a healthy immune system, good for tumors and detoxifying.

Coriander: Supports a healthy digestive system. Good for muscular pain.

Eucalyptus: good for coughs and colds, supports a healthy respiratory system. Eases muscle aches. Natural insect repellent.

Frankincense: it supports a healthy immune system and skin. Anti-inflammatory, reduces scars.

Geranium: Great for a healthy skin, it also have a calming effect and it is good for jet lag.

Ginger: Helps with the digestive system, good for low libido and vertigo.

Grapefrui: Good for weight loss and detoxing

Jasmin: for hormonal balance and relaxation

Lavender: good for burns and insect bites, support a healthy skin, eases stress and helps in relaxation

Lemon: Increased energy, healthy circulatory system, cleansing

Melaleuca (Tea Tree): Great for a healthy skin, also good for the immune system.

Oregano: Helps fight infections and supports the immune system

Peppermint: Great for a healthy digestive system

Rose: For healthy skin, aphrodisiac

Rosemary: Mental clarity and memory. Healthy hair.

Sandalwood: Good for Alzheimer and deep relaxation.

Thyme: Supports the immune system and helps fight infections and tumors

Wild Orange: Helps with digestion and fights anxiety.

For more information:

http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/
https://www.facebook.com/EssentialOilUniversity
https://www.facebook.com/LearnEssentialOils
http://livingtraditionally.com/thyme-essential-oil-shown-kill-98-percent-breast-cancer-cells/
http://www.aromaticscience.com/?s=frankincense%20%2B%20cancer

Disclaimer:
Any information in this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Always consult and follow your Doctor's advice.

 

What's New in Dermal Needling

After attending an Advanced Dermal Needling Masterclass with Needling pioneer and top 10 Plastic Surgeon, Dr Des Fernandes, I'm busting to tell you all about it.

What is Dermal Needling?

 For those of you who don't know, Dermal Needling (also called Skin Needling, Dermal-rolling, Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT), Percutaneous Collagen Induction (PCI), and Mesotherapy), is a treatment involving the use of micro needles to puncture the skin and create microscopic breaks in the blood vessels immediately beneath the surface of the epidermis.

This procedure stimulates the natural regeneration of the skin encouraging the release of the body's own growth factors without damage to the skin.

The results of needling were first observed by Dr Des Fernandes through the cosmetic tattooing of face lift scars. After more than 20 years perfecting the technique it is widely recognised as one of the best rejuvenation treatments, specially for the treatment of scars.

What are the benefits?

• The formation of new collagen and elastin
• Thicker epidermis
• Improves skin appearance, texture and quality
• Diminishes scarring including acne scarring
• Reduces stretch marks
• Reduces skin laxity
• Reverses sun damage
• Helps with vascular conditions
• Diminishes fine lines and wrinkles
• Safe on all skin types and ages
• Short healing phase 2-3 days 
• Improves penetration of serums and 
• It is one of the safest procedures.

Contraindications

• Active skin infections
• Rosacea
• Skin cancers, warts, solar keratosis
• Severe keloid scaring
• Pregnancy
• Untreated diabetes
• Taking certain medication: inti-coagulants, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, corticosteroids, roaccutane
• Botox - allow 10 days
• Fillers - allow 14 days

What's new?

 Skin needling will always offer an improvement of the skin, however after long study Dr Fernandes have been able to prove that for optimal results the treatment should be carried out as per the following guidelines:

• The skin should have been previously prepared with vitamins A and C for a minimum of 3 weeks before the procedure.
• A series of 4-6 treatments, spaced every 4-7 days will offer the best results
• Immediately after each treatment wash the skin and apply a thin layer of a gentle lactic acid cool peel for 4 minutes to sterilize and speed up the healing process
• After removing the peel apply a peptide rich serum to enhance the treatment results. At this moment any products applied to the skin will go right into the deep layers hydrating and firming the skin.
• Follow up with vitamins A & C
• Continue with a daily routine of vitamins A & C rich skin care

Exfoliation!

It's not all about scrub, scrub, scrub!

Too much exfoliation can damage the skin, so how much is too much?

Exfoliation is the process by which you remove the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. By removing dead skin cells you unclog pores avoiding the build up of bacteria and allowing the skin to breath. Serums and moisturisers can penetrate to the deep layers of the skin and promote the healthy development of the cells.

 

Mechanical Exfoliation

Exfoliation can be mechanical or chemical. Mechanical exfoliation involves scrubbing the skin with sponges, salts, products containing microbeads, microfiber clothes, pumices, etc.

Chemical Exfoliation

Chemical exfoliation is carried out by acids, such as citric acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, alpha & beta hydroxy acids, and fruit enzymes.

The skin

The skin is made out of many layers and they all have a function. The outer layer of the skin protects us from the environment: the sun, wind, bacteria, pollutants, etc. Overdoing exfoliation can leave us exposed, specially in very sunny or cold climates. Without this protective layer the sun rays would penetrate more deeply causing photo aging: pigmentation, wrinkles, collagen breakdown.

How to get it right

What you want to eliminate is the pile of old skin cells on the surface, to achieve this a gentle approach is important. These are redundant dead cells that dull the skin blocking pores and causing breakouts.

Gentle masques won't affect your live cells leaving their water-proofing barrier intact. We recommend the following Environ products for a gentle exfoliation:

AVST Hydrating Exfoliant Masque
It contains Kaolin that is a very fine clay used to absorb excess oil from the skin while acting as a micro-exfoliant. It will leave your skin hydrated with a radiant glow. Use once or twice a week.

ß-Active Sebumasque
It hydrates and refines the skin, clearing impurities and removing excess oil. Suitable for congested and oily skin.

Ionzyme C-Quence Energising Masque
Specially formulated for clients with mature skin, sun damage, wrinkles and acne scars; this masque energises the skin brightening the complexion.

Peels, the ultimate exfoliation

Environ's cool peels use lactic acid to gently remove the dead skin cells leaving the skin radiant and encouraging the skin's natural exfoliation process. Peels are ideal during the Autumn and Winter to renew and re-energise dull skin while increasing hydration.

Peels are recommended in winter only because after a peel your new skin is very susceptible to the sun. It is also important to protect your skin with sunscreen everyday, even if cloudy.



You may also like to read: How should you wash your face

The Dangers of Microdermabrasion and Skin Peels

There is nothing more fashionable now days that a Microdermabrasion treatment or a peel because they are quick, cheap and you can see results right away. They leave our skin looking bright and young reducing fine lines and superficial scarring. Both are non-invasive procedures with little downtime. So what can be wrong with that?

What is Microdermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion is a procedure in which the top most layer of the skin, the 'Stratum Corneum', is buffed away. The Stratum Corneum is made of dead skin cells and it acts as a barrier from the elements, protecting the deeper layers of the skin from sun damage and environmental pollutants, and conserving moisture.

By removing the layer of dead skin cells many superficial blemishes such as some pigmentation, scars and fine lines are diminished revealing a smoother and brighter new skin. Another advantage of this treatment is that by removing the natural skin barrier it facilitates the absorption of serums and skin care products into the deep layers of the skin.

Please note that only very superficial scars and lines will become softer. Freckles and sun spots may fade but you will need more than one treatment. Melasma is very difficult to treat, specially if caused by hormones, so it is unlikely to be affected.

You need to be aware that the Stratum Corneum protects you from the sun. So after it is removed your skin will be extra sensitive to UV light and if you don't keep away from the sun and use a daily sunscreen you may end up with more pigmentation than what you had to begin with.

How does Microdermabrasion work?

Microdermabrasion uses a machine to blast aluminum oxide crystals onto the skin causing an abrasive action. An attached suction device vacuums the dead skin cells and used crystals at the same time. 

 

This machine has the disadvantage that you breathe in some of these aluminum oxide crystals which may contribute to asthma and other health problems later on.

The crystals can also get in your ears and eyes causing scratches and discomfort. Newer Microdermabrasion machines use a diamond tip instead of the crystals, which is gentler on the skin and has less risk of side effects. If you are thinking of having this procedure done, I would recommend you to find a clinic or salon that uses diamond tip.

Is it painful?

The procedure only lasts 20 to 30 minutes for the face and there is no pain, however you may feel a warming or tingling sensation. After the procedure, your skin may be a bit swollen and red but these symptoms should clear in one or two days, depending on the person.

What are Glycolic Peels?

Glycolic peels work in a similar fashion to Microdermabrasion. However, instead of using a physical abrasion it uses glycolic acid derived from sugar cane to dissolve the stratum corneum. During the procedure you will experience a mild burning sensation and your skin may present erythema (redness) for one or two days.

Would you recommend these treatments?

As a beautician I do not like these treatments because they are too harsh on the skin and tend to damage the water-proofing barriers of the live cells underneath the Stratum Corneum. I instead recommend a peel using Lactic Acid which has been described as a cool peel because it gently exfoliates the top most layer without burning the skin. Lactic Acid also has the advantage that the results are easier to control and there is no danger of overdoing it. The beautician can vary the level of exfoliation by applying one or more layers of lactic acid or leaving it on for longer, depending on the client's skin condition.

Dangers of Microdermabrasion and Glycolic Peels

Microdermabrasion and Glycolic peels should not be done more than once a month because with overuse there is the risk of thinning out of the skin, developing skin sensitivities, breakouts, and pigmentation.

There have been numerous cases of people undergoing these procedures who have reported getting broken capillaries, persistent flushing, pigmentation and even developing Rosacea as a result of the treatments. 

In some cases, it is possible that these side effects may have been caused by sun exposure after the treatment. I can't emphasise enough how important it is to keep out of the sun for at least two days after the procedure and use sunscreen SPF15-30 all the time, even on cloudy days, for at least one month.

Even if you have not undergone any of these treatments, and if you really care about your skin and want to maintain it healthy and avoid premature aging, you must do this for life: Keep out of the sun and use sunscreen everyday.

Contraindications:

Microdermabrasion and glycolic peels are not recommended for people with the following conditions:

• Rosacea
• broken capillaries or vascular problems
• active cold sores
• warts
• eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis
• people on certain medications such as roaccutane or blood thinning drugs
• immune system disorders
• Diabetes